Every job is important in your development as both an individual and when it comes to your career. No matter what you do, whether you’re attempting to climb up one particular career ladder or you’re moving over to something completely different, there’s an opportunity to get a lot from a job before moving onto the next. Here’s how you can get the most out of a job before leaving.
Continue Building Work Relationships
You never really know what could happen in your career and who you bump into along the way. The saying ‘treat those how you’d like to be treated’ is very important to practice in all aspects of life but most importantly, when it comes to work. Regardless of whether you stay in the same career or not, people talk. And if you end up leaving on bad terms with your current organization, there’s no knowing who you could be working with in the future where one person might know another, who knows someone who you’ve worked with before. So even if you know you’re leaving the company or it’s been announced, it’s important to continue building these work relationships regardless because it’s good to have a network of people who you know and will only speak good things about you in the long run. Keep up appearances and be approachable and welcoming to anyone you work with.
Take Advantage Of Networking
Networking is very much something that all industries will do and it’s a great way of meeting new people and creating an opportunity for potential collaborations further down the line. Before you leave your job to pursue a new adventure, you should continue to go to as many networking opportunities as possible, whether that’s through work or something you do on the outside. While you have a named employer, it’s good to use any weight they carry within the industry to try and take advantage of any interest that comes from networking. Networking or speaking at events isn’t something that’s easy to do, and it can be quite daunting to put yourself out there to strangers. A few tips for the new starters of networking are:
- Be yourself and don’t try to sell what you do. Keep the conversation informal but keep that element of business chat.
- Smile and be aware of your body language, making sure your body is open, rather than having your arms crossed defensively.
- Research those attending and get prepped with questions.
- Bring a friend or colleague to break the ice.
It’s important to remember that these are just other everyday people at the end of the day and that no one should be so terrifying that you can’t approach them just to say hello and ask them how they’re doing.
Make A List In Preparation For The Handover
If you’ve handed in your resignation, then it’s likely that they’ll soon have a new person due to start and you’ll be responsible for giving them a handover for the role. This can be quite a monumental task, depending on what your role is and how much you have in terms of a workload. Start by noting every down that you do on a daily basis, and it might be that you do this over the course of a couple of weeks so that you don’t miss out on anything that you may not always do every day. The best way of preparing for a handover is to have some semblance of direction when it comes to training them. You don’t really want to be throwing word vomit at them for a week and then just leave them to adapt. Everything should have a structure, and it’s important to note that everyone works differently and therefore, the new starter might do better learning through visual training or by physically doing the task itself.
Update Your Linkedin If Relevant
Linkedin has become a great platform for businesses and work colleagues to connect with others all over the world, and it opens up a lot more doors if you’re actively using it. As part of your transition from one role to the other, it’s good practice to update your Linkedin profile to keep those connections informed of what you’re up to. If you’re leaving a job and haven’t secured anything yet, it can prove to be a useful tool in finding a new job as it does have it’s own job board which is used a lot by various companies. It’s certainly a well-recognized platform and one where you can build relationships, promote your work, and raise your profile as an individual.
Ask To Learn What You Need
You probably have learned a lot from your role in the organization, but is there anything you’ve maybe not covered, and that might be a great opportunity for you to do so before you go? What about other departments within the company? Or maybe it’s a specific person that you’d like to shadow or get training from. Now is your time to do it before it’s too late and a company will always be willing to extend their help through job search assistance for instance, especially if it’s something that you’re going to grow from and take with you to benefit yourself and your future career.
Make Your Appreciation For The Company Known
Any company will want to have employees that leave on a good note, but that also goes on to talk positively about the company. It’s beneficial for a company to do this because word of mouth can be a particularly powerful thing. However, when the shoe is on the other foot, it’s also a good idea to make your appreciation for the company known. No matter how little or how much they’ve done for you, saying a simple thank you and acknowledging their assistance will certainly go a long way. Maybe you can take your manager aside to personally thank them, perhaps it’s mentioned in your resignation letter or done your leaving drinks in your speech to your colleagues. Let them know the impact that they’ve made on your career.
Don’t Quit Before Finding A New Job
And finally, before you leave a job, find a job before quitting. There may be situations where your job is so severe that you need to leave for your physical or mental health, however, hold off for as long as you can and even if you find a temporary job, it’s better than leaving and just ending up unemployed. That can reflect poorly on your resume but it’s also not good for your personal motivation, especially when you suddenly find yourself living at home with no money coming in. If you haven’t got a job, then make sure that you at least have a plan of what you’re going to do and work out a backup plan just in case plan A was to go wrong.
Any job is a blessing, and it can provide you with a sizable learning curve. So before you leave a job, get the most out of it by continuing your work relationships, building them so that you can stay in touch. Get yourself out there in terms of networking opportunities and use the tips mentioned to help you conquer the fear of talking to a stranger. Get a list prepared for your handover and don’t forget to update your Linkedin page if you have one. Learn anything you can before you leave and show your appreciation to your current employment, no matter how big or small that may be.
