Thanks to casting agent Bernard Telsey and writer Julie Klam for taking the time to share their expert advice.
And many thanks to a handful of other experts that I interviewed for the piece: Lizzie Post, who chatted with me about how to break up with someone (tip: skip the Post-It note); career strategist Cynthia Shapiro, who shared polite ways to say no to coworkers' invitations; and career expert Nicole Williams, who talked about the importance of quitting a job with grace (Guess what? Your boss might perceive your two weeks' notice as rejection).
Though we weren't able to run all the tips, I definitely learned that there are good ways to soften the blow — and horrible, you'll-wish-you-could-take-it-back ways.
And without further ado, here's a clip from the Sex and the City episode when Carrie Bradshaw gets dumped via a Post-It note (circa 1998). Of course, these days, it probably would've been a text message.
