How to Leave a Job and Not Feel Guilty - The Muse

How to Leave a Job and Not Feel Guilty - The MuseHow to Leave a Job and Not Feel Guilty Well, look at you. Youve done it. After months of quietly exploring new, better career opportunities, youve landed a job that makes you giddy just thinking about. Youve even mustered up the courage to tell your current employer. And just at that moment when you should be on Cloud 9?It happens.The guilt comes rolling into the station. You begin to question the decision. You feel awful that youre leaving your team, at a moment when no one could possibly live without you. You wonder if you should just duck into your cubicle for the next two weeks, to avoid having to face people with this bombshell news of yours.Stop that. Yes, of course, guilt is a natural feeling that many people feel when leaving an employer, especially if the companys been super great to you, and the teams truly going to feel the burn short-term. But, assuming you manage your departure gracefully, you absolutely shouldnt feel guil ty, and heres why.1. Professionals Are Expected to Develop and GrowYour colleagues are not unlike you. They aspire to grow, develop, and in many cases, also climb into positions with new challenges and responsibilities. This is human nature, and its expected. Even if your peers or supervisors act pouty or irritated when you announce youre leaving, realize that this is probably just them thinking about the pain in the rear your departure may create for them short-term (or wishing that they were you right about now).2. If the Tables Were Turned, the Company Probably Wouldnt Feel GuiltyThink about it. If your employer were facing budget cuts or layoffs, and your job was going to be among those impacted, do you think that your managers or the HR director would spend endless hours wringing their hands with guilt before they alerted you of the layoff? Probably not. Sure, on a personal level they may feel badly. Were all human, after all. But theyd surely realize that this is business, and in business, difficult decisions sometimes need to be made. Now, apply this to your own decision, and realize that most employers understand that you, too, are making difficult choices to further your own business- the business of your career.3. If You Stay Out of Guilt, You Do No One Any FavorsIve actually coached a few clients whove turned down great offers because they just couldnt get the nerve up to face their employer and resign. (Theyll dieeee without me.) And in at least two of these instances, guess what happened? The person who stayed became mora and more resentful or non-productive in her role, and the employer was negatively impacted. Even if you know your company is going to gripe and moan when you quit, if youre only staying out of guilt, youre doing both them and you a disservice.4. Guilt Will Disrupt the Joy of Your Last Two WeeksHave you enjoyed your time at the company youre leaving? Have you met at least a couple of colleagues or clients that you really like bein g around? Well then stop the moping and make the most out of your final days at the old job. Lift that load off of your shoulders and enjoy the hours you have remaining with these comrades. Because guess what? It might not be easy to carve out time to see them once you start that new gig.Even when youre downright ecstatic about your pending transition, quitting a job can be emotionally tough. Feel the emotions, absolutely. Just dont let guilt sneak in and steal the moment. Youve got basking to do.Photo of nervous woman courtesy of Shutterstock.

Register Now to Be a Judge at the Long Island Science and Engi...

Register Now to Be a Judge at the Long Island Science and Engi... Register Now to Be a Judge at the Long Island Science and Engi... Register Now to Be a Judge at the Long Island Science and Engineering FairJan. 12, 2018 The organizers of the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair (LISEF), an annual forum for Long Island students in grades 9 to 12, are seeking judges for this years event. Round One of the fair will take place Feb. 6 at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, N.Y., while Round Two will take place at the country club on March 7.Each year, LISEF aims to identify and recognize secondary school students from Nassau and Suffolk Counties who have the potential to become outstanding natural, physical and behavioral scientists, engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists. Finalists selected at the LISEF will advance to the annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, to be held this May 17 in Pittsburgh, Pa.While LISEF organizers are seeking judges from all STEM disciplines, they are especially in need of experienced engineers to serve as judges this year. The 22 LISEF judging categories include biomedical engineering (biometrics, biomechanics, biomedical devices and imaging, cell and tissue engineering, and synthetic bioengineering) energy physical (hydro power, nuclear power, solar, sustainable design, thermal power, and wind power) engineering mechanics (aerospace and aeronautical engineering, civil and industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, computational mechanics, ground vehicle systems, and naval systems) environmental engineering (bioremediation, land reclamation, pollution control, recycling and waste management, and water resources management) materials science (biomaterials, ceramics, composite materials, computation and theory, nanomaterials, and polymers) and robotics and intelligent machines (biomechanics, cognitive systems, control theory, and robot kinematics).Engineers with a masters degree or a Ph.D. are particularly encouraged to sign up as a judge. While judges may register up to the day before each LISEF event, those who would like their names to be included in the printed program for each event should register two weeks in advance. Judges will be provided a continental breakfast and buffet lunch the day of the competition.To register as a judge for one or both LISEF dates, visit www.lisef.org, then click the LISEF Judges button and the Register Now button on the next screen. After filling in the relevant information, click the Continue Registration button to confirm, and click Continue Registration again to select the date you would like to judge and to indicate how many years you have previously served as a judge and whether you would like to recommend a colleague as a judge. You will also be asked to select your top three category preferences. However, if you only want to be considered for one category, just enter it three times. Then simply click Complete Registration to fin ish the process.For more information on the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, visit www.lisef.org.

Remarkablogger, American Idol and Me

Remarkablogger, American Idol and Me Remarkablogger, American Idol and Me I read this post from Michael Martine (aka Remarkablogger) while half-watching American Idol.Yeah, yeah I know Idol is cheesy. There are better things to do with my time. I know. But I watch it anyway, so shoot me. Ive watched it for 4 years actually and Im to the point where I can tell who is going to do well without even trying. Its elend about talent or singing ability. Its about who has the clearest idea of who they are musically. It may sound odd, but authenticity is key to success, even on a reality TV show that so many people see as fake.Selling Vacuum CleanersWhich is what Michael wrote about in his post. He used to be a vacuum cleaner salesman and he hated it. Read his whole post to find out why (its a great read) but the bottom-line was that he knew he was in the wrong job. He didnt hate the vacuums he was selling he just hated door-to-door sales because it wasnt authentically who he was. He calls h ow he felt living a lie.I know what he means. For a long time I stayed in a job that actually made me unhappy because it paid well. I was an HR exec and had risen up through the ranks to serve on the executive leadership team. I was never entirely happy in HR but I always thought that the next vorrcken would be the one that changed how I felt about my job. It never did because it just wasnt right for me. There were too many things about HR that required me to mute parts of my personality or do things I didnt enjoy doing.Starting my own business meant taking a big pay cut, notlage to mention a big risk, but I couldnt be happier that I did it. Because I enjoy my work now that I am no longer living a lie.But What About the Recession?Perhaps it seems nuts to think about finding work that makes you happy at a time when so many people are just desperate to find (or hang on to) any job. But I dont think it is. I think that times like these are exactly the times that give us an opportunity to reevaluate, because they show how tenuous everything is anyway. If youre staying in a job just because it pays well, now you realize that its not secure anyway. It could be gone tomorrow and then what?If youre in a job that doesnt reflect who you are and what you really love to do, start making plans to leave it. Decide what you do love and use your spare time to work towards that. Just because you cant afford to walk out and then start a search doesnt mean you cant start a search anyway.And if youre currently looking for a job, make happiness a part of the equation. Even if you have to take an emergency job to pay some bills, dont let that dissuade you from the long-term goal of finding work you love.Its not just a good idea because you will feel better. Its a good idea because you will be far more successful doing something that is authentically you than struggling along in a field that you dont find personally rewarding.Oh and as for American Idol this guy will do well. And t his one. You can take that to the bank