RockyMtn
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
When I left at the end of my contract with mega corp in 2009 most of coworkers assumed I would take some time off and then reappear with another company in a related line of business. I was 51 at the time. Only a few close friends knew that I was basically done.
Even the company felt that I was likely going to appear somewhere else. They offered a multi year consulting deal that was basically structured like a non compete although I could do other outside work if it was not directly competitive. I could also terminate it with sixty days notice. It took me about ten seconds to agree to that!
So my suggestion is to announce whatever makes you comfortable when you are ready to leave. Being vague could end up being to your advantage. Besides, it's really nobody else's business but yours!
Even the company felt that I was likely going to appear somewhere else. They offered a multi year consulting deal that was basically structured like a non compete although I could do other outside work if it was not directly competitive. I could also terminate it with sixty days notice. It took me about ten seconds to agree to that!
So my suggestion is to announce whatever makes you comfortable when you are ready to leave. Being vague could end up being to your advantage. Besides, it's really nobody else's business but yours!