If you are leaving your current employer, the way you handle your transition has the potential to affect your career drastically. One of the biggest career mistakes people make is burning bridges or slacking off after they have given notice. It might feel good to get back at an employer who didn't treat you well, but it can also destroy your career. Here are some things you should avoid doing after you give notice.
Treating people badly during your last two weeks of work is one of the biggest career mistakes you can make. You might think you'll never see them again, but former colleagues can pop up at networking meetings or end up landing jobs with your new employer. You also need to make a good impression so managers and coworkers feel comfortable writing reference letters on your behalf. Nobody wants to recommend someone who burns bridges, so be sure you treat everyone in a respectful, courteous manner.
Sharing your grievances with your colleagues is a good way to destroy your career, especially if you say bad things about your manager or your employer. If you feel the need to complain about your company during your last two weeks of work, write your grievances in a notebook. Take the notebook home with you at the end of each day so no one can see what you have written. Writing down your frustrations helps relieve stress without hurting your career.
When it comes to career mistakes, slacking off after you've given notice is one of the most harmful to your career. After you give notice, you should work just as hard as you did before. Your employer might ask you to offload some of your usual responsibilities so you have time to document your work processes or help train your replacement. If your manager makes such a request, do what is asked of you with a smile.
If you're having second thoughts about giving notice, don't tell your employer you changed your mind. This is one of those career mistakes that can make you look indecisive, which is not a positive trait in any industry. Asking for your job back can also put your manager in a tough position, especially if he has already asked human resources to start the search for your replacement. It's best to make a smooth transition and look for another job elsewhere.
One of the most egregious career mistakes employees make when they give notice is not making themselves available to help colleagues with the transition. If you are the only person in your department who does a particular task, you should be prepared to document the process you follow. Your colleagues may also need you to update them on the status of your projects so customers aren't negatively affected by your departure. Refusing to provide assistance can only hurt your reputation.
People leave their jobs in favor of new opportunities all the time, but how you handle the transition says a lot about you. If you want to advance in your industry, avoid these career mistakes during your last two weeks of work.
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