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Rules for the Last Two Weeks of Work 
 How to Leave a Job the Right Way
After months of endless resume submissions, you finallyaced that interview and scored a gig that pays you $9k more a year. Good for you! You're already dreamingabout those final two weeks at your current job. You'll tell people how you really feel. And if they ask you to dosomething annoying, you'll be damned if you grin and bare it. Not smart.The final two weeks at a job are never easy. There aremany psychological issues at play - including detachment - coming from both you ANDyour colleagues. It never ceases to amaze me how differently people tend to act whenyou're on the way out.Be ready for it.Some folks will be genuinely happy for you. Others will be downright jealous. You mustkeep in mind that you had the courage/luck to get out of the trenches. Those who are stillthere are reminded that they are "stuck." Believe it or not, most people do not have theinitiative to make a job/career change. Aside from that, you are "abandoning" the team -immediately making you an outsider for those final two weeks. IMMEDIATELY. Don'tlet anyone walk all over you or treat you poorly, but be cognizant of their position and a bit more understanding than you might normally be. Your gain is their loss.Leaving a job, while thankfully not a common practice for most of us, is an art form.Here are some tips to make sure you exit your job gracefully.
Spin Control
- You've already submitted your two weeks notice (in writing) to your supervisor. Now you must start the PR campaign. Once your supervisor has beennotified, make sure they let upper management know of your decision as soon as possible. In all cases, you want the news that you are leaving to come from YOU, thatway you can control the story's "spin." Many supervisors will ask you to not sayanything to your colleagues. I recommend extending a reasonable grace period (a full business day or more depending on whether or not the proper players are present at theoffice). Information is power. It's YOUR life and you want to make sure you representyour decision in the best light possible.
Pedal to the Metal
- Be nice, more approachable and work harder than ever before. It'syour name and reputation and you know how important last ones are. The final momentsare the ones everyone remembers most; give them your all.
 
Varying Goodbyes
- Give everyone a proper goodbye. You have different levels of relationships with everyone; a mass e-mail won't do the trick. Just take a look at thesegoodbye letters gone wild.Make the rounds in person. Shake hands, make eye contactand visit everyone you had business with before you depart. Individual, hand-writtenthank you cards are a nice touch for supervisors or people you truly learned from. Nogifts, please.
Party Smartly
- Be gracious at your goodbye party and do not get drunk or turn it into aBashFest. Whether it's a cake shared around the conference room table or after-work drinks at the local pub, leave on a positive note - without rubbing it in anyone's face. Youwill instantly become a magnet for people to spill their guts. Listen with a tender ear and bite your lip.Please subscribe to theJobacle blog.
Get a Letter
- Getting a reference letter before you leave is very important. The earlier you do it, the easier it is to ask. Who do you ask and what should the letter contain?Downloadepisode #61of the Working Podcast for answers!
Postmortem
- After you leave a job, stay in touch with people in regular intervals. Don't just make social network requests - actually keep in touch. We're not suggesting you use people, but it is soooo transparent when I find "Hey man, what's up? Long time nospeak!" in my inbox. Inevitably, it's often followed by e-mail #2 "Just wondering if thereare any openings..." If you check in every so often, folks are more apt to give you ahelping hand.
Put a Pretty Bow On It
- Don't become a mess at the eleventh hour. Tie up all looseends. Finish every task, return every item, clean out your computer, and leave your desk nice and neat for the next victim. It's your name and your reputation. Oh, people willstill talk smack about you, but give them less opportunities to put you down when you'regone.
Walk the Line
- Many organizations feel they haven't made you suffer enough so theyhave you participate in one more painful exercise: the dreaded exit interview. Here's your chance to "help the company learn what they are doing right and wrong." It's so temptingto take that parting shot at that supervisor who made your life a living hell. It's like you'restanding safely on the other side of the bridge and they've handed you a match and somegas and they're saying "c'mon, punk, go for it!" Tread lightly, friends. You might want to be a little truthful when it comes to negative items, but as with anything else, these folkswill take your comments personally and might use them against you if you call on themas a reference.As Dylan Thomas so eloquently stated in one of the only poems I can ever remember:
 Donot go gentle into that good night...
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