How to Prepare for the Worst

You’ve seen the warning signs that you may be headed toward a career crisis. What do you do next? Take the advice below from peers who have been through it to carefully prepare for your exit. 

Start Getting Your Ducks in a Row

  • Get as many letters of reference as possible from current peers. (Example: Board members or colleagues that you have a good relationship with.)
  • Look to your network for insight on the situation. Talk to acquaintances who are connected to the person who you are in conflict with and/or the district. (Tip: Even though you may feel hesitant or embarrassed to share, don’t be afraid to reach out. Just make sure to be strategic about it.)
  • Start searching discreetly for your next position. Look at the Illinois ASBO Job Bank or network at Illinois ASBO events and find someone whose ear is to the ground.
  • Protect your personal information. Use Dropbox or another web-based app to store all personal items saved to your computer. This could be any documents or files you don’t want to lose.
  • Make sure you are backing things up to the cloud. If you have spreadsheets or other work-related documents you would like to keep when you move from place to place, start saving these files or forwarding documents to yourself.
  • Start removing personal possessions from the office. Don’t be too obvious about it. In case of walkout or if you are locked out, this will be one less thing to worry about.

Take Care of Yourself and Your Reputation

  • Do everything by the book. Staying above reproach is key during these times.
  • Talk with someone you can trust outside of your work environment to get some perspective. (This could be a pastor, priest, mentor, etc.)
  • Find mentors who have been through it. Find out more on how to locate mentors through Illinois ASBO.
  • Don’t be afraid to get medical help. If you feel extreme stress, consult a psychologist, counselor or doctor. It is helpful to have an outside person to talk to.
  • Be patient with yourself. Letting yourself work through the emotions of what you are going through is key. Don’t feel like you have to have it all together right away.
  • Be careful with whom you talk to. Remember that the Illinois school industry is a very small network. If you are looking for a job, do not let your boss know. 
  • Consider the timing of crucial conversations — especially contract-related conversations. Ideally this would be before contract renewal. If you know they are not renewing your contract, you can resign and then not have to deal with the implications of dismissal. (Whether you’ve been terminated is a standard question in applying for new jobs.

Document Everything Related to the Problem or Issue

  • Copy or forward related emails to your personal email. Once they cut you off you are done and you won’t be able to get back in.
  • Document all meetings. Follow up with emails from one-on-one meetings. Take notes about who you met with regarding the issue and when. If they don’t want to talk, document that you tried and were unsuccessful.
  • Gather witnesses. Make sure that other people are around during any one-on-one meetings. 
  • Start getting advice from an attorney – sooner than later. See a list of legal advisors.

Related Resources

Ethics and Work/Life Balance Resources

Resources to help you evaluate how you are doing in this area and whether it may be time for a change.

learn more

Exit Stage Right: Leaving Your Job Successfully

 An article by Erin M. Fuller, FASAE, CAE, for Association Career HQ.

read article

Find Mentors & Legal Support

However it may feel, you are not alone. Enlist the help of fellow school business officials or get legal counsel on how to move forward.

learn more

Note: The advice and resources included on these web pages are suggestions and should not be considered legal advice. By traversing these pages, you acknowledge that Illinois ASBO assumes no responsibility or legal liability for the actions you take and the resulting consequences. Please consult a qualified attorney for questions related to the legal implications of your actions or advice on contract-related issues.
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