#WorkMomSays that knowing when and how to give notice is essential for a smooth career transition. In this episode, learn the importance of providing a two week notice in professional environments and when immediate departure from a toxic workplace is justified. Discover insights on maintaining professionalism, recognizing red flags, and the impact of leaving a job gracefully or abruptly. Themes discussed in this episode The importance of professionalism when leaving a job When to offer a two-week notice and the benefits of doing so Identifying and responding to toxic work environments Personal experiences and lessons learned in career transitions Episode Highlights Timestamped inflection points from the show 00:12 – Introduction to the episode: Lori discusses the key considerations when giving notice and the importance of maintaining professionalism. 02:10 – Why a two-week notice is beneficial: Lori shares insights on how a formal notice period can leave a positive impression. 02:40 – Personal story from an advertising career: Lori recounts an experience with a seemingly promising job that turned out to be problematic due to unprofessional behavior. 05:05 – Red flags at a new workplace: Inappropriate conduct and lack of boundaries at a digital shop. 07:25 – The value of bridges unburned: A former employer reached out with a job offer after Lori’s professional departure. 09:02 – When not to give notice: In certain toxic environments, immediate exit is sometimes necessary to protect one’s well-being. Top Quotes 4:07 – “So my first day on the job, she told me, hey by the way, I’m in a relationship with the owner. And I just immediately knew that was probably not a good sign.” 5:05 – “Well, then he asked me to do his social media and we had a couple of meetings and I started taking some stabs at what I thought might be appropriate. And his first piece of criticism he began with: if I was the client and you were the agency, I would fire you.” 7:25 – “Since I had given a really great two week notice…my phone rang and it was that agency saying, hey, can you come back?” 9:21 – “And if you’re working in a place that’s kind of a toxic shit show and the owner may be using the staff as his dating pool or you know, you’ve got drinking all day long or you’ve got sexism or racism or inappropriate behavior, don’t worry about two weeks because in a lot of cases people that support that kind of behavior at the office will make those last two weeks a living hell for you.” Links Connect with me on LinkedIn. Order my book! Transcript 00:12 Hello, everybody. Thank you so much for joining me for this episode of Work Mom Says “Don’t Be An Idiot!” I’m Lori Jo Vest, and today I want to talk about giving notice from an employer. When it’s time to go, you have made your decision, and you’re giving notice. Do you always have to give a two week notice? No.  Depending on where you’re employed, how your employer treats you, if they are a very professionally run organization, a two week notice is totally appropriate and I would actually recommend it in those situations. If you like your job, but you were simply leaving to look for the opportunity to get a promotion or more money or maybe you were moving. In those situations where you don’t want to burn a bridge, a two week notice is a really good thing. When you give a two week notice, you get to take those two weeks and make it easier for your employer to fill the position with the next person. I’ve actually offered—depending on, you know, what size the company is and where you fit in that corporate structure—I’ve actually offered to find my replacement and I’ve done that at several places because that really does put you in a