“Take this job and shove it” is an angry and insulting way to say I quit and want nothing more to do with this job. Many people know it from a country song recorded by Johnny Paycheck in 1977. A later film used the same title.
People may use the phrase as a joke about a bad day at work. It is useful to know, but it is risky to say to a manager, coworker, or client. Shove it is rude and hostile.
Where does the phrase come from?
David Allan Coe wrote “Take This Job and Shove It,” and Johnny Paycheck recorded the hit version in 1977. The title later inspired the 1981 comedy film Take This Job and Shove It.
The song's speaker has lost patience after years of being unhappy at work. He rejects the job in blunt terms. The title became a lasting image of quitting with no diplomacy.
Someone may quote the song without plans to resign. The title can express a common feeling: I am so upset that I want to leave right now.
What does shove it mean?
As a rude command, shove it means about the same as take the unwanted thing away or I reject it fully. It sounds aggressive even when no physical act is meant.
Compare:
“I don't think this role is right for me.”
This is calm and professional.
“You can take this job and shove it.”
This attacks the job. It may also feel like an attack on the person or group that hears it. It can damage professional trust, and a written message may become part of a formal workplace record.
Adding please does not make the phrase polite. Its force comes from open defiance.
A lot to take in? It is.
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Start a session →What might you hear at work?
“After the fifth weekend of overtime, I was ready to play ‘Take This Job and Shove It.’”
The speaker is likely using the song title to vent, not to announce a resignation.
“He had a real take-this-job-and-shove-it moment and walked out.”
Here, the title works like an adjective. It describes a dramatic and angry exit.
“This email reads like ‘take this job and shove it.’ Can we make it less emotional?”
The email may not use the exact words. The reviewer means that its tone sounds hostile or final.
“No, I'm not quitting. It was just a ‘take this job and shove it’ kind of day.”
This describes a hard day with clear exaggeration.
Why you should not say it literally
Even if coworkers know the song, they may read the sentence as a real resignation. A joke is harder to hear in text. The words may also sound like a personal insult.
Avoid writing it in chat, email, a ticket, or an exit document. Someone may copy the words without the joke or its context.
Riskier:
“If the deadline moves again, you can take this job and shove it.”
Safer:
“Another deadline change would make the workload unsustainable. We need to reduce scope or add time.”
Riskier:
“I told my manager to shove it.”
Safer:
“I told my manager I could not accept the revised conditions.”
The safer versions keep the boundary but remove the insult. They also state the work issue and the needed decision.
What can you say when you are seriously considering leaving?
If you want to raise a problem before deciding:
“The current schedule is not sustainable for me. Can we discuss alternatives?”
“I need clearer responsibilities and a realistic workload to continue in this role.”
If you have decided to resign:
“I've decided to resign from my position. My proposed final day is September 18.”
“Thank you for the opportunities I've had here. I'm submitting my formal notice today.”
You do not have to call a bad experience positive. A short, factual notice is often easier for others to act on than a dramatic exit. Check your contract, policy, and local rules before choosing dates or notice terms. This is general language guidance, not legal or financial advice.
Recognition versus production
The title appears in jokes, headlines, films, playlists, and stories about quitting. Some people may find it dated because of its link to 1970s country music. Others may know only the basic message.
If a coworker says it casually, do not assume they have resigned. Their words, company process, and local rules may all matter. Ask:
“Are you venting, or are you actually thinking about leaving?”
If the person seems very upset, stop the joke and listen. Do not share their comments beyond people who need to know. Follow urgent safety or reporting rules when they apply.
For a calmer phrase about regular work, see what 9 to 5 means at work. For help with quoted lines, read how to handle cultural references in English at work. If the issue is limits rather than quitting, professional boundaries in an American workplace offers clearer language.