Saying Goodbye: Burning No Bridges

Yes, we usually focus on assisting people with tips on securing a job, but believe it or not, an important part of getting a new job is also having a good record behind you with previous employers. How you leave one job for another is important, and I have seen many these days that have not made the transition very well.

Most people know there is the standard two-week notice that is given when you are to leave a job. This allows for action to be taken by your employer to be able to make a smooth transition for your departure. Failure to give your employer such courtesy notice is a strike against you if that position is called for a reference. You just never know when your past experience could be used in your favor - or against you. Don't let your emotions cause you to just up and quit, or storm out of a position. No matter the reason, try to keep a cool head, make it through the issue, and seek to rectify the problem with your supervisor. If a solution is not available, then the decision to leave the position may be your only option.

When preparing to leave a position, it is a courtesy (sometimes even a requirement) to put your resignation into writing. So, when it comes to writing such a resignation letter, there are tips you can follow in order to make your departure on even better terms to maintain a good relationship with your soon-to-be former employer.

Aside from being generally polite, be sure to include positive things that you learned or experienced while at the company. Always try to focus on the positive, and do not use this letter to vent against your employer; even if you are leaving for some unresolved issue, do not use that issue as the topic of your letter. If you are leaving on less than good terms, this last letter should still reveal highlights of the good, and not the negative aspects of your time there. These types of letters will go in your employee file, and could be retrieved in the future if a company calls them for a reference. While you may be a distant memory at that time, the tone and respect in your letter will shed a much brighter light on your time there than may have actually been the case.

I have seen people lose their cool, make a big scene and walk out of a job - LOUDLY. You may feel you have had enough, you are fed up, and you just cannot take it anymore, and you feel the need to kick and scream to make your departure more dramatic; but this is never a good idea. Take a deep breath (or many), and go somewhere and draft a resignation letter. Write with respect, leave with dignity, not anger and disgust.

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and an avid musician who is active in two local bands. He is also a lover of books, having a large personal library and squeezes in as much reading as often as he can. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Tech Careers blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.