The boss was feeling smug.
The day before, he had chaperoned the CEO on a visit to Taipei and from all accounts it was a successful one - he had scored some pretty serious points there. Year-end reviews were just around the corner.
And it was his birthday. The staff had thrown a birthday party for him in the conference room - cake, card, singing and all. So he was in a cheerful mood when I asked to see him in his office at 5pm after the paper plates had been cleared away.
He knew that something was funny when I closed the door after we entered his office. And instead of Excel printouts that normally accompany our discussions, I was holding only a single sheet of paper, which I put on the desk in front of him.
"
I'm really sorry that I have to do this on your birthday" I said. "
But I would like to tender my resignation."
His smile turned into a scowl in barely a second.
"
No," he pushed the letter back at me. "
No. You don't come in here and put a resignation letter in front of me like that."
"
Like I said, I'm sorry. I know the timing is really bad but this is the only time I can do it before you leave for your meetings in Tokyo."
"
This is not how things are supposed to work ! You didn't say anything and suddenly you want to resign ? We're supposed to have a conversation. Now I think we should put this away and have that conversation."
We had a
conversation for 30 minutes and at the end of it, we shook hands and I left his office. I had convinced him that I was very sure about my decision and there was nothing he or anyone else in the company could do to make me stay.
The CFO called shortly after and I repeated my spiel to him for another 30 minutes.
"
Well, if you are really sure about your decision, then let me wish you all the best. As your colleague, I'm sad that you're leaving but as a friend, I'm happy for you. We'll miss you."
After more than a decade with the company, it was time for me to move on.
==================
I was not feeling unhappy or stressed at the former company. And it wasn't the money - the package that I was getting allowed the Wife and I to have a comfortable lifestyle. But I was bored. Bored of having done the same thing for the past four years with nothing new to look forward to. Bored of the lack of challenge. The management - albeit qualified and sociable - was uninspiring.
I was
comfortable at my old job. But at 35, I am too young to be comfortable. I needed to get out of my comfort zone and try something new.
So when a friend called to tell me about a vacancy at the company where he works, I expressed my interest almost instantly. The company is the undisputed global leader in its field and its high-growth Asia Pacific business is the brightest jewel in its crown. Over the course of four interviews, of which two were video conferences with the senior management in Singapore, I felt increasingly convinced that it would be a good move for me. I was impressed by the calibre of the people that I met during the interviews and was certain that it would be intellectually stimulating to work amongst them.
What reinforced my confidence further was the fact that I know six other people who work there and they had all been referred by their friends, which says a lot about the corporate culture and favourable working environment there.
==================
During my last week with the former company, there was an article in an issue of the Wall Street Journal about
leaving one's job gracefully. It strongly recommended that departing employees should not burn bridges with former bosses and colleagues or leave a mess for others to clean up. Instead, they should ensure a comprehensive and smooth handover of duties and leave on a positive note. Personal reputation is a vital but fragile asset, and word does get around no matter how big the industry is.
My last month with the company deserved a mention in that article.
When it was clear that the new company would be making me an offer, I immediately started thinking of possible candidates in the former company that are qualified to take over my position. I thought about each colleague's language proficiency, technical ability and, most of all, likely willingness to relocate from Singapore to HK. After I handed in my resignation, I gave a name to my boss, and together we pitched my job to the person and his supervisor.
One week after I resigned, the colleague that I had recommended accepted the offer, and I began working on a task handover checklist. The colleague flew over to HK and we spent my last two weeks with the company going through the checklist and making sure that he had the basic info required to pick things up where I had left off.
People wish that they are irreplaceable, but they seldom are. Someone I know who resigned from his job relished the fact that no one in his company could figure out how the IT application that he designed worked.
"
Without me, they'll be helpless !" he bragged.
I just wished that I had left my post in a better state than when I first took it up. And I think I accomplished that.
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Wednesdays are "Fruit Days" at the new company. Everyone gets a bag of fruit on the house.My first week at the new company went by slowly. It's in a very different industry from my previous employer, so there're a lot of new things to learn. But I have no regrets. This job will keep me constantly challenged so that I will not stagnate - professionally and intellectually.
I've got nothing to lose.
