There comes a time when we’ve decided (or been “encouraged”) to move on.
We’ve gone out and found a new job.
Hopefully, we are excited.
Maybe it is our dream job, maybe not.
Whatever the opportunity is, we have to make sure we don’t mess up the goodwill we’ve built up at the current firm/organization.
HP explains how to do that, after the jump.
Even if you aren’t leaving under the best of circumstances (note the “encouraged” above), you do NOT want to make people remember you as the bitter, nasty, crazy e-mailing ex-employee. We all know who they are…they live in infamy.
Why? Well, do I have to answer? All cities can be small cities when it comes to practicing law. This applies beyond law to businesses. If you go out throwing a big grenade in the form of a nasty-gram, or acting like a jerk, it will get around town. And let’s say you want to move again to another place of employment in a few years – remember, we talk, we ask questions.
For example, at one point, my friend’s firm was thinking of hiring a guy. We will call him Jack. Jack had a great resume, and had worked at a top notch firm. Jack had charisma, charm, a “go getter attitude.”
The attorneys who met Jack at friend’s firm really liked him, they were pushing to hire him. The hiring partner called another friend, Julie, who knows a lot of people around town.
HP said, “Julie, do you know anyone at Jack’s firm? Something just doesn’t smell right to me here as to why Jack hasn’t progressed and why he wants to leave. He seems so great.” Julie looked up the firm, she did know 2 people there. She called one she thought would blab more.
He said, off the record, the Jack was not liked in the office. Jack had sent wacky emails from time to time and had apparently caused a scene at a summer associate event AND on his way out the door at another firm. HP thanked Julie and made sure Jack did not get an offer.
How can you walk out the door the right way? Remember…STAY CLASSY!
– Think about who you will tell you are leaving and in what order — your mentor, people who have helped you along the way, people who served as references — should not be the last to find out. Once I actually had a list of who I was telling on the day I was announcing, and in what order.
– Download and print your contacts before you tell.
– If goodbye emails are standard, draft a short, NON-EMOTIONAL one. “I’ve really enjoyed my years here at XYZ firm, and learned a great deal. I hope to stay in touch. After June 1, 2010, I can be reached at: [contact info].”
– RESIST the urge to tell people how you feel — whether by email, phone, during goodbye lunches or drunken send off cocktails.
– Once you say you are leaving, various unhappy colleagues will start to confide in you that they are miserable, looking, and may want to come to your new place. Wish them well but do not solicit them then — maybe down the line, ok — and don’t share your discontent with them.
– Sincerely thank in person (assuming they are in your office, if in another office, on the phone) those people who have helped you through the years at the firm/company. Heads up, this includes staff.
– Follow the standard “exit” procedures – handing in blackberry etc. If HR dept asks you for an exit interview, be polite and again, resist the urge to bad mouth.
– Of course, there’s a whole other post for dealing with clients – if any may follow you. If there’s clients you are close with, it’s appropriate to ask the responsible attorney for that client if it would be ok to let them know you are leaving and you have enjoyed working with them.
– You can probably detect a theme here – ending on a high note. I KNOW many of you want to really say what you are thinking I understand. But you are talking with your feet and heading out to something better. There’s no need to burn bridges as you walk forward. Wouldn’t you want there to be many open paths along your new journey? I’ve had many referrals from former colleagues. I would not have received those if I had been a jerk – whether during my time or on the way out the door.
Bite that tongue, take those nasty fingers of the keyboard, and walk out calm, cool and collected.
Happy weekend
Related posts:
{ 2 trackbacks }