Resigning tomorrow - questions

[FrankiesGirl]

I have my resignation letter written and ready to print out tomorrow morning. I'm excited and scared at the same time.

Letter is basically "grateful for the opportunity to work here" and "just time to move on and try something new" - nice and polite, no bridges being burned here.

Been there over 10 years. Not management, but a senior level employee. Was offered (and turned down) management position several years back. Company-wide reorg is currently in progress, and once again, I was asked to consider management position. (that's a big hell no - been there, done that, hated it).

I have a company-wide rep as being fast, efficient, accurate and creative. I am the most requested to work with by several different departments. Despite my general reputation, I am still denied most perks that a senior level employee should be receiving, for no real reason other than manager's whimsy).

I have many tasks, but my main workload is a large and complicated reoccurring monthly project that no one else has had any experience working on. I work with another department on this, and I really enjoy these people and this project. This is the one thing I'm going to miss, and for them and the project, I want to smooth the transition as much as possible.

Due to how I feel about this pet project, I am going to give the company the option of having me stay two months to wrap up the big push (the next two months are the biggest and most important of the year for this project). I can train the new person that will take over for me, and also ensure it goes out on time and as accurate as possible. This means I'll be giving them 8 weeks notice. I am fine with this under two conditions - I want my work laptop given to me, and I want a flexible schedule during the notice period (ability to work from home a few days a week). This is all I'm asking for in return for the extended notice period.

I'm not doing this for my department, or for my company even, really. I'm doing it for my own sense of pride/professionalism and because I care about the project and the specific people that I work with on it.

All of my work files will be transferred to our servers, and I would also make sure to be available for at least a month or two to answer any questions.

I still would be perfectly happy to leave after two weeks. I just wanted to give them the options, and I don't think I'm asking too much from them either, but I'll be fine if they say "get out now" in a fit of stupidity (actually already removed my personal files off the computer). Granted, I'd love to have my computer, more money into my 401k ,and health insurance for two extra months before I'd have to start paying for it myself, but we can and do have the funds in the budget now, so either way is fine.

Any thoughts? Does this sound okay?

 

[tbilltubbs]

Sounds fine.

On to your next adventure!

 

[Brat]

Gather up and bring home contact information for folks you may want to find in the future.

 

[Accidental Retiree]

Congratulations on this exciting time in your life!

You wrote, "Due to how I feel about this pet project, I am going to give the company the option of having me stay two months to wrap up the big push (the next two months are the biggest and most important of the year for this project)."

Regarding the transition you're thinking of offering, my first instinct was to say to you, let them ask you to provide those things rather than you offer it, only because it seems to me their asking would give you more leverage to get what you want out of the deal.

You might even get some of those manager perks you've heretofore been denied.

Good luck with it all.

 

[pb4uski]

Forget the resignation letter for now... you don't need it right now, it can follow later. I actually never did one when I resigned/retired.

Since you seem indifferent on whether or not they ask you to stay on, I would be a little more coy about it. I would just tell them that you plan to retire very soon, let them react to it and then you can respond to their reaction. You may actually want to initially talk with both your direct boss and the dept head of the dept that you work with on that special project. Emphasize that you are telling them now because you want to work out a smooth transition where both you and the company feel good about your departure and as a result, you're willing to be flexible on your leave date but that you want to leave on or before (date).

You can introduce the laptop and the telecommuting later as part of the overall negotiations on your departure.

I did something similar to that when I resigned/retired, and it worked out great. I wrapped up some projects I had on my plate at the time, stopped working other than an occasional short phone call just before the holidays, and was "on vacation" from just before Christmas through the first of February so I had health insurance coverage through the end of February even thought I stopped working in December and I left on very good terms.

 

[growerVon]

Congrats on your plans!

One thing I want to caution about: I haven't heard of people being able to keep their work computers/laptops, but perhaps that is part of the culture at the company you're leaving. To be honest, it struck me as an odd request. This is coming from my experience as a people manager for a very large tech megacorp, as well a lead at several small tech companies prior. I suggest running the numbers to see how much a benefit this laptop truly is, given its depreciation due to age/tech advances, as well as double-checking about the commonality of such a request at your company prior to making it.

 

[martyp]

My workplace wanted me to send them an official resignation email which I did.

Two months notice is generous. I gave 3 months. Every place is different. Some projects really need you to be engaged and transfer your responsibilities. In my case I was just bored for most the final months with little to do.

The laptop "demand" seems a little weird to me. I assume it is company property. I understand why you would need it to work at home during the final two months. Using it during that time seems normal. But after you leave?

 

[Tailgate]

Be prepared to start becoming invisible immediately... good luck!

 

[MRG]

Congrats on your plans!

One thing I want to caution about: I haven't heard of people being able to keep their work computers/laptops, but perhaps that is part of the culture at the company you're leaving. To be honest, it struck me as an odd request. This is coming from my experience as a people manager for a very large tech megacorp, as well a lead at several small tech companies prior. I suggest running the numbers to see how much a benefit this laptop truly is, given its depreciation due to age/tech advances, as well as double-checking about the commonality of such a request at your company prior to making it.

Nicely said growerVon.

OP, If you made that request where I w*rked you would be walked to the secured door sans laptop.

We all have/had different j*bs but as IT, I'd insist on control of that computer immediately. Maybe that's considered normal in your field. In what I did they'd think data theft.

Negotiate something else that's better for you. Best wishes.

 

[pb4uski]

After thinking about it I would agree on the laptop, it is probably unlikely that they will let you keep it. I actually bought a laptop better than my work laptop for less than $1,000 perhaps you can slide some sort of mini-bonus that will cover the cost of a new laptop in exchange for your flexibility into the negotiations.

However, neither of my former employers demanded my laptop immediately... I continued to use it through the rest of my term as I always had (which in both cases was months). Amazingly, one of my employers allowed me to take a bunch of workfiles (spreadsheets, correspondence, memos, etc.) which included company confidential information but they trusted that I would keep it confidential but I think what I was allowed to do is very unusual.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

Wow - I'm amazed at the negative connotations with asking for a laptop; where y'all worked must have been uber scary places! Everyone is definitely seeing the laptop request completely differently than what my company does. The files and such are not an issue. The laptop is not something IT (or anyone) would even care about. It is a designer's laptop with only setups and files that are specific to designing - no special super secret anything on there.

My company isn't going to freak out about the request, and in fact they've allowed other employees to take their company laptops in the past (usually only long term employees - like me). There's no cause for anyone to be freaked out by it - most of my department uses their company laptop for personal work as well with the company's knowledge (I do freelance artwork on the side). I'm asking because having my already set up and awesome computer would be a big perk, but again, I can go buy another one if they turn me down.

 

[Davis65]

I'm really looking forward to finding out how this goes for you! Please be sure to keep us posted. Best of luck on this exciting stage of your life!, and thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Sunset]

Don't resign.

You say things like wanting to keep the laptop, which suggests to me some undercurrent of money issues, why else would you want an old laptop ?

If they are doing a re-org and you turned down a management offer, perhaps they will lay you off, then you can collect UI or a severance bonus.

Quitting means you are not eligible for anything else other than an escort out the door.

 

[golfnut]

Assuming the re org will be completed shortly, I'd stay quiet and see if a layoff is in in the cards for you - might be worth some real $$ and unemployment $$. Then you can buy a laptop with the funds.

If a layoff doesn't happen, give them the notice you are comfortable with.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

Nope, no money issues at all; 100% success on any FIRE calculator out there and with a well-padded yearly spend rate. If I was even a tiny bit doubtful of not being able to fund early retirement, I wouldn't even be contemplating it.

Just happen to get attached to things (kept my last vehicle for 17 years and over 300k miles), and dislike having to go out and search for replacements when I have something that works perfectly well for my wants/needs (and that I know the company will just end up mothballing). The computer is in excellent condition, runs the latest OS and all the programs I want, and has no issues whatsoever - why do I need a new one? I'm frugal by nature, and I think it is a very good idea to at least ask for something that has some value to me, and very little to the company. It never hurts to ask, as far as I'm concerned.

And no, they won't lay me off. It's not that kind of re-org; more of a shuffling of titles and responsibilities and increasing workloads of the existing employees. Fun stuff, but not the kind that results in any firings or lay-offs.

 

[bssc]

Good luck and keep in touch with your former coworkers. In my case, it only reinforced my decision to leave since there have been layoffs and craziness sense then.

 

[Brat]

I assume that there is expensive software on that laptop. Odds are your employer has a site license. They can't let you continue to use that software. They, and you, risk serious litigation.

 

[ElizabethT]

I was in a similar position as yourself, that of being willing to extend my retirement notice if asked. I offered an initial four weeks, and my boss asked that I amend that to six weeks.

What I didn't expect, and what you might want to consider as well, is that once I gave my notice, I was surprised by how I quickly detached from feeling emotional attached to either my position or my employer, and those last few weeks dragged out interminably. In hindsight, I should have provided the same two - three weeks notice someone resigning in order to take a job elsewhere would have provided. Why, ultimately, is giving notice due to retirement any different than giving notice in order to change jobs? You can do the later, with two-three weeks notice, and still not burn any bridges on the way out.

Perhaps long notifications when retiring is more about our egos at the end of the day, than it is about our employer. Food for thought anyway.

 

[Sunset]

The computer was never "yours", your car you kept for 17 years was yours.
Big difference.

I'm glad for you, that money was not the motivation for begging to keep the company computer.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Keep us posted on whether you get to keep the computer.

 

[tmm99]

My company sells their laptops to employees who are quitting (with their supervisor's approval), but they wipe out everything and give them a standard OS image and charge the employee whatever the depreciating cost of the laptop is. (They cannot give the laptop the way it is for obvious legal reasons...)

 

[steelyman]

I guess everyone's different, but giving back all my computer-type things, like desk/laptop, mobile device and accessories helped me feel that I was really gone and ready to do something else (I felt I'd accomplished what I'd hoped to while working).

I figured out what I actually used and finding equivalent or better replacements wasn't hard. But I wasn't a graphic designer, a structural engineer or any other thing that required specialized hardware or software.

 

[Brat]

OP, as a wife of an architect I understand why you would want familiar computer & software. Talk to your IS people to understand how it is 'tricked' out as you would like to be able to play with it after retirement, maybe even buy a license for the software. Many graphic software programs also have ancillary programs for a specific purpose.. particularly in the apparel and footwear industry for example. You want to replicate the look and feel of your current computer.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

The software definitely would be wiped and reinstalled (I already figured on that if they went for the deal) as I don't do pirated stuff. I'm big on intellectual property rights/copyright law and know what it feels like to have stuff ripped off.

In any case, moot point. Everyone (except my boss) was sad and hated that I was leaving. Bossman (he's never liked me and the feeling is mutual) decided to take my notice personally and said the two weeks was fine (there was pouting; grown man getting all pissy and stomping around. and no I'm not kidding)

Already ordered a new laptop and accessories.

Very happy to be out sooner just for sanity's sake, but very sad that my project team is left scrambling. At least they knew I tried to make it easier and they can yell at boss if something gets screwed up after I'm gone.

 

[Another Reader]

Not your circus, not your monkeys (any longer)!