Career Advice: Should I still give notice if I leave a job because of a toxic workplace?

#CareerConvos™️ with Nikki

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Career Q&A: should I still give notice if I leave a job because of a toxic workplace?

My answer is YES.

Don’t let a toxic workplace dictate how you carry yourself. Handle professional situations with grace no matter what. For these reasons:

1. Somebody’s coming into that job after you. Don’t make it harder for them because of what you had going on. In fact, make it easier for them because they’re about to be dealing with the same problems you dealt with.
2. Once you allow the toxic workplace to rub off on you and impact your behavior, you’ll carry that, in some aspect, to a new role and worse…
3. Into your personal life. How many times have you complained to a friend or family member about the fuckery you’re dealing with at work? Now you’re spreading the negativity that you’re trying to get away from to people you love.
4. On that same note, I know you got some small words you wanna say to your manager. Are you willing to degrade your brand over it? It’s really not worth it and won’t make a difference because… point 5!
5. The leaders in a toxic workplace already know their workplace is toxic, yet they do nothing about it.

Toxic work environments permeate the ecosystem of a business. It shows in how the company treats employees, through interactions with customers, even how they pay their bills.

So the job didn’t turn out to be what you thought it was. You wound up working for a manager that shouldn’t have been a manager. It happens, it’s OK.

The takeaways:

1. Don’t let a bad work environment define you. Being in toxic work environments is a reminder to be more selective in the jobs you choose.
2. Don’t take a job because it’s convenient or pays more - everything is negotiable.
3. Preserve your brand, even if you don’t like your coworkers. All it takes is a hot second to destroy your reputation. Don’t buy in to the pettiness.

You have to develop the ability to work with people you don’t like. That’s a deeper conversation.

What if an interviewer asks you why you’re leaving your job? Would you say it’s because of a toxic workplace or something else? We'll talk about that on another episode.