everytime I leave a job I get chewed out

[one_cat]

I'm starting to find some humor in this, but I have a strange sense of humor anyway.

I have voluntarily left a job or a contract 4 different times in my career. Of those, 3 times someone has read me the riot act for even thinking about leaving my employ. The latest was yesterday. What is strange to me is that I see people leave their employer all the time. They get a "sorry to see you go", a pat on the back and a "keep in touch." If they are lucky they get a going away lunch and sometimes even a gift from their former employer.

When I left the Boeing company, a secretary for a high level manager took it upon herself on my last day to chew me out for leaving because "we need people like you." Regardless of the fact that the company was currently in the process of laying off thousands of people. My boss wouldn't even let me take a voluntary layoff - he made me resign.

When I left a contract early in the spring, two women went into a conference room and took turns calling me all the names they could think of including telling me that they would never work with me again because I was quitting on them. (This was a 6 week contract.) The person who had started with me 3 weeks before had been let go with no notice 3 days into the gig.

Yesterday I was told that if I leave it would be my fault that the project would fail, they couldn't replace me and that it was my RESPONSIBILITY to stick around until the project was over. Notwithstanding the fact that they can't promise me employment after Sept. There are 60 people working on this project. I do not believe that I alone am the key to the success of the project.

I was laughing to DW last night that if I came into the project and had simply screwed around for 5 months they would have patted me on the back and thanked me for all my hard work on my way out. The fact that I have made a contribution and done good work for them means that I am now the devil incarnate for leaving.

Does anyone else find this a bit absurd?

 

[LucyStorm]

I think I would take it as a backhanded compliment Shawn. You need to do what's best for you and your family. Don't sweat it.

I have run into similar situations throughout my career. My impression is that the people who are doing the chewing out have no lives outside of the company, the company is their number one concern. They haven't yet learned that in today's world, your family needs to be your number one concern, because in the end, the company is not going to be the ones at your side.

Best of luck, Shawn!

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, it's funny in a strange way, but a compliment to you if you really think about it. Obviously, you are an excellent worker and make a great contribution to the projects, and they don't want to see you leave!!!!!!

 

[browneyes]

You should tell the chewers if they could guarantee you full time employ, you'd stay (if that's what you want).

 

[ChibiJones]

I just had an odd last day myself. I gave like 3 months notice since I was leaving to go to law school. Hardly anyone bothered to even come say good-bye to me. My replacement is within the department & they made it difficult for her to come train. I was finally training her this morning when they called her back to give her a cake for her promotion .

I'm not a going-away party type of person, I just didn't like that they were so sneaky about it. I think I p.o.'d the person who planned it.

So, after busting my butt there for 2 1/2 years, I just left when it was time to go. I didn't know what else to do.

 

[cotye]

You shouldn't feel guilty nor should you be made to feel guilty about leaving. I am currently leaving my contract position. It was for 12 months with the government. I knew coming in that this was just a temporary thing, however, they have offered me a renewal till March of next year. However, even before the deadline, I started to look and I eventually found a full time job in Toronto (my hometown). My boss has been great about this situation and she understands that I'm only looking out for myself since I need full time work and the security associated with it. In addition, I need those medical and dental benefits... No guilt here, but it's weird in a way how you're being treated.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

This reminds me of what my younger sister just went through.
She had to quit her job because they dropped everybody's health insurance.

Her boss was just downright nasty about it.

Which means it probably wasn't a very nice place to work anyway.