Quitting a job is not something that anyone should take lightly. You need to ensure that you have another job because you have responsibilities. I am sure you have rent/mortgage, electricity bill, car insurance, maybe a car payment, and other bills that need to be paid each month. It is never a good idea to quit a job without something else set up. Even a week in between quitting and starting a new job can put you behind on your monthly bills, which will only cause stress and chaos in your life. Yes, you get very angry while at work, and some of us (I am guilty) just quit without thinking. Then we have to suffer the consequences for our hectic actions which is most likely a lot of added stress and worry.
If you are truly not happy in your fast-food position, and you have another employment opportunity lined up, then by all means; quit your job. But be respectful, courteous, and polite about it. Do it the correct, responsible way. As I have always been told, treat others how you want to be treated. If you do not vacate your position properly, then it looks negative on your future job applications.
Whether you work in the fast-food industry or somewhere else, there are proper steps to quitting your job. Today, I will answer some important questions concerning quitting a job, how to do it properly, and the possible consequences of not being responsible and respectful when quitting.
Do you have to give two weeks notice in fast-food?
As stated above, no matter what employment industry you are in, there is a right way to vacate a job position and a wrong way. It doesn’t matter if you work in a doctor’s office, a grocery store, a car dealership, or fast-fast food; you always give a two-week notice to your employer. There could be many different negative consequences if you just walk out in the middle of a shift, not show up for your scheduled shift, or quit without any prior notice. Giving a two-week notice to your employer shows respect and responsibility. It is a positive mark in the employers’ book and it is a positive read on your future applications. Giving two weeks’ notice allows your employer to hire and train your replacement. When your next prospective employer calls for a reference, you will receive positive feedback, which will aid in getting you your next employment opportunity.
Does quitting a job look bad?
The only way that quitting a job is going to look bad, is if you do not give the proper notice. Which as stated above, is two weeks. If you work a shift and then just stop showing up, that is a negative mark. If you walk out in the middle of your scheduled shift and never return, that is another negative mark. If you walk into your place of employment on your day off, hand over your uniform, and say, “I quit,” that is also a negative mark. Inexperienced workers, such as teenagers, have a bad habit of quitting their jobs in this fashion. My advice, do not do it!! If you are responsible and courteous about it, giving your two-week notice, then no, it doesn’t look bad at all when you quit a job. You are moving on to something that suits you better, something with more opportunities within the company, or maybe something that pays you more with better hours. Whatever the reason is for quitting your job, do it the proper way.
How long does the average fast-food worker stay on the job?
From my experience working in the fast-food industry, the majority of employees (especially teenagers) only stay in the fast-food industry for a year or less. Though there are some individuals who start in fast food as their first job, legitimately love what they do, and continue to climb the fast-food ladder. A lot of the assistant managers and managers, started out in fast food when they were in high school. They learned everything that they could learn about the company, its values, and they worked their butt off to climb up the ladder. For most of us though, fast food is just a stepping stone in the vast sea of employment. It is the easiest and best job to get as a high school student (sometimes the only job), we gain some much-needed skills, earn and save some money, and then we move on to the next stepping stone.
How do I quit fast food over the phone, should you?
Never ever quit a job over the phone, ever! That is worse than walking in on your day off and quitting. It is irresponsible and disrespectful. No matter how much you dislike a job, the management, or your co-workers you still have the responsibility of vacating a job the correct way. Give your two-week notice, preferably in writing. It is your best, actually, your only option, to receive a good reference from the employer. If you call and quit over the phone, you are setting yourself up for a negative reference. Also, if you should ever need to fall back on that fast-food position in the future, it is not going to be there. They will remember and they will have it documented; how you quit your position. When you do not quit a job position in the correct way you are setting yourself up for a negative reference that will follow you for at least a few years.
Conclusion
Whether it be the fast-food industry or something else, you always want to vacate your employment in the correct way. It looks good in your file, it looks good on your future job applications, and it gives you a positive reference when future employers call your past employers. Yes, you may dislike your job, you may feel that there is no way that you will make it another two weeks; but you will. You can make it that last two weeks, you will make it through the last two weeks! Do it for your pride and your future job opportunities.