Are you in a job that you know you won’t be in for the long term? Maybe you are in a temporary position, or maybe you intend to move to a new city or go back to school. Maybe you’ve got a date in mind, and maybe you’ve even given your notice well in advance. At this point, you have two choices:
- Slack off – otherwise known as ‘quiet quitting’. After all, what are they going to do, fire you? You can choose to take it easy, with little to no (immediate) consequences. This is the path many choose.
- Continue to work as hard as ever. Carry out your role the same way you would if you planned to continue working and building your career here.
I STRONGLY recommend the latter approach. You should maintain the mindset that you’re working towards a promotion – right to the moment you say goodbye for the last time. This can be very challenging when you have trouble visualizing any benefits – after all, you’re leaving, right?
Based on my experience managing over 100 employees across a range of industries – as well as my own experience changing jobs – I can share with you 4 great reasons to keep pushing until the very end, whether that be a week, a month, or even a year from now.
Reason 1: Keep your momentum
First, don’t put your development and growth on hold. You are still expected to 8+ hours per day at your current job. Don’t waste your time slacking off. Stick to your formula – that is, your habits and behaviours that earned you a new position in the first place.
You need to be a proactive person if you intend to achieve your career goals; proactive people don’t sit still while waiting for situations to unfold. If you stick to your winning formula in those final days, you’ll accomplish three things:
- You’ll continue to grow and develop yourself (your career is only so long, don’t waste time);
- You’ll arrive at your new job still in a good rhythm, making it easier for you to catch on quick in your new role; and
- Your positive attitude will be intact – your new employer will notice if you are coming in cold, and you don’t want your first impression to be that you are a downer.
Reason 2: Leave a good impression (and ensure a good reference!)
It’s critical that you leave a good impression with your former employers. Think ahead two jobs from now – most employers ask for references from at the very least, your two most recent employers. That means that, despite securing this great new job, the following step in your career is still going to depend on what your current boss thinks of you. You’ve done a great job up until now, don’t blow up a good reference by slacking off in your last two weeks.
Reason 3: Keep your options open
Believe it or not – you might want to return. I’ve seen many people leave for greener pastures, discover they aren’t so much greener after all, and promptly ask for their old job back. If you do a great job up until the moment you hand in your keys, your boss will remember that. As PT Barnum says, “always leave them wanting more”. If you are truly a great employee and want to come back, they’ll find a place for you.
Reason 4: You may be in your current role longer than you expected
Plans could change. Maybe your promotion or new job fell through, or for whatever other reason, you’re going to be stuck in your current role longer than you expected. This is not unusual – remember all the rescinded job offers over the past year? If you’ve been coasting, you’ve missed out on valuable time to grow and develop yourself professionally; you’ve stunted your growth, and maybe even made a poor impression. That can be a truly difficult situation to bounce back from; while you attempt to rebuild your reputation, your fellow colleagues will be scooping up valuable developmental opportunities managers reserve for their best employees.
#Quitting your job? Here are 4 reasons to avoid slacking off in your final two weeks:
— Chris (@ChrisjBergen) January 12, 2023
1. Keep developing your skills
2. Leave a good impression – and secure a good reference!
3. Don't burn bridges – you might want to come back!
4. Your new job offer could fall through pic.twitter.com/Sw3aKNhaOM
Conclusion
Those final days, weeks, or months are an opportunity to really stand out, one way or another. As an employer, if I see someone who gave their notice, and then they proceed to work their tail off, that is going to leave a very powerful impression of their character. However, if they indicate that they are leaving, and they proceed to mail it in, I might just consider them and unreliable liability and tell them to just stay home, and carry that as their lasting impression.
