- People resign from their job for many reasons. Name one.
- In Japan, how do people usually resign?
- Have you ever quit a job? If yes, tell us about why you did it and how you did it. Did you regret it? Why? If no, tell us about someone you know personally who quit their job. What happened? Are they happier now?
- There are often famous resignations on the TV that have been caused by controversy, failure, scandals or public disagreements. Tell us about a famous newscaster, politician, public servant, celebrity, artist or sports personality who quit in a dramatic fashion. What happened?
- Tell us about a time where someone being fired or quitting has had disastrous consequences for a sports team, company, pop group, TV show or political party. You can use a personal anecdote or something that you heard or read about.
- Which celebrity, sports coach or politician do you think should resign? Why?
Question 1
One reason a person might resign from their job is that they are dissatisfied with the work or their working conditions. This could be because they don't get along with their co-workers or their boss. It could be that they don't like dealing with difficult customers or having to do overtime every day. It could be that their daily communte becomes too much for them. It could even be that the work is not what they initially thought it would be. There are many reasons to be dissatisfied with your job.Question 2
I can't speak much for what it is like from the Japanese side of things but I have seen many teachers resign over the years. Not for the reason(s) listed above though; at least, not in most cases. Most of the people I have seen resign have simply decided it is time to return to their home country. This often involves giving notice, at least two weeks if possible. The resignation is usually, though not always, amicable.Question 3
When I quit my job in Australia to come to Japan, I gave something like two months' notice. I think that is the decent thing to do, to allow the company to find and train a replacement. I didn't burn any bridges and I have no regrets about how or why I left. For some reason though, the closer it got to my final day on the job, the more my boss and one of my co-workers decided they didn't want me around anymore. To this day, I have no idea why they went cold on me. The rest of the people I worked with were cool. They were sad to see me go but wished me all the best when I left.Question 4
I'm not sure about resignations on the TV as I have long since given up watching television. However, in researching someone for an answer to this question I discovered that the former CEO of Sun Microsystems, Jonathan Schwartz, tweeted a haiku over his resignation. The poem went as follows:Financial crisis
Stalled too many customers
CEO no more
I can't decide if I like that or if I think it is the height of pretentiousness.
Question 5
The first thing that came to mind was when Geri Halliwell left the Spice Girls in 1998. That pretty much spelled the end for the group. I mean, they carried on without her for a bit before calling it a day and they have (apparently?) had a reunion since breaking up. That said, they were never the same after Ginger left. Don't know if she was the catalyst or if she decided it was time because she saw the writing on the wall.Question 6
Jair Bolsonaro, the current president of Brazil. He is by all accounts an ineffectual leader and just a horrible human being. What's more, in the name of capitalism, he has allowed the Brazillian people to start logging with abandon in the Amazon rainforest. He has given no thought to the long-term effects this will have on climate change. As long as the decision keeps him in office, I'm pretty sure he doesn't care. He is a truly evil man.Tough Vocabulary
| - English - | - Japanese - |
|---|---|
| can't speak for | 〜のために話すことはできません |
| give notice | 辞任を通知する |
| amicable | 友好的 |
| don't burn bridges | 縁を大切に (えんをたいせつに) |
| the height of pretentiousness | 気取らない高さ |
| comes to mind | 頭に浮かんで |
| spelled the end | 終わりを示した |
| carry on | 継続する |
| call it a day | 終了する |
| see the writing on the wall | 壁に書かれているのを見てください |
| with abandon | 拘束なし |