Originally Published: March 8th, 2023
Updated: September 17th, 2023
This article will teach you how to use your two weeks’ notice.
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Putting in your two weeks’ notice can be scary, but there is definitely a way to do it and there are steps that you should take throughout the two weeks to make sure that you can tie up all of your loose ends.
Two weeks or 10 business days go by much faster than you might think. So it is important that you prepare so that you have all that you need for a smooth transition to your next life venture.
Should you put in a Two Weeks’ Notice?
This is a common question that people preparing to leave their jobs may ask themselves. They don’t want to burn bridges or leave a bad impression by quitting on the spot, but they also don’t want to risk alternative treatment because they have given their notice. If you are having trouble coming up with what to say you might find something here.
My answer to this question would be yes. If I was the employer, I would greatly appreciate for someone planning to leave to give notice, so that we may prepare accordingly. Depending on the employee, the preparation time may vary, but two weeks is a good average to show respect to your employer while preparing to work for a new one.
The employee’s relationship with the company can have a significant impact on whether notice will be given as well as how much notice is appropriate to give. I think that people have to do what is right for them.
If you have a new position lined up and they would like you to begin earlier, then you may have to shorten your notice. Your job may be a detriment to your mental health negatively and two more weeks may just be too much to handle.
Giving a two weeks’ notice may have no impact at all on your relationship with your employer, but I think that it is a sign of goodwill to give notice to your company before you plan to depart.
Furthermore, a two weeks’ notice gives you enough time to tie up all of your loose ends, maybe train your replacement, celebrate and retrieve all of your belongings without being rushed.
If you are going through a job transition you have a lot going on by default, so if there are any actions you can take to make the transition easier, you should take them.
How to Use Your Two Weeks’ Notice
Now what to do once you’ve given your two weeks’ notice…
Group all of your belongings
When I say group all of your belongings, I mean ALL of them. Is there a pen that you brought to work one day that you keep forgetting to take home?
Did you lend your heated blanket to your coworker and haven’t received it back? If you have any scenarios like this, it is worth it to try to track down your items. It is likely that you won’t have access to your belongings after you leave your job, so you must use this time wisely.
You also should consider your digital items as well. I know that some companies are sticklers about copyright and material created for their use, so keep this in mind.
But it may be a good time to reflect and document your expertise. This is an easy thing to forget to do, but you will thank yourself in the future when you can’t seem to remember the program that you used every day during your old job.
It also helps, if you keep your resume up to date as well, but a more in depth analysis of your experience and responsibilities will give you more to speak on when you are trying to progress to better jobs.
Also, if there are any emails that you want to immortalize or work projects that you have documented, remember to get those too!
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Get the contact information for references, contacts, etc.
When you put in your two weeks you may not realize that your time spent with your network of people will be severely limited after you leave. As you work every day, it is inevitable that you become create relationships with coworkers and maybe even find some references.
As people come and go, it is easy to forget to ask for their contact information. You don’t want your relationships to die when you leave and have to start all over with a new set of coworkers.
Please remember to connect with your coworkers outside of work. The friendships that you have built can transcend work and you may just find some lifelong friends.
Another thing that you must do before you leave is to gather the contact information of the people that you could use as references.
If you have anyone that could identify you by name and has witnessed your work or worked with you on something, they could make a good reference.
Supervisors are often the preferred references that companies ask for, but if you have built relationships with other people who can speak about your work or character, their contribution to your application process can be just as valuable.
Celebrate with your coworkers (if possible)
Now here is the fun part. It’s time to celebrate! If you celebrate by yourself in your office at your remote job or host a lunch with your coworkers, you should celebrate! If you are finally in a place to be able to transition from your old job, you are experiencing some important life changes.
Hopefully, you are moving on to work on something better for yourself, but even if the circumstances aren’t ideal, I think that you should still celebrate.
I mean, you tried! That has to count for something right? You are taking advantage of the opportunity to see what is out there in the world for you to experience and I commend you for that.
Many people who are afraid of change or the unknown would rather stay in the safety of a job that they dread going to every day than take the chance of pursuing a new career. This can often hold people back because they never made the effort to try anything else.
If you enjoyed your coworkers, I think that showing your appreciation for them before you leave will leave you and them with a good memory. They are probably a huge part of why you were able to stay at the job for as long as you chose to.
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Say goodbye to the people who you value at work
One thing that people who quit suddenly may lack is closure. If you have a job that was in the office, you see your coworkers frequently.
You develop relationships with these people and you both create mutual respect for each other. Depending on your relationship with your coworkers, they may not be fully aware of your intention to leave the job.
If you were suddenly to disappear one day, you both may not have the opportunity to continue your friendship, or they may find out that they really weren’t a priority in the first place.
Either way, you don’t have to be close with all of your coworkers, but it may leave a bad taste in their mouths if you quit and didn’t let them know that you planned to leave.
Also, giving a two weeks’ notice serves you as well because you may not have the time to get to everyone that you planned or say goodbye to everyone.
Your intention may not have been to disappear, but there are benefits in you announcing your departure from your own mouth rather than your coworkers having to hear it through the grapevine.
Conclusion
These are my tips on how to use your two weeks’ notice to the fullest.
Some of these things are easy to forget and you do not want to leave your job knowing that there were more things you planned to do, or regretting that you didn’t give yourself more time to transition from your old job.
With a proper plan during your final weeks, you can set yourself up for a lifetime of friendship with your soon-to-be ex-coworkers and with contacts that will follow you wherever you go.
Getting closure in this part of your life can also help you close this chapter and prepare for what is to come because you won’t have lingering issues in the back of your mind.