Quitting a Job a Friend Helped You Get: How to Do It Respectfully and Professionally

quitting a job
Image Source: Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels

A Redditor has taken to the platform to seek advice about quitting a job a friend helped them get. The Redditor with username Prize-Ad-9144 posted a story titled “How to go about quitting a job my friend got me ASAP.” In her story, Original Poster (OP) detailed how her friend got her a job with non-commensurate pay, which she was hesitant to leave because of her friend’s feelings. Other Redditors reacted to OP’s story and advised her. Get more details below.

Redditor Reluctant About Quitting a Job

OP explained that a friend helped her get a $12/hr job at a clinic after her business shut down the same year. The job was far from OP’s house, so she spent a lot of money on gas. She also worked full-time for 11 hours daily, leaving her no time for other activities. However, OP and her friend had agreed that she would only have the job until she found a better one. After three months at the job, she was tired and ready to go.

A month before her post, OP received a better job offer as a barista. She accepted because she had prior experience, and the offer was better, although she planned to work both jobs for the extra income. The clinic was also short-staffed after firing some staff recently, and OP didn’t want to leave at such a critical time. Hence, she applied for a part-time position, which the clinic initially accepted but later denied. Consequently, OP turned in her resignation letter with six weeks’ notice.

The Redditor took ill with a cough the day before her post but chose to go to work. However, her sickness worsened over the weekend, so she called in at the start of the week. However, the clinic told her she had to give up one of the days she had requested time off to attend an event. OP contacted her friend, who also worked at the clinic, to inform her that she would not come to work.

However, her friend, who had a good relationship with their co-workers outside of work, defended the clinic instead because she wrongly assumed it was a gesture borne out of concern for OP. Meanwhile, OP knew this wasn’t true. She stated:

“For 12$/hr, none of this is worth it at all. I am so grateful to my friend for helping me with getting a job in the first place, but I literally am still sick and I have a shift there to work in the morning. I am constantly stressing myself out because I don’t want them to be untrustful of my friend because I have been sick and needed to call out. I also don’t want my friend to think of me differently, because I care about her and she seems passionate about this job, even though she actually gets paid less than me when she’s been there for over a year (insane, I know).”

OP decided she no longer wanted to work at the clinic despite giving them a six-week notice because she was “physically and mentally” exhausted. However, she was worried about how her friend would receive the news. OP said she planned to explain everything to her friend in detail and thank her for looking out for her. She noted that she had always been civil in her interactions with the management and added:

“I do have mental health issues, and this year has been really, really rough on me since I have just lost so much, but just being here any longer being paid an unliveable wage while expecting me to bend over backwards for them is going to make me explode.”

OP concluded by saying:

“No, I have not called in because I needed a mental health day, I have just shown up medicated to work even if I felt like a walking zombie for 11 hours. I really don’t want to come in still sick tomorrow(and won’t), and genuinely just don’t want to even come back ever after tonight. I just have crippling anxiety and always live with constant guilt over the smallest things so I’m unsure how to do or write professionally in an email that I will not be continuing on with the company.”

Other Redditors Share Their Thoughts

Several Redditors read OP’s story and shared their thoughts. A Redditor with the username Ermmahhhgerrrd advised OP to contact her supervisor and take time off. Ermmahhhgerrrd reasoned that they might fire OP anyway. However, they asked OP to tell her supervisor she wanted to move her resignation date forward.

A second Redditor, Adriene737, told OP her health should be her top priority and advised her to leave the job immediately since it affected her negatively. They asked OP to be honest with the clinic and resign and reasoned that her friend would understand.

A third Redditor, LessDramaLlama, admonished OP that she couldn’t make everyone happy, including her friend and supervisor. They asked OP to look out for herself and learn to say no. LessDramaLlama argued that OP’s friend would understand and respect her feelings if she were a genuine friend.

OP responded to LessDramaLlama’s comment, revealing that she sent her fast-tracked resignation after her post. She also revealed that her friend was “extremely supportive” when she told her everything. OP concluded:

“This is probably the only thing I cared about. If I wasn’t so in my head about her possible reaction, I’d have quit earlier.”

Quitting a Job a Friend Helped You Get Respectfully and Professionally

Quitting a job a friend helped you get is often a tough decision. You must consider your friend’s feelings and reputation because they risked their standing to refer you. However, this job may not be a good fit, and you need to leave. Quitting a job like this is not impossible. First, you must talk to your friend and help them understand why you need to go. Then, leave the job gracefully. Don’t cause trouble that may backfire on your friend and ruin your friendship.

Additionally, be honest about why you are leaving and thank the company or workplace for the opportunity to work with them. This will preserve your friend’s reputation when you are quitting a job, which will also help maintain your relationship.

#Clique, what do you think about OP’s story? Have you been in such a situation before? How did you handle it? Let us know in the comments.

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