It can be hard to leave your job. Even when you are leaving for all the right reasons.
I was in a situation once where I loved my colleagues, my clients and my job, but not my long-term prospects. I needed to get out. But I felt a little guilty leaving everyone behind. I cared about them and wanted them to succeed.
When I felt the urge to move on, I started to do things I thought might ease the transition. I made recommendations for hires whose skillsets overlapped mine. I involved individuals on client accounts that I knew could carry projects to completion.
When the time came to announce my departure about eight moths later, I felt like things were well-covered.
My colleagues asked about who would take on my projects and role in the company. “Oh, I’ve thought about that,” I answered. “I recommended hiring Ryan because he knows the media and the industry… and I’ve been involving Mikella on such-and-such client account from the beginning.”
Oops. I came off a little TOO prepared.
My colleagues eventually called all my advance planning “The Web of Lies.” I’d like to think that they appreciated it, but they also gave me a hard time for not telling them about my real plan.
What I learned might seem obvious: leaving a job is a personal matter. In hindsight, I realize I planned to cover my position to make me feel better, more than for the benefit of my colleagues. And I probably shouldn’t have been so smug about it.
Anyone else have stories about planning your escape? How did you involve your colleagues?
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