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30 Wild And Iconic Ways People Quit Their Jobs, As Shared In This Viral Twitter Thread
Quitting your job can be as scary as it is exciting. Heck, even the mental gymnastics that go into deciding whether or not to move forward can be more daunting than the actual act itself. But when you find yourself at a workplace you utterly hate, what better way to start a new chapter of your life than putting in your two-week notice with your employer?
Conventionally, employees calmly announce their departure, clear out, and move on to bigger adventures. But some workers take the opportunity to spark a little drama and spice things up at the workplace. Whether people are pushed to their breaking points or realize they’re not getting paid enough to tolerate horrible bosses and their antics, the corporate world is full of juicy stories where people theatrically shake things up and say, "I'm out".
Recently, a Twitter user who goes by the handle @metroadlib went viral after sharing how a woman in her office quit in the most iconic way. After spending a month vacationing in Europe, she tendered her resignation as soon as she came back. "No notice. Just bounced," the woman wrote. "Her triumph is now office lore."
The thread immediately became a hit with hundreds of people chiming in with similar tales. Scroll down below to find some of the wildest tweets, upvote your favorite ones, and be sure to share your own stories with us in the comments! Keep reading to also find an in-depth interview with career and interview coach Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES. Then if you're interested in even more stories of how workers quit in style, take a look at our earlier post right here.
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#2
Jon Clingenpeel 2 years ago
I went to Europe for the first time a couple months ago and it really hit me that the US is way behind in many things. Health, mental health, work……
By now, you probably know of the Great Resignation. Ever since the start of the pandemic, companies have witnessed their star employees spread their wings and leave in droves to look for better opportunities, payment, and benefits elsewhere. In fact, record numbers of people have continued to quit and get hired into new roles since the beginning of this year, with more than 3.9 million employees saying "adios!" in June alone. And according to research, this trend isn’t going to quit anytime soon.
A recent report from McKinsey and Company, a global management consulting firm, surveyed over 13,000 people around the globe, including more than 6,000 Americans. The results revealed that around 40% of workers are considering leaving their current jobs in the next 3-6 months. "This isn’t just a passing trend or a pandemic-related change to the labor market," one of the authors of the report, Bonnie Dowling, told CNBC Make It.
"There’s been a fundamental shift in workers’ mentality, and their willingness to prioritize other things in their life beyond whatever job they hold. … We’re never going back to how things were in 2019."
#4
Fabian Bernard 2 years ago
Here in France it's even totally illegal and punishable by law to have your boss contacting you by any means outside working hours
To learn more about quits and what pushes people to make a change in their careers, we reached out to Kyle Elliott, MPA, CHES. He is the founder and career coach behind CaffeinatedKyle who carries nearly a decade of expertise in Silicon Valley and high tech with one simple goal in mind — to help people find jobs they love.
"One of the most common reasons people quit jobs is culture misalignment," Elliott told Bored Panda. "These culture issues may be at a departmental level, organization-wide level, or both."
#7
InvincibleRodent 2 years ago
"A heathen"? Is that meant to be a funny remark, or do they mean in literally? Because if it's literal, that's gonna be a yikes from me...
#8
Alicia M 2 years ago
I quit a job because it was chronically understaffed. It was my second nursing job out of college. I've never been diagnosed with OCD but I have a tendency to force myself to complete things. I can't mentally rest until I get everything done. We were short two nurses and my boss kept interviewing people, even inviting me in on some of the interviews. Twist was, she never hired anyone. After I confronted her with it she said, "Why would I hire two other nurses when you are doing the work of three people?" I quit. All my complaints of being stressed and overworked and didn't matter.
#9
The career coach pointed out that flexibility is another major driving factor behind people quitting their jobs. "Workers crave flexibility in their work schedules and workplace locations. Employees want to choose when and where they work," he added. Moreover, "The current economic downturn, coupled with soaring inflation, also has many workers looking for better-paying jobs. Employees are recognizing they can secure double-digit pay increases by moving to another company."
Being treated like a piece of machinery by your employer can take a toll on your physical and emotional health. Sometimes, your work environment and the job itself can become toxic, leaving you feeling depleted by it and already coming up with ways you’ll leave your workplace (and thinking of final things you’ll say before dramatically dropping the mic).
Whether it was a heated email exchange or a stressful call with the client, it’s tempting to daydream about how you immediately turn in your two-weeks notice. After all, "A toxic work environment can lead an employee to quit on the spot," Elliott said. But at the same time, he noted it may not be a very smart move.
#13
Lady Snowfall 2 years ago
Not wild or iconic way to quit a job. The dude just moved. Did he even quit his job? He could be remote or switched branches within the same company. A lot of these entries have nothing to do with the topic :(
"I rarely advise employees to quit their jobs on the spot without notice. You want to consider the long-term ramifications that leaving your supervisor, colleagues, and customers high and dry may have on your career." Elliott explained that you should aim to provide a minimum of two weeks' notice to your employer. Try to avoid burning bridges with them and your colleagues since this could be a mistake that may hurt you in the future. Meanwhile, you can find more of his advice for employees on what to say when giving your two-week notice right here.
He continued: "If you are an executive, in a specialized role, or a business-critical employee, know that there is often an expectation that you provide your employer with ample notice when leaving your job."
#17
Anthony Mann 2 years ago
We had a 35-year Government employee (civilian military position) ghost us at HER retirement party. She did it as an FU to her boss, as he was the reason she decided to retire.
When you feel the urge to quit right there and then, take a step back and assess the situation. "Instead, reflect on how you may be able to mitigate the stress of your current work environment during your final two weeks. Partner with your supervisor to develop a transition plan that is valuable to your employer while at the same time protecting your mental health and well-being." The career coach stressed that it’s also important to partner with your colleagues and other key stakeholders to ensure the smooth transition of your duties and projects.
Most people who already made a switch in their careers can tell you that the decision to leave is sometimes difficult. Much like acknowledging that a relationship has run its course, recognizing when your job has come to its end can be even terrifying. Suddenly, you’re presented with myriads of what-ifs, unknowns, and changes in your daily life that can be hard to handle.
If you are unsure if it is time to call it quits, Elliott advised you to reflect on your mental health as well as your overall quality of life. "What are you giving up by staying at your current job? How would your mental health benefit if you left your current job?" Having asked yourself these questions, you should see a clearer picture of whether or not to move forward with your decision.
#22
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
The tweets/stories like this make me wonder if maybe I'd find peace/happiness/a different outlook if I traveled anywhere else outside the tourist-trap American beach town I've lived in my entire life. I did HAVE a plan for my life... but that got derailed when my dad had an accident when I was 18... I quit college, never moved out, worked at the family business, and stayed to help care for him (I loved my dad). He died last year. I'm 40 now. Maybe it's too late :(
#23
Mary Mosher 2 years ago
I'm reading many posts about how people found their job so stressful, they just up and quit. More power to them, but there are many people out there who are not in a position to just quit. Low income families or single parent families are responsible to provide for at least one child, and do not have that option. Sure, they can look for another job ... in between shift work and child care ...
Moreover, the career coach said that coping with a difficult work environment can take a toll on your health, but you don’t have to deal with it all by yourself. "You are not alone. There can be a great sense of relief in asking a friend, family member, or career coach for help in finding a new job that respects and appreciates you," Elliott concluded.
#25
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
If I ever find myself in another miserable job that saps my life and strength and destroys my physical health and mental health, I aspire to try and hang on JUST so I can put in my two weeks on April 1st. (btw - I wish that meant that I have a great job right now - but nope - got "let go" from my last job right after I put in an HR complaint about a co-worker for sexual harassment. For now, I have a puppy who is sick so I'm taking some time to care for him before I look for a new job.)
#28
Upstaged75 2 years ago
I quit by email. Yes, it was cowardly but appropriate - my boss almost never talked to me in person even though she walked past my desk 10 times a day. If she had something to say she would email me about it. I figured she deserved that. :)
#29
FreshGanesh 2 years ago
A little bit about vacation days in USA. Besides being way behind Europe with 2 weeks being average for some, vacation days aren’t a guarantee in most US states. Once accrued, they’re also not guaranteed federally. Some have a “use them or lose them” policy and employers deny their use and they expire at end of year. Some have roll-over to next year or just have combined personal/medical/vacation as PTO ( paid time off) and some states guarantee access or payout for these dates, some don’t. Often times people without secured vacation or PTO finagle their usage to assure they get paid out or get the days off. It’s common people use vacation days prior to quitting or giving notice so they can assure they get the paid days off. A lot of Americans support states rights (to make laws) over federal right to make laws, so things like vacation and labor law are broadly covered federally but specific aspects are up to individual states. Which is why employment in the USA is so varied.
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AJ 2 years ago
I just handed in my notice 5 days ago because the company I work for is one of those "nothing is wrong" kind. We've been screaming for months to get some more help but they just tell us everything is fine, in the meantime if even one person calls in sick they have to get two people to do 12 hour shifts to cover. I finally had enough, I'm packing up and moving to a different city where the cost of living is lower. I don't know anyone there and I don't have a job to go to but I'm excited and scared at the same time. It's really weird to be totally starting your life over at 57 but I'm going to do it!
Sandy D 2 years ago
This was a long time ago, like a little over 25 years ago. Got hired at a place that barely trained me, then left me alone in the office with no help if I needed it. I messed something up computer wise. I'm sure it made extra work for those at the other office who had to fix it. I felt bad and apologized, but the bee-itch on the other end of the phone conversation kept yelling at me and berating me. I was new, untrained, and alone. I tried my best but hit a wrong key. So a few days later, I went on a short, previously scheduled and paid for vacation to Vegas. I was so stressed it was ruining the trip. Hubby said, it's not worth it, just quit. So after a short think, I decided he was right. This was before widespread email, etc, so I took a piece of hotel/casino paper with their logo all over the top, hand wrote a very brief "I quit" note and faxed it in from the casino hotel we were staying at. Never went back, never got my last paycheck and didn't care. Had a great time in Vegas. Heard later they were very surprised. Not sure if it was the sudden quitting or the method. But a fax scrawled on Las Vegas casino letterhead had to be a first for them. I hope they thought I struck it rich! I regret nothing lol!!
AJ 2 years ago
I just handed in my notice 5 days ago because the company I work for is one of those "nothing is wrong" kind. We've been screaming for months to get some more help but they just tell us everything is fine, in the meantime if even one person calls in sick they have to get two people to do 12 hour shifts to cover. I finally had enough, I'm packing up and moving to a different city where the cost of living is lower. I don't know anyone there and I don't have a job to go to but I'm excited and scared at the same time. It's really weird to be totally starting your life over at 57 but I'm going to do it!
Sandy D 2 years ago
This was a long time ago, like a little over 25 years ago. Got hired at a place that barely trained me, then left me alone in the office with no help if I needed it. I messed something up computer wise. I'm sure it made extra work for those at the other office who had to fix it. I felt bad and apologized, but the bee-itch on the other end of the phone conversation kept yelling at me and berating me. I was new, untrained, and alone. I tried my best but hit a wrong key. So a few days later, I went on a short, previously scheduled and paid for vacation to Vegas. I was so stressed it was ruining the trip. Hubby said, it's not worth it, just quit. So after a short think, I decided he was right. This was before widespread email, etc, so I took a piece of hotel/casino paper with their logo all over the top, hand wrote a very brief "I quit" note and faxed it in from the casino hotel we were staying at. Never went back, never got my last paycheck and didn't care. Had a great time in Vegas. Heard later they were very surprised. Not sure if it was the sudden quitting or the method. But a fax scrawled on Las Vegas casino letterhead had to be a first for them. I hope they thought I struck it rich! I regret nothing lol!!
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