Moving from one job to a better one is part of progress made in your professional life, and as you take that important step into the next phase of your career and leaving behind your current job, you would expect to enjoy a better work environment, conditions, compensation and, of course, more challenges.
However, you would not just leave your job without saying a proper goodbye to your colleagues, would you? It would be rude of you to just clear your desk or office and vacate without saying goodbye to the people with whom you’ve worked together for so long and even established professional relationships.
Before moving on to your new job, it would be important for you to say farewell to your colleagues. So, what is the best way to say goodbye when you leave a job? Jobsora provides the following tips for bidding farewell to your colleagues when leaving your job.
Let Your Employer Know In Advance That You Are Leaving Your Job
It is never wise to inform your employer that you’re quitting your job and then immediately leave your workstation. That would be extremely disrespectful and not a good move to make, especially if you don’t want to burn bridges with your former employers. Who knows? You might need them in future when you want referees. Therefore, you want to maintain that positive relationship with your former bosses, even as you move on to the next chapter of your professional career, and the best way of preserving that important connection is by respecting them enough to inform them well in advance about your intentions to quit your job.
It is recommended to give your employer at least two weeks’ notice, indicating your last working date. This way, your employer will have adequate time to find a replacement for your position, and if the company expedites the hiring process, you can utilize the grace period to train the new employee on how to handle your responsibilities. If you make the transition process smooth for your employers, they will be grateful and this will go a long way in strengthening your professional relationship with them, and you will be able to move on to your next job in good terms.
Meet With Your Close Colleagues And Inform Them In Person About Your Intention To Leave The Job
In the course of your employment, you must have developed close professional relationships with some of your coworkers, and it would not paint a good picture for you to just pack up and leave without informing them. However, it would be respectful of you to organize a small meeting with your close colleagues and telling them in person about your plans to leave the job. The best way to bid farewell to your close coworkers at work is to have a final personal conversation with them and give them a respectable closure. You can easily learn how to manage with grace a difficult conversation at work if you learn some secrets.
When you meet with them, you can mention how much you have enjoyed the time you spent working together. Also, mention how much you appreciate all that they have taught you and how difficult it was for you to make the decision to leave such an incredible team. Your close colleagues will be happy to know that you appreciate everything they have done for you. Make sure you exchange contacts with them so you can stay in touch once you move on to your new job.
Write A Farewell Email To Your Department
Of course it would be impossible to meet everyone in your organization and informing them of your plans to leave. After talking to your close colleagues, you should consider writing a heartfelt farewell email to members of your department to inform them of your intended departure. If your department has many workers, email would be the most effective way to bid farewell to your colleagues.
When drafting the goodbye email, it is advised to keep your message short and precise. You should not write a long email on how you hated your position and responsibilities at the company, as this will only attract resentment from your colleagues. Instead, remain positive and use a professional tone, and also avoid bragging about your new job and the ton of money they are offering you there. Be positive and only focus on giving a respectable farewell.
What you should never ignore is the power of networking, and you can build strong networks by providing your future contact details to anyone interested in contacting you. Therefore, remember to include your new email address as well as your phone number in your farewell email before you send it out.
Use Social Media
Everyone is on social media, and therefore, it is a good channel to pass your message to your colleagues. You can use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other platform that is popular with your co workers. With social media, you don’t have to be as formal as when writing a goodbye email. It is recommended to jot a short message about your plans to leave the job and tag all interested parties, including your close colleagues, to that post.
With social media, you can reach many people faster because even the busy colleagues will always find time for social media and will be able to see your farewell message. Social media also provides a good channel for networking with your colleagues even as you move on to another job. LinkedIn is one online platform that is extremely effective for professionals to connect and network with.
Once you have contacted your colleagues and informed them of your intention to leave your job, you can start packing your belongings in preparation to vacate the workstation. Everyone in the organization will be happy for you and will wish you well in all your future endeavors.
Final Thoughts
Bidding farewell to your colleagues will help establish a smooth transition process for you as you move on to your new job. Leaving the job while in good terms with your former employer and co-workers will create an atmosphere that is conducive for future networking opportunities. Moreover, you will be able to maintain the friendships with your close colleagues even as you move forward in your professional career.
A professional writer with over a decade of incessant writing skills. Her topics of interest and expertise range from health, nutrition and psychology.