Before You Turn In That 2 Weeks Notice, Read This

There may be a few unicorns out there who stay at one workplace their whole lives, but chances are, most of you aren’t going to retire at your current company. That means someday, you may be quitting your job. I want to make the case that you should quit well. 

Quitting well entails more than just what’s culturally acceptable, or what everybody else does. Many of us are chasing our passions, in and out of multiple jobs, with no regard for how we are representing Jesus in doing so. Even in quitting a job, there is a way to honor God.

Here are a few things to consider if you’re thinking about handing in your resignation:

Your employer probably wants to keep you.

They hired you, so they probably don’t want you to leave. They’ve developed a relationship with you, and you’re a valuable part of the team. After all, it’s hard to find good talent, and turnover slows productivity. So if you’re looking for another job, let them know. This requires trust, but they will respect you for talking to them about it. As long as everyone is open in their communication and considerate, it will benefit both you and them. 

They will probably ask you questions like, “What are you looking for that you aren’t receiving here?” and “Is there anything we can change to keep you?” Great employers will listen about what is missing and do their best to help. Of course, they can’t promise to deliver on all your needs/wants, but you may be surprised. 

You will likely be recruited. Pay attention to how you are recruited. 

If you’re a great employee, you should expect to be recruited by other companies at some point. Though that’s flattering, pay attention to the ethics of the person/company recruiting you. It may be a red flag if they are pursuing you in a way that seems secretive or shady. A company that's willing to be shady in recruiting may also be willing to be shady in other areas. Pay attention to how close this company is to your current employer. Are they a competitor? A close partner or friend? Would it benefit their company at the expense of your current one?  

Look at more than the base salary.

Assess the entire opportunity and not just the base salary. That big dollar amount can be attractive, but there’s a lot more to think about when it comes to job satisfaction. This includes other areas of compensation (e.g., benefits, perks, PTO, etc.) and intangibles like company culture, expectations, flexibility, autonomy, the team you work with, and the purpose behind the work. Think over the trade-offs of any competing offer in a holistic manner.

Two weeks notice isn’t enough.

There is no way that your company will be able to close out all of your projects, offboard your responsibilities, and find, hire, and train a replacement in two weeks. That’s just not reasonable. So, what IS enough time? That will vary for every situation. In general, the more time, the better. 

You’re probably thinking, “But my future employer expects me to start as soon as possible.” We know. However, your future employer will pay attention to how you quit your current job. Pushing back your start date so you can do right by your current employer shows good character and will earn you respect in the long run. 

Your goal should be to finish well. Don’t burn bridges. Don’t cut corners. Don’t start leaving an hour early or not giving your best effort. Instead, set up your company well. Provide a plan for how your role could be done in the interim. Express gratitude to the people you’ve worked with. As followers of Jesus we are called to be exceptional workers in all matters and how we leave a job is a great opportunity to go beyond what others might do in the same situation.

Don’t “follow your passions.”

If you were born between 1980 and 2000, you’ve been told constantly to "follow your passions." That phrase hardly existed in print before 1980, but since then, it has skyrocketed in use. We’re told, “Find a job you love”—one that you can’t wait to get to on Monday mornings. So anytime there’s frustrations or challenges, we think we need to switch careers. We picked wrong. We’d be so much happier doing that other thing. So…we change jobs…and then two years later, we change again.

Following our passions has not made us happier. We have lower job satisfaction. We jump between jobs more often. We stay at jobs for shorter amounts of time. And we'd be hard-pressed to compare our work ethic to that of our ancestors. We are not getting better at this, and I believe it’s because we've embraced what culture says over what the Bible says.

What does the Bible say about work?

Throughout the Bible, there are nearly 900 passages that relate to work. Why? Because work is a form of worship, and our jobs are one of the most powerful tools we can use to promote the gospel. The Bible even addresses difficult work environments in several passages like 1 Peter 2:13-25, Colossians 3:22-25, and Ephesians 6:5-9. So even with bad bosses, lazy co-workers, being underappreciated, or not having opportunities for promotion, we have no excuse to be excellent workers—as if working for the Lord and not man.

We should exceed expectations and be our co-workers' favorite colleagues in the way we help them. Titus 2:10 sums up how this kind of work ethic promotes the gospel when he reminds us to “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way.”

So, should you quit your job?

If your job is a primary means of advancing the Kingdom of God, and God has placed you there on purpose, you should carefully consider what He might be doing there before you leave. Don’t quit just because you're frustrated. Every job has its frustrations. That’s part of working with a team of imperfect human beings (which we all are). 

Here are some questions to ask yourself first: 

• Has my work ethic made the teachings of Jesus more attractive? (Titus 2:10)

• Have I sought wise, godly counsel? (Proverbs 15:22)

• Do I trust that my reward from working for the Lord is better than any promotion, pay raise, or perk I'll receive here? (Colossians 3:24)

• What skills do I hope to develop in a new opportunity that I can’t develop here? 

• Am I being called to a new mission field, or am I simply leaving an uncomfortable environment?

I get it—some turnover is inevitable, and sometimes other opportunities are truly a better fit. But if we view our job as little more than a paycheck, we will leave for a better opportunity. Better usually meaning "more money" or "more authority." I'm afraid that when we are face-to-face with Jesus and He asks, "Why did you leave that mission field I had you in?" we will have no better response than, "Because I could make more money, Jesus."

Most of us don’t need a different job; we need a different perspective on work.

God wants us to get the “why we work” question right and to remember the bigger picture.

Your job is one of your greatest opportunities to worship and make the gospel attractive. So work with excellence! Treat co-workers well. Treat clients well. Do what is asked of you better than everybody else. Stick with it when it’s difficult. Do it all in a way that honors God and everyone involved.