Environmental Services
at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York Metro Area
Why I left
My exit from that job was anything but ceremonial—it was abrupt, quiet, and, in hindsight, inevitable. I had been working as a custodian, or “environmental service,” since 2013, in a place where something always felt off. From the beginning, there was an unspoken tension in the air. Coworkers kept their distance, communication felt guarded, and the overall culture leaned heavily toward the toxic. We were pushed hard—overworked, underappreciated, and expected to keep our heads down. By the time my final day came, I had already sensed I wouldn’t last much longer, though I couldn’t quite explain why. Then the moment arrived. The manager pulled me aside and confronted me about signing his name on my timesheet—a practice that, while unofficial, was widely understood and quietly tolerated by many. But in that moment, it became leverage. What had been normalized suddenly turned into a threat. Standing there, I finally understood why so many people before me had disappeared without notice. No goodbyes, no explanations—just gone. It wasn’t confusion anymore; it was clarity. So I did the same. I walked away without looking back, leaving behind not just the job, but the weight of an environment that never felt right to begin with. And just like that, I became another quiet exit in a place where silence seemed to say everything.
Advice for the next person
If you're considering this job, go in with your eyes open. From the outside, it may seem like straightforward work—steady hours, simple responsibilities—but pay close attention to the environment you’re stepping into. Culture matters more than the job description. If something feels off early on, it’s worth trusting that instinct. Those “small” signals are often previews of larger issues. As for how long to stay—stay only as long as it serves you. If the job is a stepping stone, treat it as such. Learn what you can, earn what you need, but don’t ignore the cost to your well-being. The moment you find yourself constantly justifying the environment or feeling uneasy more often than not, start planning your exit.
Was this helpful?