In my life, I have had my fair share of shitty jobs and bosses. If you are like the average working woman or man, I'm sure you have had a few of your own that you absolutely hate. Even though you may despise them, when you leave, you have to resign with a certain level of class and professionalism.
As tempting as it may be, you shouldn't quit by cursing your boss out nor should you give him or her your favorite finger on your way out the door.
Even though you hate your job or your boss, you never know when you may need one or the other. Besides giving your employer a considerate two weeks notice, it is important to also send in a written resignation letter that is professional and not tacky.
When you leave your job on a good note with a well-written and proper resignation letter, you are keeping yourself open to obtaining references, connections, and other opportunities. Also, if you ever wanted to go back to the job that you quit, you will have a better chance at being rehired if you left on a good note and submitted a professional and poised resignation letter. Keep in mind, the resignation letter that you submit will be sent to HR and it will set the tone of your last two weeks on the job.
Here are 6 simple steps in writing a resignation letter to a job that you hate:
1. Keep it short and sweet.
Just like writing a cover letter when you are applying for a job, your resignation letter should be a quick read and straight to the point. At all times, your resignation letter should not exceed one page. Honestly, it shouldn't even exceed a few paragraphs. Although it may be a million and one reasons why you are quitting, do not write a full five-page paper on why you hate your job and how it was such a waste of time.
2. Don't be an asshole.
In your letter, use words that exude positivity and don't use the moment in your letter to rant about co-workers that you hated. Keep in mind nobody likes pettiness, so being petty in your letter and placing blame on others will not make anyone miss you or wanting you back on the team. (Remember, you always want to leave on a good note because you never know when you may need someone.)
3. Be humble and gracious.
Saying thank you goes a long way and when you are genuine to someone, it has its perks. When you are pleasant, people are more inclined to do nice things for you and say even nicer things about you. Depending on your career industry, a lot of the high-level managers and HR pros hang in the same crowd, so you should want to always leave a good impression and make it known that you are thankful for the opportunity that you were given. Although you may hate your job, you did learn something out of that experience. Maybe you learned how to be a better supervisor if your manager sucked, or you learned what you don't want out of your next job or company.
4. Offer your help.
Once you submit your two-week notice, it doesn't mean that you are free to do whatever you want to do except for work. During your last two weeks, continue to work hard and also take time out to train other people on your job. In your letter, let your boss know that you will help out in anyway that you can so that you exit does not negatively affect the team.
5. State your last day.
It is the standard to give a two weeks notice, but depending on your job industry, it may be normal to give more than a two weeks notice. No matter what the standard is, be sure to give your employer a specific last day of employment. Doing so, there will not be any confusion on when your last day of work is and it will give your manager a better idea of how soon they should be looking for your replacement.
6. Deliver the news in person.
If you are able and if your job allows it, always deliver the resignation letter in person. If you work from home, be sure to email your resignation letter and never quit via phone or text message (and especially not word of mouth).
Here is an example of a resignation letter:
Have some tips to add? Share them below!
Featured image by Shutterstock
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To my surprise, that came in the form of social media.
Now, you might be wondering how someone might be able to juggle their work in a creatively-dominant career like writing while still having the mental capacity to produce ideas for their own personal brand, and well, that answer didn’t come easily.
In 2021, I hit a wall with writing and content creation.
With the stress and uncertainty that came as a result of the pandemic, to being burned out from having to live off my creativity, I reached a breaking point. For me, writing was always a space to explore my thoughts, process heavy topics, and express concepts that only words could bring reason to. However, when I didn’t have the brainpower to write or create content, I knew it was time to set parameters around my hobby of content creation and my passion for storytelling.
In this case, the biggest challenge was finding the balance between the two by releasing the guilt and shame of taking a break from both in order to reconnect with them.
Through years of trial and error, the fog finally cleared, and I was able to hit my stride in 2023. From garnering over 10K followers on TikTok, building an Instagram community around lifestyle and creative encouragement, along with my wellness collective, Black Girl Playground, and writing for xoNecole as a lifestyle contributor, the creative juices have been flowing steadily.
And it all happened by creating a strategy that allowed space for planning, resting, and creating. Today, I’ll be sharing my top tips to help you find your balance between your side hustle and passions.
On staying inspired and motivated when working on various content creation and freelancing projects:
Early this year, I came to the bright conclusion that I needed to shorten the gap between ideation and execution — and it completely changed how I create.
Oftentimes, when we have an idea come to us, we let it sit for too long, and then before we know it, we’ve either lost the enthusiasm to put it into action, or someone else grabs it. If you want to stay in a flow of creativity, whether side projects or full-time work, it’s important to not get slowed down by self-doubt, procrastination, or perfectionism.
Give yourself permission to act on your ideas as they come to you. Even if they’re a little muddy or not “perfect,” you can always fine-tune them later.
@yagirlaley shrinking the gap between [ideation] + [execution] 🧠💡#fyp #creativeadvice
On the importance of choosing a niche:
If there’s one thing that has helped me balance my work as a writer and content creator, it’s putting each in its own niche (or category). By definition, a niche is a specialized segment of the market or a specific area of expertise.
When you are creating in the same niche that you’re also making a living in, that’s an easy way to get your wires crossed. And at times, this could lead to feeling as if you don’t have any ideas for yourself because you’ve given them to the other area you're juggling.
When balancing two, you want to have enough fresh ideas to give to your personal projects and your full-time work to avoid any overlap. This ensures that your personal creative vision isn’t compromised when working on client projects while still having some for yourself.
On the strategies that have helped to maintain a consistent workflow in both areas:
I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a workflow and structure for yourself as a freelancer — this applies to those with a 9-5 in the day and a 5-9 at night, too.
As someone who admittedly has ADHD tendencies, object permanence can sometimes create a block in time and project management. That’s why I encourage creatives and professionals to create systems that allow you to see the work that’s ahead of you.
Personally, I can’t live without having multiple calendars going at once. My Google calendar keeps track of interviews for articles and events, while my physical calendar helps me keep track of important dates. I also work out of an Excel sheet where I can log in ongoing stories and track their status from drafting to submission. I’ve also heard great things about the Notion app for planning and tracking.
When it comes to creating content, spending time doing bulk content days has been an asset to my creative workflow. When I complete the videos, I save them to my drafts and upload them as needed.
Credit: Amberita
Courtesy of the writer
On the best advice for someone who is considering pursuing both content creation and freelancing simultaneously:
Don’t be ashamed of taking a break and resting — because both are essential to the life of a creative. Last month, I returned to Instagram after taking 6 months off from posting. During that time, I worked on growing my TikTok page, using the platform to practice vulnerability and allowing myself to put the fun back into creating content. Without the time, I can’t say I’d be able to approach Instagram with the same ease and playfulness; but thanks to that time away, it was possible.
Resting, letting our minds wander, or simply doing nothing are all just as productive as creating. No one can produce at all times, we have to allow ourselves the space for new concepts and ideas to flow to us. In addition to that, when we take breaks from social media, it allows us to stop the wheel of comparison and consume more than we create. So if you feel like you’re in a creative rut with all you want to balance, it may be time to take a step back, unapologetically.
Your creativity will thank you for it.
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Featured image by Sir Taylor
