Question. How do you leave the most offensive, gut wrenching, painful, but PROFESSIONAL two week notice? My manager has been caught in lie after lie, he doesn't accept responsiblity for any of his mistakes, he's made empty promises, and he's started things between my coworkers fir god knows what reason. I don't want to burn any bridges with the company, but I want to make it clear and on file exactly why I am leaving. As far as contacting HIS boss, we all have. I guess this store isn't important enough to be concerned with. But this is what I've come to. And I want to make it very clear and, like I said, have it on file. How do I do this as professionally as possible?
Be honest but substantive. Give specific examples with timestamps of the problem's you've encountered. I don't think you can be both offensive and professional, but the firm truth should be damning enough to whoever reads your resignation. Send a copy to your boss, his boss, and the HR department.
Make it a secret notice inside your head, then, no one can possibly be offended. Then, last day, shit on the boss's desk.
Unfortunately, I'm not sure you can do both the things you want to do. The best thing for you and your career is to simply give a polite letter thanking the company for the opportunity to work for them and wishing your former teammates all the best. End of letter. It sounds like you feel an obligation, whether to the company or to your co-workers, to put some of the issues in writing for the record. No matter how politely you do it, this is going to involve some bridge-burning. My question would be: Why do you want to express these things in writing? Do you feel that somebody else's life will be better because you spoke up, or that the company will be more successful because you said something? If so, those are laudable goals and it's worthwhile to find a way of talking about the things that are wrong. If, on the other hand, you just feel like somebody should say something but don't really believe it would change anything or help anybody else ... then maybe the best course is to just give a polite letter of resignation and move on.
I wouldn't risk it. A lot of places will say they'll take you and then give you 8 hours. You don't want to burn a single bridge, unfortunately.
Tafkats is right. Don't burn bridges. If you have a new job lined up then just put this one behind you. Some might say that you are accepting defeat, but after you have left the things bothering you will be a distant memory, whereas any bridge burning may stay will you and cause problems.
Just walk away. It seems like nothing will change unless everyone begins quitting and Starbucks begins to lose money on the rate of attrition in that store. A minimum wage job is not worth it. ETA: Come to think of it, considering what I know of that situation, why even bother being professional with a two-week notice anyway? You should just stop showing up, since the asshole just stopped giving a fuck. But then, I'm an angry, wrathful bitch IRL.
Just walk away. Don't even give your two weeks notice and then enjoy your Christmas holidays. Just leave a very polite letter saying that you enjoyed working with the company but that due to differences with management you just cannot continue to do so. I burned soo many bridges doing something like that when younger and sometimes it finds a way to sneak back and bite you in the ass. Now I just wish I had just quietly walked away.
Not much to add here that hasn't already been said. You really shouldn't burn bridges, even for crappy retail jobs like Starbucks. Just give them your two weeks notice and move on with your life. You'll be happier.
I wouldn't even pause for a moment to email this guy's direct supervisor. Often, people in those positions have some idea about the issues to which you're subjected and don't want to bother dealing with it, or simply don't care. There's a lot of reciprocal ass-covering that can go on at that level. Don't add to your own frustration doing something which isn't going to lead to any satisfactory results. Your best bet isn't to put anything into writing as far as this guy goes, or by way of giving your notice. The smaller the paper-trail you leave, the better off for you in the long run. The only email I'd advise you to write would be a single line, addressed to the President or VP of Human Resources, requesting the opportunity for a phone call. If you want to skip that step, call the corporate office directly, and ask to speak to the human resource department, and give them your 2 week notice. Generally, those who work in HR are going to ask you why you're giving your notice, and that may open the door to airing your concerns to someone whose job it is to actually address them. If you contact HR, at the very least, you're more likely to find someone who's willing to listen to the reasons you have for resigning. That's what they're paid to do, after all. In situations like yours, HR departments often take an active role in getting to the bottom of an issue, and you might find that they fix the problems at your location, and then ask you to stay on. It requires very little effort to make that call, and you're not leaving a paper trail that could come back to haunt you. If you decide to give that a try, just keep in mind that you need to be dispassionate. Don't mention how you feel about what your manager did unless they ask. Don't give your opinion that you believe that his actions hurt morale. HR people want to hear the bare facts of questionable behavior. If you make any kind of emotional appeal, it can affect how seriously you're taken. Make your case as though you are a lawyer, citing specific examples of behavior which you know were wrong or contrary to established policy. Keep in mind that they hear from people randomly bitching about their jobs all the time. By presenting a "just the facts" appeal, you're speaking the language of HR specialists, and you'll be surprised and satisfied by the results. Good luck.
Unless there's something specific you can accomplish, don't take any shots. Be as professional as possible so that there's no possibility that anyone can use your actions against you in the future. Keep clear records for yourself, though. Give the two weeks' notice unless circumstances demand otherwise. You'll always have your integrity and a clear conscience, no matter what these people did.
I'd argue that even that is too much. If you're trying to avoid situations that can come back and bite you, the less said, the better. And even if you never work for this company again, there's a chance you might come into contact with them in the future in, say, a vendor/client relationship. You could work for one of their vendors, or they could end up as a vendor for something your future employer needs. Or you could even end up working nearby and want to be able to grab a cup of coffee without an awkward moment.
My favorite resignation was a guy at an engineering place I worked at in the late 70s. He went on his scheduled 2 week vacation. A day or so later, someone finally noticed the note he'd left on the cafeteria bulletin board saying what a horrible place to work this was, he won't be back, and his boss can consider this vacation his two weeks notice.
Leave a professional note giving your 2 weeks notice to the manager. Do NOT go off on him nor the company either. Once you're gone and safely into your new job, CALL the District Manager who sided with you so well (previously in your BR thread). Spend 5-10 minutes discussing the whole situation with her in a calm manner. Do NOT put anything in writing that puts down the company or the manager, but make it perfectly clear to her the reasons why you left (after thanking her profusely for her support). Don't be emotional about it with her, just be matter-of-fact.
If I ever hit the lottery or something like that, my "two weeks notice" will consist of me sitting at my desk giggling madly for two weeks. That said, Bunnie, the "don't burn bridges" advice is the best advice you've gotten. Stay above it, be professional, and keep it civil.
I'll echo what the others have said regarding burning bridges. I'm not opposed to it, necessarily (I have a "fire plan" in place should the need arise for it), but here it doesn't seem like it would do any good. That said, if it were me and I'd been working for such a shitty boss (Hmmm...sounds familar), I'd definitely consider just quitting without giving notice or, giving notice and then telling him, "You know what? Something's come up and I'm going to have to stop coming to work now, rather than two weeks from now." The 2-week notice thing is a courtesy, there's no "law" requiring it. If an employer had treated me badly, I wouldn't have any qualms about doing something like that. And, compared to a lot of jobs, I work in a very "specialized" line of work.
Go the adult route. Give two weeks' notice, then leave politely when it's up. No good will come from losing your shit and throwing a tantrum. Believe me.
Yeah, all kidding aside. Burned bridges can come back and bite you in the (delightfully-shaped) ass later in life.
When I was in the military, I had my "day after winning the lottery" exit strategy. I would get driven (in a stretch HUMVEE limo) onto the PT field at 0530, ushered in by The Ohio State Marching Band. :santa_grin: Then I would stagger from the limo and climb on the elevated PT stand, piss all over it, then dive headfirst into the giant tub of money my lackeys are holding. :santa_grin: About this time the Dominoes Pizza 18 wheeler would arive, stuffed with Penthouse Pets serving breakfast & sex for everyone. :santa_ok:
The problem with this is the fact that she is the very person everyone in our store has complained to. She's heard from every one of us and all she does is stick up for this manager. Granted, he is brand new to the company, but it doesn't matter what he does, she still supports him.
I've come so close to it on the spot. Each time something new comes up I feel a rush of adrenalin I've never felt before telling me to start screaming. Also, to add to this bullshit.. I found out that there has also been shit made up where management is claiming that I'm saying this or that about one of my coworkers. I haven't said a damn thing. Keep in mind this is the same guy that texts me when he's drunk trying to get me to "come hang out and help get him drunk" and insinuates sexual stuff (I act totally oblivious when he texts me just so I don't have to get into it) AND he got in trouble for snapping me on the ass with a towel the first day we worked together. But apparently there has been emails back and forth between management saying that I've said some bad shit about him while working.
Hmm. It sounds like you could lawyer up if you thought it was worth it. But, not knowing the details, I favor the "something else came up...it's not you, it's me route" Barring that, why quit? Why not just poison his coffee?
I heard of a guy in San Diego who won the lotto, so he took a dump on his CO's desk. I'm sure he didn't mind the 60 day restriction he was placed on before getting kicked out.
