20 months to go and MegaCorp has big plans for me!

[Al in Ohio]

Providing more than two weeks would presumably be appreciated by your boss, and thus might - might! - translate into a slightly improved letter of reference or something similar … but to my way of thinking, that possible benefit is outweighed by the obvious downside.



As Francis Bacon said, knowledge is power. Why voluntarily give up some of that power and place yourself at the mercy of your employer?

Future references will be of no consequence to me as I plan to NEVER work for someone else again!


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[2B]

I had thought of that. In an ideal workd getting my secret replacement on board about 4 months prior would be perfect, but actually getting that lucky?

The problem with your plan is "what makes you think that the one you "anoint" will actually be selected to be your replacement?" (assuming you are made a supervisor). I can assure you that if you announce your retirement you will not have a significant role in finding a replacement. You will probably not have a role in it at all.

Since you can't promise anything to anyone, how do you entice an obviously qualified replacement for you to accept the position?

 

[Al in Ohio]

I am already a regional Director so I can hire at the manager level below me an obvious successor if I pick from a known pool of experience. I just need to woo one of several younger former co workers to accept at the right time.

There is an advantage for me to tell somewhT earlier than just a few weeks. I work on projects and get asked all the time to take on another. That decision is partly my own based on my availability. At some point its going to be nice to put it simply " can't take on your project, I'm retiring from the company in x weeks. "

I'll take on 1099 projects at double my rate after a few months off ONLY with my favorite Project managers.


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[Milton]

Future references will be of no consequence to me as I plan to NEVER work for someone else again!

There you go, then. No upside whatsoever to providing more than minimum notice.

 

[kgtest]

My FIL gave 1year notice. He is a very well respected MD. Reason was some clients he saw only once a year and wanted them to know. I cannot wait for the party. He is such a well respected man. He speaks and the whole room listens. That is power if you ask me.

 

[travelover]

.......... He speaks and the whole room listens. ..........

He could always get a job with E.F. Hutton

 

[2B]

I am already a regional Director so I can hire at the manager level below me an obvious successor if I pick from a known pool of experience. I just need to woo one of several younger former co workers to accept at the right time.

There is an advantage for me to tell somewhT earlier than just a few weeks. I work on projects and get asked all the time to take on another. That decision is partly my own based on my availability. At some point its going to be nice to put it simply " can't take on your project, I'm retiring from the company in x weeks. "

I'll take on 1099 projects at double my rate after a few months off ONLY with my favorite Project managers.


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You are obviously committed and have your mind made up. I realize its way off in the future but please be sure to update the forum on what happens. It also sounds like you're not really planning to fully retire but are attempting/planning to work part time for the same employer.

 

[2B]

My FIL gave 1year notice. He is a very well respected MD.

Doctors are different especially when they are leaving a practice. They are also "skill workers" where the income to any practice depends on the number of skill workers available.

I'm also a "skill worker" (engineer) with no management function. I could probably announce my retirement a years in advance and people would just chuckle. I could keep on working but I suspect I'd be the first to go if a lay off happened.

The OP is a management type. It's been my experience that once an organization knows a manager is a lame duck they are marginalized and pretty much ignored. I have seen cases where a manager was in the process of being fired where they still had enough power to screw up someones career. However, I doubt they could positively alter anyone's career. Generally, everywhere I've been seem to readily run people down rather than build them up.

 

[harley]

You are obviously committed and have your mind made up. I realize its way off in the future but please be sure to update the forum on what happens. It also sounds like you're not really planning to fully retire but are attempting/planning to work part time for the same employer.

Give the OP a break. Unlike you (and I agree with you), most of us thought we were pretty important in our jobs while we still had them. It took leaving, keeping in touch for a while, and seeing that our departure didn't cause a single ripple in the work pool before we internalized it. He'll figure it out, assuming he actually does leave. It's a bit of a humbling, but also quite freeing, experience.

 

[Which Roger]

After trying without success to get RIF'd, I gave one month's notice. The boss relaxed when it became clear that I would put in the effort to train my successors rather than simply not care anymore. That went a long way toward reducing the awkwardness of being a lame duck.

 

[2B]

Give the OP a break. Unlike you (and I agree with you), most of us thought we were pretty important in our jobs while we still had them.

I don't think I was being hard on the OP. He asked for advice and I (repeatedly) gave it to him. I just think he's committed to his original course of action. It may work out for him. If I had ever tried a similar approach when in a management role, I don't think it would have worked out for me. He has chosen what he believes is the "honorable" way that does what he believes is right for his organization. I'd like to hear how it really does play out even though it's well over a year in the future.

I'm not sure what the second sentence means. I've repeatedly put in posts about my significant management position that I typically describe as "when I thought I was important." I used to think I was a key individual but it was clearly demonstrated to me that no one is important when the right people get pissed off at you for whatever reason they choose.

 

[Al in Ohio]

I am actually both a manager and a highly skilled design engineer. I direct an entire business unit that I started internally that they previously struggled with and yet I am also 95% directly billable production as well. Despite the finger in water analogy given, I know they will clearly suffer as they have been praising my arrival since the day I started. I have fixed many previously neglected problems and started a smooth highly profitable design discipline that they relied on third parties prior who messed up almost everything they touched. Hence the nice bonuses and company wide respect. It's been a perfect fit and highly win win for all parties. Problem is that at year 4-5 at anyplace I go my reputation starts to work against me. I have to be very skilled at not only doing the projects I accept and spread amounts my group, but also in workload strategy and knowing what and who to turn down without burning bridges.


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[travelover]

I am actually both a manager and a highly skilled design engineer. I direct an entire business unit that I started internally that they previously struggled with and yet I am also 95% directly billable production as well. Despite the finger in water analogy given, I know they will clearly suffer as they have been praising my arrival since the day I started. I have fixed many previously neglected problems and started a smooth highly profitable design discipline that they relied on third parties prior who messed up almost everything they touched. Hence the nice bonuses and company wide respect. It's been a perfect fit and highly win win for all parties. Problem is that at year 4-5 at anyplace I go my reputation starts to work against me. I have to be very skilled at not only doing the projects I accept and spread amounts my group, but also in workload strategy and knowing what and who to turn down without burning bridges.

Sounds like you love your job and are irreplaceable.

 

[Al in Ohio]

No I love my free time far more.


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[harley]

I'm not sure what the second sentence means. I've repeatedly put in posts about my significant management position that I typically describe as "when I thought I was important." I used to think I was a key individual but it was clearly demonstrated to me that no one is important when the right people get pissed off at you for whatever reason they choose.

I merely meant that most of us had to wait until we left the job to realize that our importance to the business was purely in our heads. You've managed to learn the lesson earlier, while still employed.

 

[Milton]

I'll take on 1099 projects at double my rate after a few months off ONLY with my favorite Project managers.

I assume that you are being facetious, given your previous remark that you "plan to NEVER work for someone else again".

There is an advantage for me to tell somewhT earlier than just a few weeks. I work on projects and get asked all the time to take on another. That decision is partly my own based on my availability. At some point its going to be nice to put it simply " can't take on your project, I'm retiring from the company in x weeks. "

Perhaps. But if I were you I would just say "can't take on your project, I'm too busy with my current load". That would accomplish the same end, but wouldn't have the same risks.

 

[Al in Ohio]

I assume that you are being facetious, given your previous remark that you "plan to NEVER work for someone else again".





Perhaps. But if I were you I would just say "can't take on your project, I'm too busy with my current load". That would accomplish the same end, but wouldn't have the same risks.

No. I might I'd work on occassional projects for spending money when it fits into my schedule. I'm my own boss at that point. Totally third party project deliverable. There is no "man" factor anymore.


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