I have never missed an episode of ER. Ever. That is 322 episodes over a 15 year period. If I had known I was making a 15 year commitment, I probably would not have started watching ER. I actually stopped enjoying ER in the early Ohs (2002ish), but I cannot stop watching because I am incapable of grasping the concept of sunk cost. Over the years, I've learned many things in the halls of County General, like a 'GSW' is a gun shot wound, and you pretty much should expect to see a CBC on your ER bill if you ever end up in the hospital. But what's more applicable to this post is what I've learned from watching the cast come and go over the years.
Unfortunately, I have something called the two year itch. It's not something I’m proud of because I’ve been fortunate to get jobs working at really good companies. But regardless of how good the job/people/opportunity, it's two years and I'm itching to quit. Knowing this about myself, I'm always looking for tips on quitting from the pros. This is where ER comes in. Watching how certain cast members have exited the show over the years, one can learn a lot about how to quit your job. With that said, here are my favorite four lessons on how to quit your job, ER-style.
1. If you quit, you can always come back. This is something no one tells you until you are quitting. If you do your job well, employers will want you back. It’s a great deal for them. You are already trained to do the job and in theory get along with your coworkers. Sherry Stringfield (Dr. Susan Lewis) did it. When Stringfield quit her job after season three, she had two years left on her contract. The director was less than thrilled and forced her to sign a no-work agreement for the remaining term of her contract which meant she could not work in television for the next two years. Pretty messing and vindictive right? Five short seasons later, she signed back with ER and stayed on for another four seasons. Ratings were so high, she got a crossover special with Third Watch and her returning episode actually knocked Friends out of the top spot in ratings. So even if you leave on less than pleasant terms, it’s usually pretty easy to come back when you are ready.
2. Quit while you are ahead. George Clooney (Dr. Doug Ross) left at the height of his ER popularity. Since then, he has experienced a highly successful movie career. Noah Wyle (Dr. John Carter) stayed with ER for 12 years. Since his departure, he really has no cinematic credits to speak of except the made for TV movie, ‘The Librarian’. For me, being casted as the lead in a TNT movie would be the pinnacle of my career. But for a guy who was once the highest paid tv drama actor per episode, it can’t be easy. I should point out that Wyle is assumed to be living quite nicely off of fat royalty checks he receives from the many syndicated episodes of ER that he starred in. However, it is hard to deny that he worked himself out of a job. He clearly does not have the same options Clooney has. When you spend too much time in one role/field, you become type casted/labeled. You lose confidence in your ability to learn new tricks and employers are less willing to see you as someone who can mold to their model.
3. Start planning your exit strategy before you start your job. When Gloria Reuben (Jeanie Boulet) went into contract with ER, she had details about the fate of her character written into the contract that required the writers keep her character alive upon her departure. ER is notorious for killing off characters in one horrific manner after the next. But what is genius about this negotiation strategy is that the door remained open for Reuben to return to ER in the future. So when you are starting with a company, you should be planning for the end. Be sure to think about things like non-competes and years of service required to retain sign-on bonus, vesting, etc.
4. Don’t quit until you have your next offer in writing. Shane West (Dr. Ray Barnett) quit ER to join a new show on Fox’s network called Supreme Courtship. Ever heard of it? Probably not because Fox never picked up the show and West was out of two jobs. Sucks to be him. Until the offer is in writing and you can agree to live with the terms, you don’t have a new job. So be patient and never make hasty decisions based on a verbal offer.
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Actually, No - How to get ahead at work by saying no
