5. Andrew Lahde – Hedge Fund Manager
Another over-worked executive throwing it away with a flourish here! Andrew Lahde quit in 2008, after his firm made a huge amount of money betting against subprime mortgages (and in no way contributing to the global economic collapse soon after, oh no). He said he intended to concentrate on repairing his mental health. In his letter, he mocked foolish traders (described as “low-hanging fruit”) and thanked them for being stupid enough to make his fortune:
“All of this behavior supporting the aristocracy only ended up making it easier for me to find people stupid enough to take the other side of my trades. God bless America.”
An unlikely offshoot of this dramatic resignation has been the appearance of “Andrew Lahde:American hero” t-shirts across the web. Is it because of his call for everyone to maintain a healthy work-life balance? Or the bit at the end where he calls for the legalization of marijuana? It’s hard to know..
4. Steven Round – Rhode Island teacher
From high-earning execs to a humble teacher next. Steven Round released this video on the net to announce his resignation. In it, he talks about the dangers of standardized testing and how the system is just churning out “test-takers” rather than individuals. After he was stopped from reading the letter at a school committee meeting, he went home and read it out to a webcam. Initially a low-key video release due to the timing of it (it was uncomfortably close to the Connecticut shootings), it later went viral. Steven Round may no longer have a job, but it’s safe to say he’s made his point.
3. Karen Chang – Microsoft
Why say it when you can sing it? Karen Chang decided to set her resignation letter to the tune of “American Pie” and it was a celebration of all things geeky – working on Excel, enjoying “Taco Fridays” and drinking in the hallways. All together now…”Long, long lines of code….”
2. Cat Sacdalan – Graphic Designer
You’re unhappy enough in your job and then your father gets ill and you have to spend a load of time working from home, to look after him. It’s hard-going. Not only that, but you find out your colleagues have all been complaining about your absences to their boss, and that same boss admits that he might have to “heed their requests”. So, what do you do?
If you’re Cat Sacdalan and you’re in this situation, you quit. But you don’t just quit in a normal way, oh no – you write a technicolor resignation letter in kids’ crayon, complete with a tiny picture of a dog. This girl has class and I want to be just like her!
1. Neil Berrett – Hunters Point Naval Shipyard
But if she has class, this guy has even more class. Quitting his job at the shipyard on health and family grounds, Neil Berrett wanted to leave on sweet terms – so he wrote his resignation letter on a cake. Describing his time at the shipyard as “pure excitement, joy and whim”, he obviously left a lasting impression – I’m betting this is one ex-employee who will always be welcome back in the office!