Esquire's editor-in-chief showed us how not to announce your job resignation
- Jay Fielden, editor-in-chief of Esquire, recently announced his resignation via an Instagram post that showed him leaving his building with four bags in hand.
- Many found the post funny, and it may have inspired others to leave their jobs in the same dramatic style.
- Yet if you want career success down the line, experts say to control your social media fingers.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Chances are all of us have fantasized about quitting a job as dramatically as possible.
Jay Fielden, editor-in-chief of Esquire, actually lived out his fantasy.
Fielden announced his resignation on Instagram, with a photo of him clutching four bags as he left the Hearst building. He accompanied his photo with a 300-word blurb recounting his experience at the company and his plans for the future (which include cooking his kids breakfast as his wife sleeps in).
Fielden left the post due to company-wide "reshuffling," according to The New York Times. Hearst Magazines, which owns Esquire, promoted former digital chief Troy Young to the helm in hopes of making the magazines fit for online.
While some CEOs and company leaders leave a note after exiting their company, Fielden's lengthy caption (and accompanying photo) gave rise to many questions: why did he have so many bags? Who took this photo of him right when he walked out the door? Does he know you can be successful and also bald?
Jokes aside, while Fielden may have a storied journalism career and plenty of industry connections to get him his next gig, his flashy Instagram post could have career consequences.
Experts agree one of the biggest mistakes people make after quitting a job is burning bridges: "Once you put in your two weeks notice, you may feel like you have the freedom to say or do what you want," Lynn Taylor a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job, told Business Insider.
"Wrong!"
Posting to social media can be an easy way to get everything off your chest - but doing so could make your former coworkers hate you. Your last days on the job will be how you're remembered at the company, Taylor said. She recommends leaving as positively as possible.
Fielden's comments did not include anything insulting about his former employer. Still, some hiring managers may view the dramatic exit as too crass.
"The business world can often be just two degrees of separation," Taylor said. "You never know who in your office could reappear in your life, as a client, key contact, or even a boss."
So Fielden may have you fantasizing about quitting your job in style, but do yourself (and your future career) a solid and just leave quietly.