Friday, May 30, 2008

Follow up from the radio show

If you read my prior blog entry, you'll see that I discussed some things to keep in mind when resigning from your job. This topic was spun from the topic of this week's radio show: Creating an Exit Strategy. Leo, John and Carl tackled this topic from a standpoint of business ownership.
Three gems that I encourage all job seekers to keep in mind are:
1) Think of yourself first. While you still have access, make sure to gather pertinent content that will add value to your resume or portfolio, such as sales numbers, production numbers and other relevant facts. Let me stress that I am not encouraging anyone to take confidential or proprietary information from their employer, but rather, open information that will support you in your career advancement. The very moment you turn in your notice, it's quite possible (and likely) that you will lose access to your computer files so gather this information before, not afterwards.

2) Ask to schedule a meeting with your manager. It's a professional courtesy to resign during a scheduled meeting, rather than blindsiding your boss while she's busy putting out other fires. It also gives you the chance to gather your thoughts, and sets a firm time for the conversation. You can't procrastinate or chicken out if your manager has already blocked that time out for you.

3) Spend your remaining time cleaning up your projects, training your co-workers and introducing your clients to the person taking over their account. Don't leave your work in disarray. This is unprofessional and will undermine all the good work you've done during your tenure. (The last impression will be how others remember you.)

As a business owner, I recently had the amazing opportunity to turn two of my former employers into clients. That wouldn't have been possible if I had left on a bad note! It was so interesting to interact with these two people again, but our roles were completely reversed. Both of my former managers are great people - in life and in business - and I was honored to work with each of them.

Every week, I contribute to an online radio show; my area of expertise is Career Advancement. Our topic for next week is How to Keep Your Business Running, Without Letting Your Business Run You Ragged. My part of the discussion will be on conducting an effective and strategic job search - while you are still employed.

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