The other day I talked with a job seeker who’s job had been eliminated. They described their last day with this employer, and I heard a mixed bag of emotions from shock over the job loss to fear of the change the new management brought with them.
What struck me most was they way they left their job. They left on a high note. They understood the situation the new management (the one that created the job loss) was in, and they conveyed that understanding to their superiors and coworkers. I believe it was their actions during this transition that resulted in several colleagues offering to write referral letters, a valuable job-search tool.
Whether you choose to resign from your job or you are asked to leave, how you leave makes a huge difference. Your coworkers and former bosses will remember your conduct as you left the company, and that final impression can be very important.
So here’s the point: The way in which you leave a job is as important as the way you started the job. The world of work is too interconnected to leave a job on a negative note. You never know when you might be working with the same hiring decision makers sometime in the future.
If resigning is in your plans, then consider the timing and manner in which you leave your employer, and to some degree, practice the exiting process before it happens.
More than likely, you will be asked why you chose to leave, and it helps to have an answer in mind. Employers often want to know what they could do better so they can keep talented employees. Keep your answer short and to the point.
This can be dangerous, because you have an audience for all the frustrations, and you might air out some dirty laundry which could turn around at some point in your career to bite you. This is exactly why practicing your resignation strategy ahead of time is so important.
When you have been asked to leave a company, the way in which you make your exit will benefit your future career path in several ways.
1. The employer you are leaving is left with a positive impression of you, as you show respect, even though you might disagree with the employer’s decision.
2. It improves your chance for positive reference letters you may need for your next employer.
3. Your colleagues are calmed by your positive reactions to these unpleasant circumstances. The saying, “one’s character comes out during the time of crisis” is so true.
4. Networking help from your current coworkers can help you find your next job — if you leave them with a positive impression.
5. If emotions are too sensitive to make important decisions, wait until you can regroup, so you can make good decisions during key conversations.
Ironically, all the positive aspects of your employment can be minimized if you leave on a negative note.
In today’s world of rapidly changing work environments, learning to live with beginning and the end of each step on your career path.
