Gracious reader,
Changing jobs, and doing it well, is not completely straightforward.
Performing at work + maintaining relationships + job search > full time job.
Early in my career, I learned the hard way, about how to leave before I was totally burned out. It's not helpful to be super-stressed during job search, or still burned out in the first days of a new job.
I don't have a magic answer. Watch yourself, learn yourself.
In Managing Oneself, Peter Drucker had a suggested practice to use when making a decision or taking action: write down what you're doing, and what you think will happen. This will give you a record to revisit down the road, and a blueprint for learning from your experiences.
Good idea.
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Going...
- "Looking for a new job discreetly, without damaging your standing at your current employer, requires some savvy..." says the WSJ's always-great Sue Schellenbarger in The Smart Ways to Switch Jobs Quietly. The Do/Don't list at the end of the article is solid.
- "Keep your letter short. You don’t need to give lots of explanations or justification for why you’re leaving, or even to say where you’re moving to. Don’t be tempted to address the failings of the company or your boss, either." Resigning in style: how to tell your employer, by Claire Whitmell at The Guardian.
- "Notify your boss in person." 8 Ways to Graciously Quit Your Job, by Aaron Guerrero at U.S. News and World Report.
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...Going, Gone
- That "I quit" email to everyone in the company is likely to be forwarded to you don't know where. If it's notable, even if it doesn't go viral, it will become part of your reputation. If you've got to send that "all hands" email, keep it short and sweet.
If you have real concerns about your experience, talk with a mentor, find an attorney, consult with a family member -- you're highly unlikely to get satisfaction in the public square.
- Don't be that person who leaves, and then starts a whisper campaign to former colleagues advising them to quit, too. Move on: Being BitterTM is not a good personal brand.
- Managers, when someone on your team is leaving, wish them well. Move on to ensuring that their work is covered, and that everyone knows who their new go-to person will be. It's easy to get sucked into conversations about why someone left -- it's rarely productive.
And if there's any controversy to a departure, it's complicated and not possible to address, well, in the space I have here. That said, after someone leaves, it's rarely a good idea to bring everyone into a room to air their feelings.
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Hello Goodbye
A few things from the archives!
- Remember, when you start a new job, your track record does not really come with you. (HTHAJ #5, New Job)
- Send thank you notes to former colleagues who were meaningful to your work or career. This is a healthy way to reach back into your old organization, and to bolster your network. (HTHAJ #9, Gratitude)
- If you have the financial cushion to take a couple of weeks off before starting your new job, do it. (HTHAJ #3, Vacation/Paid Time Off)
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The Labor Day edition of How to Have a Job will drop for everyone a bit early, on Friday, August 31. And it will be something a little bit different.
Thank you for reading, and for sending questions and suggestions. I answer every email I get (usually pretty promptly.) So if you're moved to send me a note, please do!
Thanks,
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