Exit Interview

I've never quit a job before, so I didn't really know what was expected of me after I turned in my resignation letter. I assumed that there would be an exit interview. I wanted an opportunity to tell management what I really thought of them. Of course, I planned to do this in a civilized, non-confrontational way so as not to "burn any bridges." But, to my dismay, that opportunity was never offered.

Of course, I spoke with my immediate supervisor and her boss about my reasons for leaving. Out of respect for them, I left it simply at "I'd like to spend more time with my kids." The reasons for my leaving are much more complicated and a bit convuluted. Let's face it, if circumstances were different, I would not have quit my job.

Which leads me to answer the following question: Why DID I leave my job?

1. To spend more time with the kids

The number one reason I quit my job is because I want to spend more time with my kids, but this is not, and for me it cannot be, the only reason. Yes, it's a noble reason. Yes, it's a reason that few can find fault with. But for me, it's a flawed reason in a couple of important ways. For one, I am not sure I want to stay home with my kids full-time. I'm afraid I won't know what to do with them for an entire day, day in and day out. I am afraid I will be bored. For so long, I bought into and lived the working mom's mantras of "I am a better mom because I work" and "I spend more QUALITY time with my kids." I don't know if I believed either of these mantras, but they helped me deal with my "working mom's guilt." Another flaw is that I don't ever want to blame my kids for my decision to quit my job and stay home with them. If I think of this decision as one based solely on a desire to stay home with my kids, I'm afraid that it will lead to resentment, and that wouldn't be good for any of us.

2. Spinning my wheels

There's no doubt about it, I had a great job. I made decent money. My job was stressful, but I didn't have to take much of it home with me. I could work from 9 to 5 and noone would comment that I didn't "stay late" or pull my weight around the office. But, in the end, I wasn't getting anywhere fast. I wasn't in the "corporate world," so there was not ladder to climb. In government, there are virtually no "incentives" to do work above and beyond what's expected, aside from one's own desire to be the best employee one can be. So, I guess, in a way, I felt like if I stayed where I was, I wasn't really going to advance. Sure, I'd make more money and I'd probably get better "titles" as the years progressed, but none of that would really be merit based.

I had planned to write an explanation for each of the following entries, but as I begin to type, I think I'll just leave it the way it is.

3. Politics, yes, I do mean Republican v Democrat kind of policitcs.
4. Lack of camaraderie
5. Location, location, location


Is it the job or is it the work that I didn't like?