Nilesh Gautam quit his job as a project manager with a leading company in the telecom sector only to return after two years as an assistant vice president in the same organisation. Nilesh highlights his previous employer's openness to accept him and the professional work culture as key reasons for his return.
While the trend of employees joining their old organisations is a growing one, you need to ensure that you are leaving on the right note for your employers to keep their doors open for you in the future. Remember -- the way you quit is as important as why. Here are some points that you must keep in mind:
If greener pastures becon
Never quit a job in a rush. Give your decision a reasonable amount of thought. Before deciding to take the final plunge, make sure you talk to a trusted colleague or your boss.
Don't discuss your resignation with everyone at work. If your boss finds out about it through another person, he would feel cheated. If nothing seems to work out and seeking a new job is the only option, ensure that you serve the notice period as per the company policy.
The notice period typically varies from 4 to 6 weeks and you must try and adhere to this. Do not leave impulsively; complete the projects you are working on. The negative publicity would only work to ensure that the doors remain shut to you in the future.
Don't violate any hygiene factors and laws
Every organisation has strict data privacy laws and you must respect them. Don't carry any confidential data with you while leaving. Never handicap the organisation or your department in any way.
Don't try to sabotage or delete any documents. Make sure that you are not taking any vital data with you. Ensure that you clean your desk before you leave. Shred all the unwanted documents and files and handover the rest to your replacement or your boss. Leaving your desk untidy is disrespectful and will leave a sour taste within the organisation.
You want people to miss you behind your back and not curse you for the mess that you have left behind. Leave the organisation with dignity and grace.
Maintain a good relationship with your clients
Most organisations today are very customer-centric and make most of their decisions based on client commitments. An organisation would be happy to take you back if their clients speak positively of your abilities.
It is important to know that the client is aware of your movement to another organisation. However, let your boss do this for you. Ideally, your boss must write an e-mail to the client and make a formal announcement.
Send a 'thank you' note to your client before you leave. This gesture will make your client remember you.
Follow the protocol
Write a professional letter of resignation. Most companies have an approved format with the human resource department and if you intend to return to the company later or would like to keep the option open, your letter can be a decisive factor.
Highlight some key accomplishments in the letter without sounding boastful. Make sure that you appreciate your boss and colleagues even if you love the fact that you are leaving them. For all you know, they may want to re-hire you back after a while.
Also, make sure that you let your organisation knows that you are willing to support them in finding a replacement and even handing over pending projects.
Remember, if you want your current employers to keep their doors open for you, pay attention to the finer details while leaving before you move on.
The writer is a managing partner and head - business development for WCH Training Solutions, a corporate training consultancy firm based in New Delhi, and can be reached at deeksha@wchsolutions.com.