lifestyle and culture

They say when you know, you know, and that couldn’t be more true than when it comes to moving on from a job. As job-hopping becomes more popular, it’s likely you may find yourself in a position to quit a role at some point in the near future. Whether you’re ready for a new challenge or know in your heart that your current gig isn’t the right fit, choosing to walk away is often harder than it looks. Leaving gracefully is even more challenging, especially if there have been some speed bumps along the way (often in the form of a toxic environment, poor management, or a bad culture fit). Trust me, as tempting as it might seem, this isn’t the time to storm out and slam the door (or laptop, if you WFH!), however fun that might seem in the moment. Leaving a job you love can also be hard, especially if you’ve built strong relationships over the years. 
Keeping your work connections intact when quitting leaves the door open to working with the same colleagues down the road, or having them help you out with references or introductions when needed. Is it possible to leave a role with all of your bridges intact? Totally, as long as you follow some key rules to make the transition smooth for all parties involved. Here’s exactly how to quit a job without burning bridges:

1. Give two weeks’ notice whenever possible
Two weeks can feel like a lifetime once you’ve decided to leave, but this is a fairly standard rule for a reason. Two weeks is a solid amount of time for colleagues to process the news and begin to think about a replacement plan, and for you to tie up any loose ends before you head out the door. Two weeks isn’t always legally necessary (even if it’s in your contract), but it is a professional courtesy most people abide by. If you’ve been at the company a long time or hold a senior role, you may want to consider giving more notice (e.g., three weeks), but giving too much can feel like you’re lingering and make it a bit awkward for all involved. Consider how much notice other people with similar seniority have given at the company, along with what’s in your contract, to inform your decision.

2. Tell the most senior people on the team first
With big news like resigning from a role, the most senior people on your team should be the ones to hear it first, not your peers. This kind of news spreads like wildfire, so if you tell a colleague in the morning the entire department could know by noon. Start with telling your immediate boss, and discuss with them how best to share the news. If you’d like to tell people directly, ask your boss first—they might need some time to sort out plans since the team will want to know what’s going to happen in your absence, and will need to ensure HR is in the loop. Make sure you also communicate your resignation with a formal letter (sent via email) after you chat with your boss to ensure everything is properly documented. 

3. Consider what you share
While honesty is often the best policy in a lot of situations, your resignation might be one time to tread carefully. You don’t need to go into detail—and definitely not in your formal resignation letter—about what led to your decision, regardless of whether you enjoyed working for the company or not. Keep it high level and super professional for all conversations. If it’s appropriate, you can share any nitty-gritty details in an exit interview with HR. 
In the same vein, be mindful about sharing what your next opportunity is if you have one lined up. If you’re leaving to go to a competitor or somewhere else that could be considered a conflict of interest, telling this to your management could get you “walked out” and your two weeks would be over immediately. It sounds dramatic, but it happens to avoid any confidential company info being shared with a competitor. You don’t need to tell anyone why you’re leaving or where you’re going, so feel free to provide vague answers until you’re officially done.
   
4. Limit gossip with colleagues 
If you’re leaving a workplace because of a toxic environment (or even just for a cool new role!), try to keep behind-the-scenes gossip to a minimum with colleagues. Most jobs have at least some degree of annoying processes, less-than-ideal colleagues, or projects that went completely off the rails. Resist the urge to air out dirty laundry to all of your work friends because there’s a risk of the news getting back to people on your team and ruining your reputation with them. Save all the best details for a night with your non-work friends, and remember that it’s always best to take the high road when leaving. 
  
5. Provide a transition document 
Regardless of why you’re quitting, leaving a transition document to record all important info for the next person in your role is an important thing to do, especially if you’re managing people or big projects. Your transition document should include any login information, key details for ongoing relationships, updates for larger projects, and ideally a “tips and tricks” section, if you really want to go above and beyond. If it took you three months to finally crack how to request an IT software update in the internal system, consider leaving that guidance to help the next person. I received a transition document after joining a new team which included the best and worst coffee shops near my new office. Was this relevant for my job? No. Was this super appreciated? Yes, yes it was. Be this person.

6. Continue to show up
I once gave my two weeks’ notice knowing I had a trip to Italy to look forward to in my time between leaving my current role and starting my new one—the timing was *chef’s kiss*, but it made it so difficult not to mentally check out for those last two weeks. When you know you’re on the way out, it’s hard to keep bringing your best self to work, but it’s important that you do so you don’t upset anyone who will be at the company after you leave. Stay engaged in meetings, keep your projects moving along, and follow up with people as necessary. Everybody knows you’re heading out, but they’ll appreciate that you didn’t create extra work for them by continuing to do your job until the last day. 

7. Keep your post-work communications professional
Once you’ve closed your work laptop for the last time, it can be tempting to finally leave that honest company review or tell a second-by-second breakdown of any drama on social media. After all, they can’t fire you since you’ve already left, right? While that’s true, you’d be surprised how easy it is for people to put one-and-one together if you leave an “anonymous” review on a site or share details of your previous employment on your social media. 
If you do feel inclined to share your experience—good or bad—do it somewhere you can be truly anonymous (Glassdoor and Fishbowl are good options!), wait a while so the dust can settle on your departure, and leave out any identifying details. For example, if you’re the only one who’s left the Finance team recently, don’t mention that you worked for that team. And for the love of everything good, please step away from LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok. There’s almost never a graceful way to air things out on social media without making yourself look bad in the process. If you loved your time with the company it could be appropriate to post a note of gratitude (often on LinkedIn), but definitely not necessary.  

8. Enforce a clean break (and don’t feel guilty!)  
As anyone working in today’s world can attest, our jobs can often take up a large chunk of our lives whether we want them to or not (has anyone ever achieved that infamous work-life balance??). When that happens, there can be a certain feeling of guilt that comes with quitting, especially if you’ve worked with the company for a while, loved your job and teammates, or if the timing isn’t ideal. But remember that you don’t owe anything more than your stipulated notice. Try your best to not feel guilty about leaving, and ignore anyone who tries to make you feel like you’re letting people down. Instead, focus on where you’re moving to, or the fact that you’re prioritizing yourself if it wasn’t a great fit. Set boundaries and don’t allow your employer to contact you repeatedly after your employment is up (which does happen!)—strive for a nice clean break, which will help you move on to your next challenge and your old teammates settle into their new normal. 

Thinking of Quitting? Consider These 7 Things Before Making a Decision You Might Regret More

I thought my toxic habit of doom scrolling would disappear with quarantine. When it was no longer necessary for me to seek social stimulation through my screen—and I could connect with *real* humans in *real* life—I assumed my digital dependency would once again fall back into a healthy range. But this being the world that it is, political turmoil, Zendaya’s many red carpet slays, and The Bachelor hot takes all brought back The Endless Scroll™. But even with the appeal of these topics dangling in front of me, doom scrolling didn’t become relevant again until now—when an industry we once considered all but impenetrable was entirely upended.
I’m talking tech, of course. The tech sector has seen a recent wave of massive staffing cuts at high-profile companies, including Meta, LinkedIn, and Microsoft. But these giants aren’t the only organizations turning to layoffs in an effort to cut costs—workforce reductions are happening across industries.
If you’ve been impacted, know this: you’re not alone. And while the experience of being laid off can bring with it financial anxiety and emotional trauma, there are actionable steps you can take today to not only open up opportunities, but take care of yourself along the way.

A low-down on the labor market
In short, what’s happening in the labor market is a bit… confusing. And while some headlines might make you believe that a recession is imminent, there is still some promise of a strong labor market. Recently, The New York Times published an article analyzing industries who have seen the opposite. Amidst interest rate increases that analysts predicted would see higher unemployment rates, companies are reluctant to let go of workers. Why? Quoted in the article, Matt Notowidigdo, an economics professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, said that the economic impacts of 2020 could play a significant influence in employers’ decision making.
“‘When the economy came back very strongly in 2020, then a lot of firms were trying to hire again and they couldn’t […] That experience might still be sitting with people.’”
That is to say, take heart: there’s reason to be optimistic about the labor market’s resilience. However, in an effort to cut costs, many companies are turning to layoffs. And while the tech industry accounts for many of them, tech-adjacent and non-tech companies are laying off employees as well.
Beloved Millennial brand Everlane announced in early January that it would lay off 17 percent of its corporate workforce as well as cut staff in three of its 11 retail stores. A company we once assumed was impenetrable due to its pandemic- and remote work-fueled need, Zoom reported 1300 layoffs at the beginning of this month. Noom, Groupon, Spotify, and even influencer-favorite Ruggable have all been affected—and of course, countless more.
Record-high inflation rates, the possibility of a looming recession, and a tumultuous stock market all seem to be contributing to the companies’ decisions. For the sake of brevity, I won’t be diving into the complexities of why recent layoffs have disproportionately impacted tech workers. However, much of it dates back to how the industry was built and initially funded. The New York Times did an incredible deep-dive, building a comprehensive timeline and backstory on what’s taking place now.

What to do if you’ve been laid off
Many of us, early in our career journeys, are experiencing the impact of being laid off well before we could get comfortable as a young professional. (If you haven’t experienced it yet, the transition from college to work life is jarring!) After the initial shock wears off, you’re likely wondering: what do I do now? Below are resources, tips, and tangible advice to support you professionally and financially, and to help you take the best care of yourself right now.

What to do: professionally

Review your documents and benefits
1. Review your documents and benefits. When you’re laid off, you’ll receive an official letter from your employer. Review this and any initial contracts you signed when joining the company. Reviewing these documents gives you a full scope of your rights as an employee—including severance pay and benefits like unused PTO/sick time. Tip: Talk to other employees who have been impacted to understand what others are receiving and asking for. This can help you in negotiations (that’s right, negotiate!).

Request a letter of recommendation
This is a key next step to help you in your job search. Ask your supervisor and/or department lead if they would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for you. In their letter, they’ll speak to your work ethic, skills, and any major accomplishments you contributed to the organization. For more on asking for references and letters of recommendation, check out our guide.

Update your resume
Of course, you’ll want to include your most recent experience at this company. However, now could be the best time to give your resume a complete overhaul. (That’s right, the resume-building tips you learned in college might not cut it anymore.) For what really to include in each section of your resume, read this.

What to do: financially

File for unemployment
This is perhaps the obvious, but most daunting part of the financial process post-layoff. Filing online is going to be the (relatively) easiest approach. File an unemployment claim with your state—a simple google search of your state name and “unemployment” will get to the right page. If you’ve never filed before and aren’t sure where to start, usa.gov provides comprehensive resources tailored to your situation and state.

Get your health insurance squared away
If your employer provided your health insurance, you’ll need to research alternatives. If possible, discuss your options with the organization’s HR lead. Temporary insurance options include:

Make any necessary spending changes
Now is the time to review your budget. As you begin cutting your spending costs, first identify the obvious luxuries. Food delivery, any subscriptions you don’t use, clothing, meals and drinks out, etc. You’re likely experiencing a lot of financial shock, so don’t overwhelm yourself. Pare back to necessities and look for ways you can shift your lifestyle as a result. Opt for Netflix with your girlies in lieu of a GNO. Take up cooking as a hobby and challenge yourself to get creative with what you have. There are many ways that reducing your spending can create opportunities for change and growth in your life.

What to do: self-care

Create a space for your feelings
I’ll say it again: what just happened to you is a shocking—and for many people—traumatic experience. Layoffs take place through no fault of your own, and it can be overwhelming to take in the event itself and the many ways it’ll change your life in the short term. You’re allowed to feel those feelings. You’re allowed to cry in a safe space. You’re allowed to pour your heart out in your journal or take your time snuggling up on the couch in your pajamas.

Rest today, make a game plan tomorrow
Similar to the tip above, it’s important to give yourself the time and space to rest. With the emotions this experience has brought up, you’re likely feeling a lot of adrenaline and having a difficult time processing your emotions. The best advice? Pause. Now’s not the time to make any drastic decisions and you don’t have to take any significant steps in the immediate aftermath. For right now, work through what happened, lean into your emotions, and recognize that you’ve been through something extremely challenging. Tomorrow, you can start crafting your plan forward.

Seek out support
The upside of these sweeping layoffs? Many people know what you’re going through. If you feel comfortable talking to other employees who were affected, reach out. It can be supportive and reassuring to know that you’re not alone in your feelings. Similarly, give your parents a call or send a trusted friend a text. Actively receiving the love and support that’s all around us can help us heal.

Re-engage with something meaningful
You’ll likely have a lot more free time than you’ve had in the recent past. Take advantage of it! And no, I don’t mean start pouring everything you have into a side hustle. Reconnect with a hobby you haven’t picked up in years. Or, start making progress on your TBR list. Get in the habit of taking long walks to gain a new perspective on your city. There are endless ways to find meaning in our lives outside of what we do. Start getting in the practice of prioritizing these things today.

Take care of you
It can’t be emphasized enough. You are still and always deserving of self-care and love. Brainstorm a list of things you can do to show yourself that love each day. Maybe it’s making a nourishing meal, getting dressed even though you don’t feel like it, or taking a long bath. Whatever feels supportive to you, be sure to do it daily. Things may be difficult now, but trust me: as someone who’s been where you are, it does get easier. And simultaneously, you get stronger.

I Reinvented My Career After a Layoff—Here’s How More