Don’t Burn a Bridge When Leaving a Job
You quit, retire, get fired or a business closes and goes away. How do you say goodbye to your work friends?
Those are often the four things that happen to most employees. Louisa, a former colleague from the late 90’s contacted me last week to ask for any advice on leaving a job. I shared these points with her and thought they might be helpful to others.
Never Burn a Bridge
- An emotional exit rarely serves anyone. Don’t explode or act out of frustration. Take your time to think about what you want to share and what’s truly important to tell folks.
- You can control the narrative by communicating via email to your colleagues. Whether you are quitting for a new gig, retiring because it is time, or getting fired, what impression do you want to leave behind?
- A graceful message of thanks and appreciation can help you feel better and keep doors open to your network of colleagues. This past month, I started working with a guy I worked with 25 years ago on a project. When I voluntarily left ConAgra, I sent an email to a few dozen folks with whom I had worked closely, and it allowed us to stay in touch. I didn’t burn any bridges.
- Make sure you are connected via LinkedIn with as many people as possible because you never know who will be working at a company that interests you. And, as importantly, you may be able to be helpful to them to pay them back for their kindness.
- In the highly charged situation where many are laid off, or your firing is particularly painful – you might not be able to email folks at work but may need to do it privately or through a note on LinkedIn. Find a way to reach those you worked closely with, whether in person, on a call, or through a social media message.
- Thank your boss and, if possible, those above her for your opportunities and all you learned. Be the bigger person – don’t re-litigate the past. I wish them success. Those folks may be in a position in the future to assist or guide you.
- Ask for testimonials either through LinkedIn’s tool or in an email. Capture those notes in one place so you can use them in a resume, website, or future reference. It is harder to get those strong references in the future than today.
- Be kind to yourself. Look at what you gained and learned in your time on the job. Even if it was a harsh workplace – find the good. Maybe you made a close friend or learned an essential new skill. Being thankful and good to yourself will help you in your next chapter.
What did I miss? Any other suggestions? How have you exited your last gig?
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. The conversation is free, and we can explore if working together makes sense. Watch a short video about working with me.
Photo by Jan Tinneberg on Unsplash
