Finding your own replacement

JeganRX

JeganRX

Well-known member
Ever worry that because of the freedom you've been given in a job, it would be hard for your employer to replace you when you want to actually leave? Sounds like a petty worry as I type it out, but I'm sure some of you know how naggy some bosses can be when you suddenly want to jump ship for a better job.

What I'm referring to is how your unique workflow may be hard for another employee to get used to, and then of course, you may be roped into the old "training your replacement" business.
 
I don't think that's a petty issue, at all.

It's not unusual for me to get offers for new shows, during whatever show I already happen to be on. If the offer is interesting enough, I will jump ship - but only if I have found a suitable replacement with whom the producers are comfortable.

Leaving a trail of angry and feeling-screwed-over people is not a good way to build a profitable professional reputation. Eventually you're known as 'that guy who never sticks around to finish the project' and no one wants to roll the dice on hiring you.

At least, until you are in such a degree of demand that people want you to come and do your thing, even if they figure you'll dump them in mid-stream. I know of a couple people like that, but only a couple and eyes still roll when their names come up...
 
I had a job where I tried to quit. Twice. My boss wouldn't let me :) When I finally did leave, it was on very good terms (they simply paid too poorly and knew it). But the transition out of the job took months.

Sad Max makes a pretty good point. I've turned down pretty good paying short term gigs before because I didn't to hose the people I was currently working with. I could have used the money... a lot... but my reputation is more important to me, and leaving bad feelings because the grass was greener somewhere else now doesn't mean it will be greener tomorrow.
 
Well, it's not like they can keep you there against your will.

The last job I left, they paid me as a contractor (at an effective hourly rate higher than what I was making under salary) to transition my replacement(s) and get them up to speed. There's opportunity here, if they really don't want you to leave.

Of course, making bad blood is never good, so tread carefully. But sometimes employers DO have unreasonable expectations.
 
after carefully considering my current lifestyle and work habits, this guy is closest i could come up with.

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Well yes, that's the main reason for asking. My reputation is at stake, though quite honestly, the job is not a "true production job" with any connections to general production work. I would like to give notice, and finish any remaining work, as I have in the past - but I do worry that it'll be difficult for them to find a replacement. Call that narcissism if you will!
 
Much worse is training your replacement when you're not leaving of your own volition.
Happens all the time in today's business climate, including to a friend of mine.

"Hey, we think you're not good enough to stay, but you're good enough to train your replacement."
Ouch.
 
groveChuck said:
Much worse is training your replacement when you're not leaving of your own volition.
Happens all the time in today's business climate, including to a friend of mine.

"Hey, we think you're not good enough to stay, but you're good enough to train your replacement."
Ouch.
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Happened to me once, though to be fair, we all knew I'd be laid off once school rolled around. He didn't actually want to get rid of me, but he needed a full-time editor.
 
Really? You're canning me but you expect me to stick around and teach school for a replacement?

Not going to happen. Any employer with an at-will agreement has the right to dismiss me without cause. But if they pull that and then expect me to train a replacement, they need to put down the crack pipe and get their heads correctly aligned.
 
I'll come back as an independent contractor to train people, if that's what they want. At a suitable rate.
 
Sometimes it's obvious what's coming, sometimes it isn't.

But employers (and I think this happens more in the case of employees than contractors), can use the (implicit) threat of sabotaging one's reputation/references if there's a refusal to cooperate.
 
groveChuck said:
But employers (and I think this happens more in the case of employees than contractors), can use the (implicit) threat of sabotaging one's reputation/references if there's a refusal to cooperate.
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That's of course, the only real fear for me. Of course, this entire topic is sort of pre-emptive, as I haven't even been hired yet, but I've done this on a number of occasions.
 
My understanding is that labor laws don't permit an employer from saying anything derogatory about you, if checked as a reference. If they have nothing good to say, the furthest they can go is simply saying 'yes, that person worked here during that time period' or 'no, they didn't.'
 
Sad Max said:
My understanding is that labor laws don't permit an employer from saying anything derogatory about you, if checked as a reference. If they have nothing good to say, the furthest they can go is simply saying 'yes, that person worked here during that time period' or 'no, they didn't.'
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No, but most HR departments advise it.
 
That's my understanding, too (that's how pedophile teachers get jobs in new states, because the old state is glad to get rid of the problem, but won't tell the new state what they know).

But if an employee quits, not giving two weeks notice (because they don't want to train their replacement), it looks good for the employer, bad for the employee.

Future employer: "Why did they leave?"
Former employer: "Beats me. They just left in a huff. I guess they're a quitter."

Pardon me while I leave this thread to start a hotter (if less relevant) one.
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