How to Make an Exit Plan
By Jessica Wise
The year 2021 is going down in history as America’s Great Resignation. While the announcement of an employee’s exit can hold shock value, chances are the employee has been on their way out the door for a while. It’s called an exit plan.
People make exit plans for various reasons. Some people are trying to escape a toxic work environment. Others are just looking for a different opportunity. Whatever your reason is, here’s how to exit your current job without making a scene:
Start Applying...Aggressively
It’s a lot easier to look for a job when you still have one. Throwing a fit and walking out forever might look cool in the movies, but unlike Andy Sachs from The Devil Wears Prada, you still have to live after that. While the job market is wide open right now, that doesn’t guarantee you can get one overnight. If you feel like it’s time to move on from a job, it probably is. So start applying with urgency. LinkedIn’s Easy Apply button will be your best friend. I suggest doing as many of these as you can throughout your day (downtime at work, lunch break, etc.), then saving more labor intensive applications for evenings and weekends. Set a daily application goal for yourself, and stick to it.
You should always be on the lookout for the next opportunity, so make sure your resume is updated and polished. That way, when you do feel more pressure to find a new job, you won’t have to waste time redoing the entire document.
Disengage from Any & All Conflict
Looking for another job is a job within itself. It can get draining. The last thing you want to do is put your extra energy into arguing with a coworker or superior. Getting into it too much with too many people can also put a target on your back and lead to repercussions that make your remaining time at the company harder. It’s a waste of time if you’re planning to leave anyway. Protect your peace.
BTW...If there’s this much conflict on the regular, you’re very likely in a toxic work environment. Disengage and get out ASAP.
Stop Volunteering
If your company is pushing special projects and extra tasks, avoid taking on more than your regular workload, especially if there’s no financial incentive. It’s extra time and energy that you could be putting towards your exit. Just continue doing well with your regular work, and leave the rest to somebody who wants to stay.
Collect Your Receipts
If you’re truly being treated well at work, you shouldn’t need to do this. Unfortunately, some employees just can’t be allowed to move on in peace. If you have any reason to believe that your company seeks to hurt you in your future endeavors, you might want to start saving any chats, emails, etc. You especially want to do this if you have been intimidated, threatened, or gaslit by your hire-ups in writing. Save these items as screenshots and send them to your personal email. Should the need present itself, you’ll have evidence to defend yourself.
Again, if you find yourself having to do this, it’s a toxic workplace. Get out.
STFU
Silence is truly golden when trying to exit a job. This is not something to gossip about with your buddies. Keep showing up to meetings. Keep hitting your deadlines. Don’t say a word about what you’re planning until you’ve signed a contract and are ready to put in your two-week notice. If you’re just bursting to spill, tell somebody who has nothing to do with your job — a parent, your friend out of state, or even your goldfish. But whatever you do, shut the f*** up at work.
Leaving a job can be hard, especially when it’s one you’ve enjoyed or you feel like you’ve been pushed out. But don’t burn bridges. How you leave a place could save you some trouble in the future.
