How To Quit Well During “The Great Resignation”
In recent months the number of people who are leaving the workforce or switching jobs has become so great that it has been characterized as the “Great Resignation”. Indeed, a recent survey from Microsoft found that over 40% of workers around the world were considering quitting their job or changing their profession.
4 steps towards achieving the ideal departure:
1. Leave the campsite better than you found it – The colleagues you are leaving behind are not going to be forgotten when you leave. Instead, they will be crucial advocates in your new career, so make sure you treat them well. Evans and Burnett use the analogy of a campsite to highlight how when we leave our jobs, we are duty-bound to ensure we leave it in such a way as your old colleagues can easily pick things up when you leave. This will maintain your relationship with them, and your ex-boss will thank you.
2. Rev up your network – Networks are crucial at all stages of our career, but especially when we are embarking on a new challenge. It is tempting to think that your soon-to-be old colleagues are going to be consigned to your past, but they know you better than most, so are likely to be a goldmine of opportunities and referrals. Rather than burning your bridge to them, take steps to firm the bridge up.
3. Set up your replacement to win – While it is unlikely that you and your replacement will ever come face to face, you can still play a big role in their early success by the way in which you depart. You should strive to ensure that any messes are tidied up and then leave fantastic documentation so that your replacement can really hit the ground running.
4. Exit well – How you leave will shape how colleagues feel about you, so make sure you leave them with a positive image. Ideally, you want to leave in such a way as to have them wanting you back rather than never wanting to set eyes on you again. A crucial part of this is developing your ‘leaving story’, as you will have many conversations asking you why you are leaving. Resist the urge to bad-mouth your employer or your boss, and instead, try and devise a constructive and positive narrative around your departure.
If you are tempted to move to pastures new during the “Great Resignation”, then it is vital that you do so in the most effective way for your career. With the tips above, you can ensure you do so successfully.
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