I sat on the table, staring at the bright screen of my work laptop. I had drafted the email containing the few sentences telling my bosses that I was quitting the firm. I had had this email reviewed by my boyfriend, Tristan, and some of my trusted friends. It was ready to go, if I could just lift my finger and press the “Send” button.
But I froze. I called out to Tristan to review the email once again.
“The email is all good. Just send it!” He said.
But, still frozen, I stared at the email again.
—
For so many other people in my circle, quitting a job is a non-event. They’ve quit other jobs before, often with the next job lined up. I’m sure they feel some degree of anxiety and uncertainty, but in general they know where they need to go and what their next moves are.
Not for me. I had worked at the company for almost seven years, and it was the only job I knew - I joined the company right out of college. To make things more anxiety-inducing, I don’t have the next job lined up. In fact, I don’t have a clear idea what the next several months would look like, much less a long-term plan.
I was quitting my job because, after seven years, it was time for me to challenge myself and explore things beyond my comfort zone. Growing up, I did pretty well academically, but I had no idea what my passions were. In recent years, however, I had slowly discovered and nurtured two passions - one in social entrepreneurship through my Kiva fellowship, and another in photography, born out of my thirst for exploration and adventures. I decided that I would leave my current position to pursue photography in earnest.
But while the career path for the professional world had been very clear cut (go to business school, network, go for interviews, secure your job, get promoted…), pursuing photography was anything but. There’s no roadmap. And it was frightening.
Back to this email that I was still staring at.
Hi [x],
I hope you are enjoying the July 4th break.
I wanted to let you know that I handed in my resignation effective July 27. This is my first job out of college and I have been with the firm for almost 7 years, so I feel it is time for me to challenge myself and explore things beyond my comfort zone.
It has been a great pleasure working with you in the past few years. Thank you for pulling me into the practice and bringing me along for the ride in Strategy. My best and most interesting projects have been ones where you were leading it.
Thank you again. It has been a memorable and enriching journey at the firm. I’m still around for the next couple of weeks, and would love to grab a coffee one more time if you’re around. And of course, hope to keep in touch beyond that!
Kind regards,
Nanette
Tristan was now holding my hand, giving me moral support. But he was getting impatient, so he pulled my hand towards the trackpad, trying to make me press the “Send” button.
“NOOOOOO WAIT. This is the most important email I'm going to send in my life so far, I need time to prepare myself emotionally, okay?”
“JUST DO IT!!!” Tristan replied, Shia Labeouf-style. "DO IT!!!"
Seconds passed, perhaps even minutes. I cringed, forced my eyes shut. Then I lightly tapped my finger on the “Send” button, and off that email went from my Outlook into the depth of the internet.
“I DID IT!!! I F***ING SENT THAT RESIGNATION EMAIL!!!” I shouted to Tristan in the middle of the night. My body felt like jelly, with a mix of excitement and trepidation in anticipation of what’s to come.
He hugged me, lifted me off the ground and said, “I’m super proud of you."
A new chapter started on July 1 2018, 10:45pm. I felt... cautiously optimistic.
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