Hire Me: I'm Excellent at Quitting, by Brittany Martin

Abstract

You have the right to be happy at work --- why would we want it to be any other way? As our careers as Ruby developers flourish, amazing new opportunities will require you to quit a job that you may love or loathe. It's OK to quit. If you want to learn how to gracefully leave your job with a solid game plan, an educated successor, and without burning bridges, this talk is for you.

Details

Intended Audience: Anyone -- including hiring managers, employees.
Outcome: My goal is for attendees to be more thoughtful and considerate when exiting jobs.

Outline:

  • Introduction
    • About Me
      • My Career History
    • Our Current Industry
      • Hiring vs. Quitting
      • Statistics
        • Ruby Developer Jobs
        • Boomerangs
      • Reputation
        • References
        • Linked In
        • Networking
    • When to Know to Quit
      • People?
      • Culture?
      • Mission?
      • Career Growth?
      • Deal Breakers?
      • Our Right to Be Happy
    • Acceptance
      • It's OK to Disappoint Others
      • Open Communication
      • Know Your Goals
    • Game Plan
      • Tips on Finding a Job While Still Employed
        • Update Your Resume
        • Don't Look Like a "Flight Risk"
        • Schedule Interviews Meticulously
      • Communicate Your End Date
        • Formal Letter
        • Be Available for Any Questions
        • You Will Wreck Your Manager's Day, Get Comfortable With It
        • Dealing with Counter Offers
      • Confirm Future References
      • Resist Burning Bridges
        • Save It for the Exit Interview, Only if Helpful
        • Skip the Gossip, "Home Free" Mentality
      • Write Down Lessons Learned
        • Helpful When Considering Boomeranging
    • Successor
      • Candid Conversations About Your Role
        • Was it Too Much for One Person?
        • Was the Pay Fair?
        • Any Job Description Updates
      • Document, Document, Document
      • Hiring
        • Volunteer to Assist in Interviews
        • Volunteer to Assist in Training
        • Allow Employer to Communicate With You Post-Departure
    • Questions

Pitch

Leaving a company is often difficult. But if done professionally and gracefully, employees will be remembered in a positive way. The Ruby community is a tightly knit group and reputation in our industry can be paramount to our success. A lot of content is written about obtaining jobs but often skips leaving the last one. Time and time again, I have seen people return to a former employer later on in their career. As someone whom has had left jobs as both a developer and a product manager, I can be an authority on quitting with style and dignity.

Submissions