How to Quit Your Job like a Ninja

When you don’t want to draw too much attention.

Photo by Elijah O’Donnell on Unsplash

Quick. Quiet. Effective. That’s how a ninja gets things done. It’s probably also how they quit. At least the bad jobs.

Poof. Barely a trace you were ever there.

That’s not how a lot of us imagine quitting. We seem to prefer the Jerry Maguire style. You know, the one that leaves you utterly unemployable, desperate, and begging for clients.

Show me the money… Except in reality they don’t.

Most of us have quit a job before. Or dreamed about it. You might quit again in a few years. Each time presents its own dangers. You can bungle your exit, and leave plenty of pissed off people — enemies.

Quitting calls for a certain amount of discretion and stealth. You have to be careful and keep your guard up until your last day and beyond. And you also need to strategize your life after. A sloppy quit can follow you into your next job. It can cloud your future.

Don’t threaten to quit before you do it.

Ninjas don’t posture. They don’t telegraph. You never know what a ninja’s planning until they’ve done it.

Then they ghost.