On Leaving Gracefully

Leaving a job—whether because you’ve resigned or been fired—is a tricky business. When you think about it, you’ve spent most of your waking hours with your colleagues (certainly more with them than with your family), and your office space probably feels as familiar as your own living room (if not as cozy).

As I prepare to transition to a new role at a new company, I’ve been thinking a lot about leaving and trying hard to do it well. Here are my top five tips for making a graceful exit.

Resist the urge to air your grievances. Unless you can do so in a productive way, venting will only make you look bad. In other words, don’t mouth off to your office nemesis about what a jerk he’s been, but if you’re asked for feedback about why you’re leaving from a higher up, be candid and polite. An exit interview with an HR professional is the best time to discuss in a non-accusatory way what went wrong for you and make any suggestions that might help other employees and the company as a whole.

Maintain your contacts. For many people (myself included), leaving a job is not just about leaving behind the daily responsibilities, but also about leaving a group of people who’ve become dear friends. You should consider them part of your personal and professional network, and be ready to give as well as take references, job leads, advice, etc. If you haven’t done so yet, set up an account on LinkedIn to stay in touch.

Tie up your loose ends. The minute you turn in your resignation is not the minute you stop working. That won’t come until 4:59pm on your last day. In the meantime, make sure your projects are ready to be assumed by someone else, your files are located where people can find them, you’ve alerted all your contacts to your departure, and you’ve taken care of the technical aspects like closing out your email account. These final tasks are part of your professional obligation, and handling them well will make you feel good about how you’re leaving.

Finally, Let go. Accept that you’re not going to be around to do the job anymore, and that someone else, who will do things differently, is going to step in. This has been one of the hardest parts for me, as I invest a lot of myself in the work that I do, and I have trouble relinquishing control of projects I care about. I’ve had to step back and realize that I can’t possibly organize everything before I go, and that I shouldn’t let my type-A tendencies get the better of me. It’s smart to remember that everyone is replaceable, and the company you’ve worked for will continue on just fine without you (and me).

And last but not least, say thank you. Whatever your experience has been, you've no doubt learned something from it--and that's something to be grateful for.

Photo courtesy of idg.