Total "Class" acts.

I was a member of the first and original crew aboard a new destroyer in the U S NAVY in 1969. I was the last "plank owner" to leave the ship in 1974. As I left, the ships bell was stuck and I was announced "departing". I thought that was very touching and it is a tradition for all original members.

My "leaving" . . . .

From the age of around eight, I got into dancing in a big way. The Ballroom type, that is. Specialised in Latin American, lots of modern ballroom, and just a little old time and sequence.

From age 11, I started breaking legs and ankles with regular monotony. In one really bad stretch, I was only OUT of a plaster cast for a total of three consecutive weeks in a whole calendar year.

At the age of 19, having had 9 breaks on the left leg, 11 on the right (oh, and throw in a broken right arm for good measure) I was told in no uncertain terms to give up dancing. For good.

So, one Sunday, 19 November, in a large old hall in Wallsend, I had my "Last Waltz".

This is the dancers' swan song - it is the last dance he/she dances as an (ex) competitor, and is usually with one of the judges. It is a display type of dance but also a chance to be alone on the floor one last time. It need not be a waltz; the retiring dancer chooses his/her favourite dance, and whatever that is, whether waltz, quickstep, jive, rumba etc. it is still called the Last Waltz.

I was extremely fortunate in that my "Last Waltz" was with Alan Fletcher, the then current Latin World Champion, along with his wife, Hazel. Unfortunately, due to the damaged bones from which I was still recovering, I wasn't allowed to do a Latin Jive with him (still bugs me) but I had a wonderful waltz, I am told.... couldn't see a thing, I cried the whole way through.....

Still have my silver "dancing shoe" necklace, still in its' box, even after three burglaries....

Still love dancing, still jive around the kitchen to my old dance tunes if they come on the radio, still wish I could have been a professional dancer. Still wonder if I could have been "someone", I suppose.

It wasn't leaving a job, but it was leaving a profession. Now, how I got from that to doing Information Security....nah, you haven't got the three weeks it would take to tell that one!!

GG

Edit: "watery eyes"

My husband STILL can't get through Johnny Cash's cover of 'Hurt' without getting all teary eyed.

I'm going to have to think about 'graceful' exits..I've certainly seen the opposite a number of times..

it's just been a rough couple of weeks, that's all, and the reminder of my Last Waltz was very nearly the Last Straw!

DangerMouse - start listing!!! :p

(There are a few overseas that [b] I [/b] think are very special, too....! :x )

Could list them here, but I didn't put a Glow Alert notification on the header.....

]:)

GG

When my mother left her last "job", which was being mom to 5 grown kids, my sister's granddaughters said that they needed to put her purse in her coffin because they never remembered seeing her without it. I thought it was a little weird until many old ladies that came to the wake saw it and remarked that even as a little girl, she always had a purse. That lead to a lot stories about mom as a kid, stories that I'll always cherish.

And if you ever needed a teabag or a ketchup packet or a paperclip or a safety pin when I was a kid, mom was sure to have one in her purse!!! The thing weighed about 15 pounds.

Shifting back to the original post, Warren Zevon went out with a lot of class. His rendition of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" was a classic and was done with the full knowledge that his time was at hand.

one place I worked, I was on short term contract for a probationary period. It was extended, two weeks into the extension HR called me in for a meeting. They had received official notification that my boss was NOT going to confirm or extend my appointment, and her boss had approved the decision. At that time I was in the middle of getting everything ready for a 2 week information road trip around NSW sub-offices to start the next Monday, I was down to do most of the talking. they were given no reason for the decision.

HR said in such cases it was standard policy to ask if I wanted to work out the time or leave immediately, either way I would be paid out the current contract. In short, work for 10 weeks or get 10 weeks pay without the costs of attending. I didn't like the idea od hanging around knowing what was coming, so I chose to go. HR policy was 'the quicker the better.'

That was on the Tuesday, Wednesday I get papers to sign. Thursday I get notice to finish on Friday, be at HR by 4pm to sign out. We had flextime I was able to leave at 2.30 pm as my time was up.

All day Wednesday and Thursday morning, neither my boss or her boss are seen anywhere. They appeared briefly Thursday afternoon and made a point of not seeing me. Friday they're no where in sight. I write a debriefing paper on where everything I was doing stands and e-mail that to my boss.

Lunchtime Friday, still no reason, no exit interview, no nothing. At 2.00 pm I say goodbye to all the other staff in the building, put my personal effects in my car, and head to HR. They get me to sign some papers, give me a big check. They still can't tell me why (six months later I gave up asking them) and they tell me that my boss and her boss had been dodging their phone calls until they were physically pinned down Thursday afternoon by the HR manager. Seems that they didn't expect me to leave and were now short on what to do next week. HR start to show me the door.

Suddenly, shock, horror, shock, I asked them if they wanted my ID card, my security pass, the corporate credit card, and the key to the high security building I worked in. All of which should have been handled by my boss or her boss at the exit interview.

Two weeks later, one of the other section supervisors in that area gives me a call to meet her for lunch. I arrive their to find all the staff, include a few from other offices, there for a farewell lunch for me - everyone except my boss and her boss that is. the lunch was put together by some of the junior staff i worked with, they were all sorry to see me go.

I felt that the staff at the luncheon were a class act.

and when it comes to leaving the public-eye I think that John Wayne handled it exceptionally well with his last movie ?The Shootist?.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shootist

It's still one of my favorite movies.

edited because I need more coffee

grown women aren't supposed to cry at Westerns, either...

at least not where I live!!!

Favourite is still McLintock, though - hilarious! McQ was an oddball - set in London - where he played an American detective. I never quite got "settled" with that one....

I could name numerous others, but I really don't want to bore the entire board...!!! :D

GG

that most kids today with their "get in my face and entertain me NOW" lives will never know and appreciate these great classics.

Soon as they see something is B&W and doesn't have a car chase, they are off somewhere else. I don't know how I got so lucky that to have boys that can see something like that and see it for what it is.

Oh, I have friends lining up to borrow my BBC comedy DVD's already, and I haven't even finished them myself!

My partner had worked at the same place for 28 years- first job out of college and he was dedicated. About five years ago, the company split off the IT group and it became a subsiderary. The sub then became an independant. All the folks stayed at the parent, now as contractors. All these contractors were the people that designed and built the mission critical systems.

Beginning of the year, the company decided to outsource all of their IT to India. So the contractors- who had started their careers working for the parent- were either going to find other jobs with the company they became or be laid off. My partner was eager to leave- hadn't worked on anything challenging for a long time- and was just waiting to get out. The deadline for him to be out the door came... and went. He was being retained by the parent company as a SME.

And the tension at our house went up a notch.

The project he was working on got cancelled and I got an email telling me that his last day was in sight. Finally.

After the flurry of "good-bye" letters that had gone around, he worried about what he was going to say. What he came up with was a history of the IT systems that the parent had used for the last 28 years and how they compared to what is available today. The list of recipients was over 200 names- people he had worked with for 28 years.

His last day was a Friday. Casual day. His usual uniform for work was dress trousers and a crisp shirt. Except for Fridays when he would generally wear jeans. His last day on the job was no different- he wore jeans. And a shirt. A Hawaiian shirt. That said Aloha all over it.

Aloha is a common greeting. It is also a farewell.

There was much that he could have said, or for that matter done, after 28 years of faithful service. His choice was a quiet goodbye.

That's class.

I'll bring a copy of Fly Me to the Moon, by Frank and I'll foxtrot you around a living room...

My wife will kibbutz...Frame isn't straight enough, box is perfectly square... etc.

My wife thinks she can dance. I know I can dance. The Marines made me learn to dance the Tango for an Argentinian assignment. I fell in love with the latin dances and finally ballroom in general. I then became an Arthur Murray/Fred Astair visitor for years. My wife and I dance almost every week...

Kelly would choke if someone would out Foxtrot her... My pleasures are simple you see.

the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, not for John Wayne, but for Jimmy Stewart. I love that guy. I recently watched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and it occurred to me that Jimmy Stewart was very hot when he was young.

Don't shoot me, but John Wayne? Not a big fan. My husband loves him, but me, not so much. Although, I did like the movie with him and Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson. Rio Grande? Was that it? Or was it Rio Bravo?

loved the duet in the jailhouse in that one, with Dean Martin (for my rifle, pony and me)!

I was brought up on JW films - sitting with Pa on a Sunday afternoon, after the family roast lunch, before being taken to grandparents for tea. Every Sunday afternoon, more often than not, there was a JW film on. It was a very special time for me, I didn't get to spend much time with Pa during the week, as he was permanent night shift (for 33 years) so those few hours with just me, Pa and good ol' John Wayne were very precious.

Yeah, I like Jimmy Stewart, too! Great actor, with an extremely expressive face. Loved the "drunk" scene in one of his films (can't recall which) but it had me in pleats of giggles!

GG

Jimmy Stewart was drunk in that one. He is one of the best too.

I am not a big western fan, not even a huge John Wayne fan... but I think The Quiet Man is a great flick! :D

with Corporate America proving that doing quality work didn't mean a bit to them:

I was working with a corporation. I had just finished a contract that management had blundered and lost because they were trying to get an increase of the per-hour fee for my services by 40%, rather than a more normal, nominal increase of say 4-10%.

Then, I went and was writing software mods for them and the tech market began to crash. I was the second person cut from the company because I was the 2nd least senior person. The fact that my 5 months on contract made enough profits that I paid my salary and benefits, my project manager's salary, the senior project consultant's salary, and the office receptionist's salary...for an entire year. And yes, they were charging out the butt for me, as well as having the customer pay for my travel expenses to and from the worksite.

One day, I was taken to the conference room by the office director and told "We're going to have to let you go. We don't have any work for you.", I knew he was lying. They had 2 new phases of software modification to do. They just were having to cut heads per corporate order.

Then, the HR manager for the office came and talked to me and said "You know, you're very calm about this. Aren't you upset?"

I told her (something to the effect of): "Yeah, I am Donna. But, being mad at anyone here because headquarters ordered the office to reduce staff to increase profits isn't gonna make things better, and it won't find me another job any faster."

She smiled. I could tell she appreciated the fact that I didn't jump her a$$ for something she had no part in deciding.

That's how I try to live my life...and if I was going to go postal, I would have flown to Atlanta or Albany and shot someone there...not in my local office. :D

I had an employee put in his 2 day notice a week ago. He insisted it was three days (Wednesday, 4pm he emails me the notice that he wants Friday to be his last day,he calls that 3 days notice.) Anyway, I talked to him and he felt he had arranged his tasks as such that he would finish it all up Friday evening. He even "offered" to not attend a half day company training (he did go the day he resigned) that was scheduled for the next day if that would help me out. What is it with kids today? He said he researched it and the consensus out there in cyberspace is that 3 days notice is acceptable. To who? Not to the folks who employ you, that is for sure. Am I that old or is two (or more) weeks still the norm when resigning? Anyway, this guy worked here for 5 years, it is just frustrating to see someone throw away 5 years experience on a stupid decision. I know in phone calls from prospective employers I cannot tell them specifics, but the answer to the question; "Is he eligible for rehire?" Goes a long way towards describing the employee.

people walked out for:

-Layoffs
-Termination for breach of law/corp policy

Never seen them walked out for giving 2 weeks notice. I have seen a manager go back to someone later and say that their final day would be sooner...but, never walked out then and there. Usually, a project has to be wrapped up they are working on.

And, I've worked out of 4 states...OK, FL, GA and NY.

If you can. I started transferring all my original Star Trek to DVD from VCR and they looked appalling well no worse that the VCR but not good either. The colours where all washed out and generally bad to look at compared to the DVDs when they came out which had been remastered and look brilliant in comparison to the Tapes that these things where originally supplied on.

Needless to say instead of continuing transferring the Tapes to DVD I just went out and bought the DVDs as they worked out far cheaper and saved a lot of time as well.

Col

counts as far enough away.

JD [b]DO NOT EVER CONSIDER[/b] getting the League of Gentlemen it will warp your mind in no uncertain terms. It is a [b]Recognised Metal Health Hazard[/b] and there is a warning on the cover telling you as much, if you don't see a warning label it's a [b]Pirate Copy[/b] flogged off by the BBC to avoid any [b]Legal Liability.[/b]

Only people with a death wish willingly watch this series and they actually formed a Que up outside the BBC and demanded additional series from the BBC when the thing ended at the demand of the UK Government. It's really dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

By all means get copies of the [b]Carry On Films[/b] but avoid [b]The League of Gentleman[/b] at all costs it's extremely dangerous. If you watch it you'll end up like me and you don't really want that do you? :^0

All I have to say is [b]This is a Local Shop for Locals![/b] :p

Col ]:)

before he was the Duke. His very first screen test was of him on a horse, playing a guitar, and singing. At the time his agent was selling him as a singing cowboy called Singing Sandy - he changed agents, the new guy changed the name and he got a career.

Once someone puts in their notice the [b]New Management Ideals[/b] seems to be [b]Get Rid of them NOW![/b] In every case that I've seen this happen it always involves the company firring the person on the spot and giving them a payout for not giving any notice of dismissal. To me this seems stupid but as it's been explained to me the management doesn't want that person doing any damage to the company while working out their time. This might be common in [b]Upper Management[/b] but from where I sit it's [b]Unprofessional Conduct[/b] and I've never seen any of this with my staff. When I used to get handed notices from my staff I would just file them allow the person to work out their time and on the last day hand in the resignation generally late in the day when they had finished their work and then they where walked out the door with a check for a few weeks work that they where not doing. At the same time it had been arranged that we would all meet up at a local pub for a few drinks to say good by at the end of the day. I generally managed to work it out that as we where finishing the shift for the day the person who was leaving was walking out with us and I put the going away party on my Expense Account and arranged that they had a good time and let them know that they where appreciated. Of course if they wanted to leave sooner it wasn't a problem but I did insist that they finish their current work before they left the scene.

Management didn't like my attitude and on every occasion in the last years that I was running a Department I used to work this way so I didn't have bad feelings between my staff and me as it looked as if I was the one ordering them out the door.

The last place that I resigned from was really funny as the Next guy up locally was the one overseeing me thrown out and it quickly became obvious to my staff what was happening so they all rushed to the nearest terminal and before I could be thrown out handed me their resignations which didn't go down too well but effectively no matter what it was decided by Management to fire everyone at the same time. Great Idea for their Service Department and the next day when they didn't have a single person to answer the phones or have anyone available to do the required work which had been organised things got really nasty. They called up all the staff that had handed in their notices and threatened them with legal action for quiting when in a fit of rage the company involved had fired them and given them all one months pay in lieu of notice. All of them where on the phone to me asking what their options where and as they had been sacked I told them not to worry but I did ring up the company and explain that we where willing to do the necessary work until replacement staff could be found. They weren't interested and sweated it out for 3 days before realising just how much money we actually brought in and more importantly just how many people we sorted out from the less than perfect salespeople that they employed.

The end result was that every one was asked quite nicely to come back to work and work out their time at an increased rate of pay and that Months Pay was just forgotten about. I already had another job to go to and was willing to stay till I could train my replacement so I returned and then got all the rest to come back. Most of them ended up staying put as the management soon realised that they couldn't be replaced quite so easily as they thought they could. Sure they could get others with experience but not with our systems so they had a real mess until they relented and allowed me to actually do my job and attempt to train the outside replacement that they had brought in after 2 weeks I gave him free reign to do as he pleased and he totally messed up by not ordering the necessary parts so we effectively where sitting around doing nothing until some replacement parts could be shipped up overnight.

Personally I don't like this attitude by Management but it happens so I just live with it and I used to know that I always had what effectively amounted to a Bonus coming when I resigned.

I noticed that this started happening about the same time as that [b]Greed Is Good[/b] crap was hitting management and staff where not to be valued but where really a liability who where a necessary evil.

I don't know if that's changed at all recently but it's the wrong thought process and I hate it because it's just plain & simple stupid. But I always took advantage of it when one of my staff resigned to allow them to work out their time and then leave with a Bonus. What Management didn't know didn't hurt them and as long as my staff where happy I didn't care.

Col

It depends on how the business pays you. If you are on weekly pays you should get a fourth nights pay not to work the same if you are paid fourth nightly and then if you are paid monthly you get a months pay.

This is typical of Management [b]Cutting off their Noses to Spite their Faces.[/b] What I really love about this action is that someone within the company is willing to hand out the persons phone number so what in my case has always been a Silent Phone Number gets given to every one of the dealers who continue to ring me for advice on how to solve their problems with the company that I've just left. If it's a technical question then there are no problems that's an easy answer but when it gets into Company Policy I just refer them to the proper person as I have no control of what happens in the companies affairs and can in no way short circuit the system.

One of the places that I was shown the door I went and ran one of the dealers shops for what should have been 4 weeks but they just didn't return so I was there for several months and in that time one of the opposition companies came up and told me what was going on the place that I had just left and offered me a job.

Now this wasn't the normal complaints that occur when someone leaves it actually was something quite bad that should have stayed inside the company so I rang the CEO who refused to take my calls to tell him what had happened. I did the right thing so there could be no complaints about my actions if he didn't want to talk to me that's his business and I really didn't care too much.

But what I did find funny was at a product launch about a year latter I was dragged away to one side with the CEO and some foreign people who where really the owners of the company involved and dragged over the coals for interfering with the companies business by constantly ringing the dealers and complaining. I just replied if you like I can bring in my phone bills and you will not see one long distance phone number to anyone connected with this business on any of them but Yes they do ring me and as I have a Silent Phone Number someone within your company must have given it out so stop blaming me for your problems. I then went on to tell the CEO here that by not taking my phone calls after I had left he had done severe damage to the company and I told him exactly what I had been told and by whom. This was to be announced latter during the 3 day product launch. With that finished up with the guy that replaced me was horrified to see the AU Service Manger and the technical Adviser form Overseas sitting at the bar buying me drinks. I don't know what he had been told about me locally but the look on his face when my old boss told him that if he had any real problems I was the one to speak to as I would always help him out was priceless. When the other two had gone away for a short time and I was talking with my replacement I asked him why he was wearing another companies tie at this product launch. I didn't make a big deal of it but I noticed the next day that he was no longer wearing a tie.

Actually that place was hilarious when I left they didn't have enough money to pay me out available so they had to rush a payment through directly into my bank account and I was paid for all the time until the payment as made along with the months pay in lieu of Notice as well as the last months pay and all the holiday pay that was owing a little over 8 months pay I got handed as well as the waiting time involved which owing to penalty rates came to almost another months pay.

It really was a pity that I had to start work the following Monday as I could have had a nice holiday with all that money.

Col

Caused me a problem or two as well, big advantage when I got made reduntant though, extra months money .

Three months means they value the position you occupy. They must value you up to press as well, otheriwse they would have given you the notice pay and got to some one in they could.

I know it's different in the US, but no notice period means they might not need you tomorrow. I could live with that, but I'd want to be earning enough to build up a nest egg to tide me over, when I refused to kiss ass to keep my job.

A DBA had given 2 weeks notice. After two days of hearing her describe how much she was glad to be leaving and whate great benefits she would be getting, management decided it would be better for morale if she spent her final days at home...

I left my last company a few months ago. I had spent almost two years on an ERP implementation - from system selection to configuration, implementation and go-live. The majority of the team worked 80 - 100 hours per week for the last year of the project. Support from management and the business was less than enthusiatic. Cost overruns and delays turned the project from bad to worse.

I had as much as I could take. Three months after go live I gave a month's notice. I figured this would give enough time to do knowledge transfer, tie up loose ends and train a replacement. Seems as though there was no need to transfer knowledge as no one was interested in learning. There was no replacement and the loose ends just unravelled even more. I just said my goodbyes and thanked them for a great opportunity.

They handed out bonuses the week I was leaving. I didn't even get one - all of $1,500 for two years work. Glad I'm out of the implementation game.

Oh, and I have to agree about NIN and Johnny Cash. That's the most honest sounding song I've ever heard.

The officers in the US Navy employ the following when transferring from one post to another.

Leave a tight ship.
Don't look back.

After being salesman of the month for a computer broker, I was one the dozen or so 'troublemakers' who complained about having their salaries eliminated (going to straight commission). After polite but tense 'exit interview' with Company Owner, the conversation went south and ended with 'Get the $%$$ out of my office' (rhymes with the thing that quacks). Since this guy was 6'4", about 300lbs, and kept a loaded .357 magnum in his desk drawer, I took his suggestion to heart. (He was later indicted under the RICO act). Spent the afternoon at the driving range whacking the tar out of every golf ball I could.

Mountain lions and tiger trout and Grizzly bears, oh my!

Yep, full blown 3 ring. Loved the people, but really wish there had been some better structure.

was that if you did not give two weeks notice, any unused vacation days would not be paid out. I don't know if this would have held up in court or not, but it was in the union contract.

A lawyer for the company is the one to ask for what can be used for carrots and sticks in this situation.

That guy asked for 2 days because he was a twit. If your not treated poorly, there should be a very good reason for this.

And I didn't imply that your company does this, but I have personally seen it in the past.

One place it was common for at 3pm on your last day of probation, to be walked out. 30 minutes short of getting through probation and being admitted into the union. Standard company policy, they would not give you a reason, so it was hard to fight legally and the union couldn't/wouldn't do anything because you weren't a member yet. About 70% of new hires had this happen.

I actually saw someone get laid off just before his probation ended. He was called back, but had to start his probation all over, as well as seniority. This happened TWICE to the poor guy, before he finally got the job.

and here I thought Neil got them for me to be NICE! I didn't realize it was a fiendish plot all along! :0

If the shrink wrap is still on it, am I safe? ;\

because they are unique and I thought you'd like something slightly off the wall. Adder and Dwarf are mainstream and the best but The League is NOT Benny Hill! I'm serious about you maybe watching an episode just to make sure that you're OK with it for the boys as it's quite dark. I thought long and hard before I added it to the list.

]:)

Or whoever attempts to deliver them. :p

That's safer!!! :)

But if you actually hold them in your hot sweaty hand you're lost for all time. I personally love the series but I freely admit that it's made me insane well more insane that I was previously anyway. I love the charterers and the entire plot but it's different and just watching one DVD will never do you'll have to watch the entire series before you can decide and by then it's way tooooooo late to get out. :0

Neil's forgetting that the charter of the woman in Little Britain that runs the Weight Watchers Club or whatever it is is directly based on Patty from [b]The League of Gentlemen[/b] who runs the unemployment class in the series. Got you there didn't I Neil. :^0

Personally I found the ending to be a major let down but maybe that's just me so I'll not say anything more that butcher [b]I'll have a pound of your special![/b] :D

Col ]:)

What can you say...

http://www.craig-ferguson.net/wake.wmv

This is whole show that night... But he says goodbye to his dad.

It's long... but very touching.

His Father left on the best way.

You'll have to excuse me for just this one moment. I never got to say goodbye to my Dad.

I got him the whole of Season One, six mind-bogglingly nasty episodes. JD was kind enough to put himself out for me so I decide to teach him [b]not to do it again[/b]. :D

BARBARA: I really should get my bikini line waxed.

When you understand the true horror of that line, you will have arrived. ]:)

Black aaaaaadder black aaaaaaader........

oh the humanity.... :D

The bad thing is some of the gags are too rapid fire to absorb all at once! Your still laughing at the last one and miss half of the follow up!

And as no one has ever accused me of being exactly "normal", I do believe I shall say "damn the torpedos and full speed ahead", dispite the considerate warnings that Col has extended! :^0

The wax thought is scary though.... :0

I don't think so.

Doing something to help out is never putting one self out! :D I was just glad to feel I could help make your mums trip all the better! (even if you DID snub Michigan.....)

Retired. Stayed off the news, off Springer, and out of the limelight.

A real class act.

I have had so many different 'avenues of income' I couldn't list them if I sat down for an hour and tried to work them all out. Jobs come and go, careers come and go. You can't really PLAN either because you just never know what tomorrow will bring.

Roll with the punches, grin and bear it, any job I have left, been let go from or just give up on has been an integral part of building the person I am today. Stepping stones, changes of path whatever you may call it, we just move on to something else that interetst us.

I was let go by a company that down-sized. You know its
coming when HQ calls to "check that we have all your passwords
correct." And its confirmed when your remote boss doesn't seem
to be available for a telephone chat.

When the day came that my local boss was to let me know I was
finished, at 9 a.m. he entered my office and said he was
supposed to walk me out. But he was also leaving that day, and
asked if I could stay for his 'going away' party? Then, he
graciously added me to the party's guest-of-honor list.

I worked the day out, gathered my things, and left. I knew that I
worked for a class act, and I also knew that I was treated fairly
by him because of my attitude towards my job for the previous
two years.

(I did get paid for the standard notice period, plus a month's
bonus for time on the job.)

Most of the time it is because you have been doing your "job" to the utmost degree that you are "let go" in the vernacular. The older you get, the more prevalent this can become. In this last situation that came up a couple of months ago I looked at my former boss and told him with the biggest smile I could muster that HE was starting the competition. I have setup my own consulting firm and repair facility and am beating the pants off of him. Remember the old Klingon proverb that states: "Revenge is a dish that is best served cold..."

My two cents...

(1) Just out of college I began working for a major international firm with people I respected and enjoyed working with. After a couple of years, I gave 4 weeks notice due to a family illness, but was slowly talked into staying for 7 weeks (which I did so to help out as much as possible). I gave an honest exit interview which included some criticism of the current director, but also included a review of positive characteristics.

2-months later a former colleague told me his was terminated after he came in and walked to door without an exit interview. No other reason than he was being let go.

2. I worked for a national firm with a Manager who was a great mentor, but was replaced several years later at retirement by a micro-manager. After numerous problems, I resolved it was best to leave and pursue my career elsewhere. On my last day, I was given a luncheon by staff members in appreciation for my sevice, but the new manager didn't attend even though he knew about it. I took it as a slap on the face, but also as confirmation that my intuition on his managment style was correct. I sent emails and contacted people personally to thank them for their support and wish them well.

My value was later reconfirmed when this new Manager told Department Heads that a problem which had developed would take a while to resolve. A DH at the meeting said that this wouldn't be happening if I was still there.

3. I worked for 2 more national firms with colleagues and management that I enjoyed working with and respected. Since I worked in a remote area with limited long-term work available, my Managers informed me that I would probably be downsized if I couldn't relocate. I couldn't, but was told that if circumstances changed, I would be welcome to return after relocating. As part of my exit, I informed my colleagues via email of my departure and told them that it was a mutual decision since I couldn't relocate. I wished them continued success in their lives and careers.

4. I left a position after 1-week when I realized it was a bad fit for me. I apologized to my Manager, but said that I thought it would be best if I left so they would not have to continue training me since I would probably not be staying. She concurred and there was an amicable split.

My rules of thumb:
a. Be professional
b. Be honest, but tactful
c. Don't burn bridges and be respectful
d. Be sure to treat them (the company and its people) the way you want to be treated.

Having been in this industry for more years than I like to count (the PC is 25 today...), I can tell you that not only have I been walked out of "corporate America" on a couple of occasions, but have also been instructed to walk out employees who have given notice...

A consultant (also close friend) I know of serviced many companies. He wasn't flashy in any sense of the word, just hard working, polite and honest. That in itself was reward enough for most.

Sadly, his body could not keep up with his work schedule. He closed up shop and ended up working for one of his largest clients.

His departure was gradual, not sudden despite his inconsistent health. His clients and his employees were all informed of the situation from start to finish, and no one was left feeling left out. Heck, the guy even went as far as to make sure all of his employees had received other offers before completely shutting down. He spent the last several weeks handling everything with his wife.

As for his clients, they were all referred to a couple of his colleagues. The switchover was also gradual, spanning a couple of weeks to help phase the "new guy" in. To my knowledge, the clients are satisfied w/ their referrals.

Last but not least, this guy sent a thank you gift to all of his major clients, especially the ones who stuck by him from day one. It wasn't anything extravagant - just his style - but the attached note seemed to hit a bullseye w/ everyone. It said:

"Company XYZ would like to thank all of our clients for your loyalty, patronage and friendship these past # of years. While we prepare to close our doors for the final time, we want to let our clients know that our doors were never closed to them. Thank you and all the best."

This guy has taken my respect for him to another level. I sincerely hope his new job allows him to grow old and retire peacefully.

But when it comes to workplace courtesies, it usually is.

I worked for one place my 1st 4 years out of college. The company was getting smaller due to continuous downsizing and while for a while that meant I had more opportunities, eventually I had gone as far as I could go there and it was time for me to move on to bigger and better things. The owners were very kind and understanding and wished me well. They had me back from time to time to do some consulting work for them.

I worked at a large institution for 6 years before I left to hang out my own shingle. I noticed there that when people left the organization, no matter how good or poor of an employee they had been, they were used as future scapegoats for problems. It didn't matter if the person had been gone for 2, 3, or more years and couldn't possibly have had anything to do with the current problems, if they had once had anything remotely at all to do with the app or system involved in the current crisis, it was all somehow their fault.

Even if the employer does not act classy toward you when you leave, I think it's important to remain congenial and professional with them. I try to never burn a bridge. You never know when your path might cross with someone again and you might need a good word or referral from them, especially if you go self-employed. Everyone is a potential client.

I was once a General Manager of a US Restaruant chain. I had spent 6 years, traipsing across the country for them.

I had settled into a District, boutght a house, ets. I was on the "fast track" to District, and eventually Regional Manager. I was a "Fireman". I went into problem stores, and turned them around in 6 months. 60 hours a week was common, 80 hour weeks were not unheard of. I had a good record, positive reviews, yada, yada, yada.

We get a new District Manager. He's wanting to make his imprint on our District, and further his goals. He's heard of my rep, and appreciates it. He decides to transfer me to a store that had a history of declining sales. The last 4 GM's had been fired from that store. He wanted me to turn it around.

Well, it was like being put in charge of the Alamo. It was a no-win situation. Cut to the quick- I couldn't turn it around. He called me, to "talk".

Now, when you get called on your day off, to "chat", you know it's not going to go well. I was sacked. And , to make it especially wonderfull, it was a month after my wife left me. Karma bit me in the as that day.

BUT... The Vice President called me at home later that day- apologizing, talking about politics, etc. And then he did this for me-

He offered to fully vest my retirement and 401K programs. He asked me to stay on for another month, at full pay, as an Advisor.

I took him up on the offer. For the next 4 weeks, I came in to help the new manager, to cook, even to wash dishes. I worked without question for the 4 weeks.

After the month was over, I got a call from the CEO of the company. He thanked me for the work I gave, the way I handled myself, etc.

I was gracious, and pleasant. When he asked if they could have done anything different, I replied...

'You coulda fired my District Manager instead'. After about 5 seconds of static... I heard him start to laugh.. long and hard.

All I know, is after my firing, 6 of the 7 GM's in our district were fired.

The district dropped from # 2 in the country to # 47.

I wonder what the CEO thinks now.

After working a temp to perm job for a few months, I realized that I was being underutilized, although I volunteered for extra work and I was able to make some changes that reduced monthly expenses, I was bored. After speaking to the CFO & CEO I realized that there was no mobility for me and I had to leave. I said my goodbyes and got the usual farewell & good luck pats on the back as I walked out the door. The first Monday after I left I paid for a fruit platter to be delivered to my old job with a note of thanks for the goodtimes.