I think the "don't have an exit interview" advice isn't applicable everywhere. Where I work, we would really like the feedback if you're leaving, so we know what to improve. If you're frustrated and want to vent, that's fine, that's still useful feedback. Nobody would retaliate because you gave bad feedback (and, if you're leaving, we know it's going to be bad).
How to know when it's time to go
61–66 of 66 posts
Re: How to know when it's time to go
#62> It’s no good nursing your private resentments for years, while telling your boss once a week that everything’s fine, and then suddenly walking out on them. Strongly disagree with this point. Your departure should be an enormous shock to management, otherwise you've just spent weeks or months mouthing off about work to them, they've not fixed anything and indeed might even have lined up your replacement already.
I agree with this outcome. When you do raise issues nothing gets done about them and so if you continue down that path they will see the writing on the wall and plan your replacement.
“Everything is fine” until a key milestone is hit - it’s time to move on, or there’s an internal role you’d like to apply for.
Re: How to know when it's time to go
#63I think it’s always important to have ambitious life goals. Goals can be career-related. But at least a few should be about your personal life. So, for me, it has always been easy to decide when to go. Is work helping me reach my goals or standing in my way? As an example, in the early 2000’s I had a comfortable, well-paying job in IT. But I wanted to be a part of something bigger. I wanted to be an expert, pushing t…
>If you don’t have goals, though… god help you.
Lots of people have goals, both winners and losers.
It's much better to focus on process and let the chips fall where they may.
Re: How to know when it's time to go
#64One thing that I realized recently is that humans are not "designed" to be happy. We will always not be content with the current state of being. We will always be looking for the next improvement or change. In a sense, what humans actually care about is the derivative of their state. The absolute state doesn't matter that much. I mean, why would it? Why would evolution design a creature that is content? Happiness and…
>In a sense, what humans actually care about is the derivative of their state.
I suspect humans mostly care about the delta between their state and that of their friends and neighbours. It takes a great deal of fortitude to ignore the fact that those around you are materially richer.
Re: How to know when it's time to go
#65It just feels so good to think that I can just get out and
forget all about it. It relaxes me, and it brings me tears of joy.
Yesterday I've spent 8 hours hoping that I could do a super easy task, I had to cry before I could focus and do that (it took me 15 minutes, mental preparation for it took me 7 hours).
The problem though, I haven't interviewed for 6 years and it is very likely that I will not find anything for at least a year.
Another problem, I don't feel like coding, ever. I've spent 15 years doing it and, in general, I am not passionate about it at all. I just don't want to do it anymore.
After I've written entire systems that serve ok (I hope). I just can't do a single if statement without DPDR symptoms anymore.
I am so thoroughly done, I just can't imagine doing this for another month. Boss knows, everyone else knows too. I sort of coast for a month and then it is likely that I am gone. I hope I will be gone on good terms.
The biggest question is what is next for me in life? I have absolutely no idea.
Re: How to know when it's time to go
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know what you mean (I think). That's probably the main reason I left what was otherwise my best job. I knew that if I stayed longer, I'd never be employable anywhere else, both because I'd have stopped learning, and because I'd have grown too comfortable/scared to move.
The other problem with an easy job is the boredom. If you are in office or even remote but present, remaining engaged but bored for 8hrs/day is torture.
Absolutely. I'm having this problem at the moment.