How to prepare to leave your job
Changing jobs is one of the most stressful things adults experience, particularly if you're among the many folks right now experiencing layoffs. And when you're experiencing this kind of acute stress, your fight-or-flight responses kick in and your ability to thoughtfully plan and execute action gets shoved to the back of your mind. So whether you're planning a job transition or you're preparing for a potential layoff (or even if you've been laid off this morning), here are the steps you need to take to make sure you're prepared for this stressful event.
If you're initiating this change, plan the timeline
Thinking about changing jobs? If you're financially able, you might want to consider taking some time off before you start your next role. And that time off could look like trying an entirely new field if you're feeling a lot of burnout. Either way, take the time to think through a timeline that will best support your next steps.
Plan your notice period: While two weeks is the conventional notice period in the United States, this may not be enough to create a truly smooth transition if you manage or lead a large team or you're a major contributor to a significant project. In these situations, you may want to offer up to a month of notice to ensure you have plenty of time to get other folks up to seed and wrap up work you have in progress.
Identify your final day: Once you've identified your notice period, work backwards to your quitting date. You'll want to look at the calendar thoughtfully to think about launch days for any major projects, holidays, significant events, or team members' vacations to ensure you're both giving notice and leaving in a way that doesn't cause undue inconvenience to your teammates.
Give notice: Then, it's time to quit. Courteously notify your direct manager, and make sure to define how you'll tell your colleagues and team in alignment with your manager.
Start looking for your new role: If you hope to go directly into another job, start applying for new jobs as soon as you've decided to leave your last role. You'll have plenty of time to work through the interview process during your notice period. Refresh your resume and prepare a cover letter template.
To-dos for your notice period
Whether you've been notified about a layoff or termination or if you've given notice, there are some things you'll want to do during your notice period to prepare for your departure.
Make a plan for insurance: If you won't be going directly into a new job (or if you're not sure) (and you're based in the United States), you'll need to make a plan for health insurance. If you're eligible to get insurance through another family member, start that process. If not, you can research your options purchasing through the federal healthcare exchange: healthcare.gov. You can shop for different health plans and pay rates that are subsidized based on your income level. I recommend working with a local insurance broker to select and set up your plan. They have tons of experience understanding the difference between plans and can help you navigate the forms efficiently.
Create a budget: Determine your unavoidable, base monthly expenses. These typically include housing, healthcare, transportation, and food costs. Evaluate how much savings you have, any other sources of income (side hustles, other family member's income, etc.) and determine how many months you will be able to comfortably live without a work income. Determine if you need to make changes to your expenses or seek short term employment to make ends meet.
Identify if you have any healthcare issues you want to address: If you have healthcare during your notice period, it's a great time to schedule doctors' appointments to address any health issues you have not attended to recently. Make sure you've refilled your prescriptions and gotten any vaccinations you were putting off.
Write thank you cards to folks who have been impactful for you: Show appreciation for colleagues and partners who made a difference in your life during your employment.
Assemble your portfolio: Make sure you have copies of work samples you can legally share, performance evaluations, complimentary notes from managers, etc. in your personal files to use in building your case for your next role.
Ask folks if they'd be willing to be references or help you network. Build your list of people who will be your allies in next steps, and make sure you have their contact info in your personal files.
Remove personal belongings and data: Review any work devices and file storage (including email) where you might have personal information and make sure it's fully deleted. Log out of any personal accounts. Make sure you have the passwords for any accounts you personally own. If you work in person, clean out your desk and leave things tidy.
Prepare for what's next
Okay, now you're unemployed and starting to think about what's next. Looking for a new job, whether or not you sought this transition, can be brutal for anyone's wellbeing. It's challenging, filled with unknown, and the job application process can be dehumanizing.
Apply for unemployment: If you were let go or laid off, you may be eligible to receive unemployment payments (depending on the type of employment you held). Contact your state government to request unemployment assistance.
Update your LinkedIn: Take some time to ensure that your LinkedIn profile and any online portfolio sites you have online are as up to date as possible and reflect your current job-searching status.
Activate your network: Write personal messages or make personal calls to the people in your personal and professional network who are best equipped to help you find whatever opportunity comes next. Be specific when you ask for help in what type of opportunities you're looking for and how folks can help you. Provide them with your resume, links to your LinkedIn profile, and any work samples they can use to share your candidacy with appropriate folks.
Set boundaries on the amount of time you'll spend job searching: Consider scheduling a work block daily (say, 9-11 am) when you'll focus your attention on job seeking, and don't look for jobs outside of this time. This boundary will help you stay focused when you're working on job searching, and help you effectively take a break from job searching when you're done for the day. This tactic can help you keep yourself organized and keep anxiety at bay.
Consider finding an interim job: Finally, if you're not sure what's next for your career, consider taking a seasonal or temporary role that will keep you busy and feeling productive while you seek a longer term career option. I've heard from folks that choose this option that it makes a world of difference to take your mind off of big, scary life transitions.
No matter where you are in your employment transition, I'm wishing you the best of luck in finding the right next step for you.
