This is my last day at work! How was yours? (1 Viewer)

[Francois Caron]

A year ago, I've applied to the CRTC for a television license. Last March, the CRTC approved it. You can read all about it at this thread. Since then, I've sold my condo, moved to a new apartment and handed my letter of resignation to my current employer so I can start working full time on my project.

I've been employed at the same software firm for seventeen years! When I gave my boss the news last March, he was naturally upset. We've developed an excellent working relationship over the years and he really hates to see me go. However, to his credit, he fully understands the dreams I have and wished me the best of luck.

But today is the big day. My last day. I've already received my last paycheck, cleaned out my desk of seventeen years of junk ("what the heck is this thing?!?") and taken home all my personal belongings. So aside from doing final testing on a software component and relaying information about certain office components to the other employees, there's not much left to do. I have no idea if they'll give me a big send-off, but I'm hoping it'll be a very low-key event. I'm honestly not into big events. My hard work has already been recognized, the boss has reminded me many times he'll miss me very much... I'm not asking for anything more. Not even a gold watch.

I'll post an update on my last day during the weekend. But what about you? Has anyone else had a "last day?" One which was the result of you leaving voluntarily to pursue a new project? Or were you retiring after years of dedication and heading off for parts unknown?

How was your last day?

 

[Colton]

My last day? I'll let you know in 15 years when I retire.

 

[Bob McLaughlin]

I've been promoted within the same company for 15 years so I've never had a last day.

However, my last day working at a steel mill in 1988 I had to be carried out when a steel train coupler fell from a height of 2 feet onto my foot. Despite having a steel toed boot with a metatarsal guard, I still broke 2 bones in my foot. Not the kind of last day you want to have.

 

[Johnny Angell]

My last day at work was during a mass layoff, about 30-35 of us, if I remember correctly. They came and got us one-at-a-time. I was one of the later ones, in the afternoon. You didn't know if you were on the list until they pointed at you.

 

[Lars Larsen]

My last day was at the time when the "new economy" took off. You know the one where company stocks go up 5% and profit is not an issue to worry too much about. Anyway, when the bubble burst venture capital on which the company heavily depended upon dried up and we were told that the company had to close. We packed our stuff and took a few things that nobody would miss, as souvenirs. It was a really strange feeling to leave the office as one of the last, turning out the lights and knowing nobody would ever come to work there again. It was a sad experience because there was so many good energetic people there and now they are scattered all over. It took a few years before I was offered a job in the industry again since nobody was hiring. This must have happened to a lot of people, but that's another story

 

[Kevin Eckhardt]

Francois, best of luck on your new project!

I had my "last day" earlier this month after seven years as a software engineer for a networking company. During the last week I went out to lunch once with some members of my current team and once with members of a prior team. I put the finishing touches on my final projects and tried to document the process I used for some of my recurring duties. The last day itself was rather uneventful. I packed up my cube, recycling several reams worth of documents I wouldn't need anymore in the process. Packing took less time than I had anticipated and I had already taken the boxes down to my car by shortly after one. After that there wasn't really anything left for me to do. It was Friday so quite a few people were working from home and the office was pretty quiet. I ended up leaving about 2:30. My last walk out of the building was actually a little sad, realizing that I wouldn't be coming back in on Monday after spending 1/4 of my life working there.

After about a month off I'm getting ready to head back to school. I'm beginning work on a Masters degree in Information Science. I'm also going to begin work as a graduate assistant for a project which involves maps, old movie theaters, and an online database. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[drobbins]

After having over 10 jobs since getting out of school, last days are usually boring. My current job I have been at over 5 years and I am setting a new record each day.

 

[JustinCleveland]

My last couple "last days" were very nonchalant. Leaving Penn State was anticlimactic: I handed out my teacher evaluations and left the classroom, as with any other class. I moved back to Wisconsin to finish my thesis, and that was that. I bet most people there, even within my department, did not even notice I left.

Same goes for my last job, working in radio in Madison, Wisconsin. I hosted a Saturday shift (we had rotating weekend duties, and it so happens that my last day fell on a Saturday). I was the only one in the building, I think, so when I finished recording at about 10am I just put my key on the shelf I had been using for a year, and walked out the door.

Like you, OP, I have never been much for "big goodbyes." I hope to sometime be in a job where I matter enough to warrant one, however.

 

[Francois Caron]

The last day turned out to be rather normal in the end. I've verified the functionality of the component I wanted to test, and I've completed the next stage of a data transfer program. Most of us went out for lunch paid for by my employer which is just the right amount of "send-off" I can comfortably handle.

I've handed in my keys, wiped out all personal information from my computer, handed over the password and setup books to the next person in line, redirected the phone and e-mail message to another individual, and reminded them to have my code and name removed from the alarm system. The boss wanted me to retain the keys and alarm code in case I had to be called in, but I've refused the offer. This is a permanent departure. There's no valid reason for me to retain complete access to the office. If something were to happen to the business while I'm gone, there would be a lot of awkward questions.

At the end of the day, I thanked my boss for the seventeen years of employment, said good-bye to everyone and left. There was a tear in my eye. My boss had a few more.

It's strange knowing that I won't be going back to work next Monday. Even stranger is the fact I'll be working to develop my own business, a business that already has the blessing of the CRTC along with a lot of positive encouragement from my bank! Hell, I even have a future investor lined up, and this is after I've made it very clear to him that my business is a high risk venture!

I'm damn lucky. Most people are happy just having one successful career in their lifetime. I've just finished my first successful career and I'm now starting a second one! And this was achieved through careful planning and was not the result of a crisis situation or a sudden loss of employment! This doesn't mean the new business will work out, but what a wild ride it's going to be just to get it started!

Anyway, that was my last day.