“The best laid plans of mice and men oft go awry.” With apologies to Robert Burns for the translation, boy howdy is this true. I gave notice and have left my previous company.
In doing so I sent two (actually three) emails:
- one very specific email, to my manager and to HR, as per company policy,
- one also very specific email, to what I *thought* was my peers, with clear routing on who to go to for what, and,
- one follow up email to those who reported to me directly, because it was important to add some context.
As you can infer, with the “I thought” clarification, this didn’t go quite as intended. Despite the email alias looking like it was one thing (my peers across the groups I work in) it was in fact another (all of the leadership team above me). Oops.
I tried hard to make it as painless as possible. I documented all my stuff, I collected it and turned it in, I cleaned out my office, and I left guidance. And one ambiguous alias — that I should have confirmed and did not — made it a less-than-perfect experience. The lessons of corporate life continue.
Aside from that, I think it went as good as it can when you leave a role after 5 years and a company after twelve. I start at a new role in a new company soon, in the area I specialize in, with the promise of enough diversion to keep a Bobbie brain occupied. It was an exercise in gumption – as one matures through their career it gets harder to move each time, and the experience of re-validating my qualifications (and interesting interview questions) made for some nervous nights.
I will miss my teammates. I will miss the role that I once had; I will miss the inordinate attention this company and particularly this division gave to my personal warmth (as of present I count five hoodies, two jackets, a blanket, and a vest in terms of swag). I will miss the individual crews I worked with and the culture we once had. I will not miss an opportunity, though.
Bobbie Conti 