Take This Job And...

Okay, it didn't go down quite like the song. But I did resign my position at the college this past Friday.

I've been a big ball of panic since the beginning of May when I had my interview. I wasn't even really looking for anything. My brother had sent me a posting from the place he works and that got me onto their job board, where my new position was listed.

I read the description, and it was as if someone had copied and pasted my resume from the job I held before ending up at the college. It would have been stupid of me not to apply.

At the interview, every single question they asked was a breeze. It was all the same stuff I've done before.

Then they asked me the tough question - why did I want to leave my current job?

Truth is, I didn't want to. I really love my job. But there is no where for me to go. Unless the VP or the President die, I'd be doing the same job for at least the next 10 years.

An hour after I finished the interview, I got a call from their HR department asking for my references. I promptly provided names, numbers and email addresses.

And then the waiting game began.

And then the panic set it.

And then I aged about 5 years in a week.

Finally I got an email from my would-be-new-boss asking to chat.

Offer was on the table. More money, full benefits, pension plan, flexible work hours and three weeks vacation.

How could I say anything but yes?

It took a couple weeks before their HR department gave me the final paperwork. I think I aged another 5 years during that time.

In the time since graduating from university, I've never resigned a position. I've always been laid off. I've had a quite a few doors hit my butt on the way out while carrying my box of stuff.

This time, it is my choice. And holy moses it scared me to death.

Once I signed and sent everything away, I was left with the task of actually resigning my position.

Seeing as I've never done this before, I went to Google to find a sample resignation letter. I took the first one I found and personalized it so it didn't look like I downloaded it from the internet. Here is what I handed in.


June 4, 2010

Dear T,

Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning my position. My last day will be Friday, June 18,2010.

I have enjoyed working with you, R, A, D and all of the Instructors. I want to thank you for the opportunities you have provided me during my time with the College.

I will be more than happy to provide any assistance you may require to make this an easy transition.

Sincerely,
Paprika Spice

I was toying with the idea of printing in on letterhead, but thought that would probably be in bad taste.

I was so nervous about resigning that I was up at 5am on Friday morning. I got to work and of course, my boss wasn't there yet.

When he did arrive, I couldn't pin him down long enough to speak to him. He kept going in and out of his office. It was much like waiting for a fly to land so you can place a jar over top of it.

Finally he went back into his office and it seemed as though he had settled in for the morning.

I grabbed my resignation letter and made my way out of my office and almost crashed into him as he was headed towards the water cooler.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?"

He looked at me, and then noticed the envelope I was clutching.

"Sure."

He filled his mug and then made his way back into his office. I followed behind trying to gather all my thoughts and put them in the proper order.

As I was shutting the door, I took a moment and just breathed in and out.

I turned around, sat down and before I could open my mouth he asked, "Is this good news?"

"Depends on who's looking at it."

He just looked at me and didn't say anything.

I was about to launch into the speech I had prepared the night before but my mouth did not connect to my brain properly before it started speaking.

"This is my two weeks notice."

Gah. I didn't want to be that blunt about it.

He opened the envelope and started reading my resignation letter.

"I have two words that come to mind. Congratulations and regret."

And that sums it up nicely.

For my first ever resignation, I think it went very well.