A reader writes:
Final summer season, an outdated mentor from my previous firm — who led a pair tasks I used to be on however was not my direct supervisor — took a brand new VP position and despatched for me. I had utilized for a job on her staff at our former org and didn’t get it, however was capable of create the same alternative for me at her new org. I’m completely grateful.
The difficult factor is I’m really not blissful right here. This firm will not be my jam total and I solely considerably give a shit due to my mentor and now boss. However as you’ve written about earlier than, going from a good friend (albeit a senior good friend) to a supervisor had surprising rising pains now that the dynamic is markedly totally different.
I can sense issues going south (i.e., at a latest off-site, I obtained suggestions about my angle and communication ensuing from frustration with the org as a complete, and my hole in govt presence has had repercussions and has additionally created stress with my boss for making her look dangerous) and whereas I nonetheless have a way of responsibility to somebody who has advocated for my profession, this firm as a company entity can go fuck itself.
Right here’s the place I’m caught. I’ll be eligible for unemployment in April and may have gathered sufficient hours. I’m not all in favour of resigning altogether (and may’t accumulate unemployment if I do), and I need to protect relations with my boss and depart on good phrases slightly than being a depressing worker and leaving on dangerous phrases. Is it an choice in any respect to have a frank dialog negotiating a easy exit that they provoke, and with severance?
It’s potential! The severance half is much less sure, though it’s potential too.
Because it feels like your boss is aware of issues aren’t going nicely and possibly received’t be stunned to listen to you’re not loving it there, can you might have a candid dialog the place you lay out your issues? You can say one thing like, “I actually recognize how a lot you’ve advocated for me, so I need to be up-front with you that I’m more and more considering Firm isn’t the best place for me. I’ve encountered points XYZ, and I’m involved I’ve additionally induced issues for you because you introduced me in. I’d wish to be lifelike that it’s not understanding, and I questioned in the event you’d be open to negotiating a deliberate transition out of my position, the place I may file for unemployment whereas I search for one other job? Ideally I’d hope to debate severance as nicely, with the hope of bringing this all to a straightforward decision for everybody.”
Your supervisor would possibly hear this with some reduction! If it’s been clear to her that issues aren’t understanding, it’s simpler to have you ever elevate it earlier than she has to and to have you ever supply a clear resolution for everybody.
Nonetheless, on the severance half: Corporations sometimes solely pay severance after they’re firing somebody or laying them off. The concept is to offer you a monetary cushion so your earnings isn’t yanked away in a single day (sometimes in change for you signing a common launch of any potential future authorized claims towards them, whether or not or not they suppose you even have any).
Nonetheless, there are some events the place you possibly can attempt to negotiate severance while you’re leaving voluntarily — like if it’s clear your work isn’t going nicely however your employer would favor to not fireplace you (this is perhaps your state of affairs), or while you moved for a job that turned out to be very totally different from what you have been promised and the employer feels responsible about that, or if the employer is frightened you may need a authorized declare towards them for one thing in any other case. In your case, you’d mainly be asking them to supply severance in change for a comparatively clear exit from a messy state of affairs. You don’t have a ton of leverage to barter it, however you possibly can actually ask with out wanting ridiculous. (And if there’s something that would provide you with extra leverage — like that you simply left a very good job for this one and it ended up being totally different work than you have been advised — positively point out that.)
