The Fine Art of Leaving (Part 3/3)

So you've tendered your resignation and your last day draws near. The deed is done. What next?

Clean-up

Well, this depends on whether you actually have a notice period to fulfill. And even if not, a lot of this still applies. This part is called the Clean-up because this is traditionally where most people delete their browser histories in the office and incriminating emails from their inboxes. Though, in all honesty, this should be done on a regular basis, not just when you're about to leave.

Handing over

Any clients you may be facing will need to know that you are leaving, and who to contact in your permanent absence. If you're permitted to draft an auto-reply in your email, do it. Even so, try to make a personal effort to inform these clients that they will no longer be having the pleasure of your assistance. Some of them may try to wrangle freelance work out of you; if so, check if it's something that conflicts with the company's interest. True, you don't owe them shit. But it's still bad form.

Hand over like a pro.

There's also doing whatever you can to ensure that those taking over your duties have an easier time of it. Keep yourself available to assist even after leaving. Provide documentation for your work so others can take over it.

Farewell Message

The last day is here. You'll want to say your goodbyes, and if you're popular, people will want to seek you out to say their goodbyes.

Saying bye.

This could come in the form of a company-wide email. Sure, go ahead. But please, stay classy. No one wants to hear, or be involved in the beef you have with Management. No one wants to know what you hate about the company that you'll be leaving by the end of the day. It's probably tempting to get witty and throw out some snarky comments on the way out. Frustration will to that to you.

Sorry, you're an adult and a professional (there's that word again). That kind of behavior doesn't cut it. You're leaving them to their misery and heading for greener pastures. You've won; no need to rub it in. Be gracious. Be a good winner.

Some will want to write a long, drawn-out email thanking everybody one by one. My personal style is to leave a box of cookies in the pantry, write two lines informing the company that it's my last day, and then fuck right off. Your mileage may vary.

Don't dwell on trivialities

There will be inevitable discrepancies between what you think you are owed, and what the company thinks you are owed. Sometimes it's just a misunderstanding or a failure to read the terms of your contract carefully. Sometimes the company really is out to screw you. You can argue, haggle, cry up a storm... and maybe you'll win. Maybe the company will pay you the extra few days you were owed before you tendered your resignation. Maybe you'll be allowed to process the claims you made before tendering your resignation. And then you'll get what is quaintly known as a "moral victory".

To what end?

Don't be petty.

You're leaving. It's just a few hundred dollars, maybe a thousand. Give it to them. If it's all that important to them, let them have it. And let them know that you're letting them have it. Come on, considering all the time and energy they undoubtedly sucked out of you over the years, a bit of money is nothing. The refusal to lose out even in small matters does you no good.

I wouldn't preach it if I haven't done it myself. Sometimes, HR is gonna be like "oh, we need to take away a few days' pay because at this point, you're no longer entitled to Paid Leave" even though it was a retrenchment and I was put on gardening leave after I applied for annual leave. And my response was basically, "You know what? This doesn't make sense to me, but whatever, take it." The message was, "Geez, if you're that hard up...".

Make friends

Finally, you can add your ex-colleagues on Facebook! What, you already have them on Facebook? Fool. Don't ever do that again.

You can be buddies now!

But seriously, ex-colleagues are some of the best additions to your network. No professional survives in a vacuum. At the very least, add them to your LinkedIn account. Unless they're useless wastes of space. Then don't.

There may be some ex-colleagues whom you really get along famously with and want to befriend. Well, now you can, and should. No more conflict of interest!

That's it, we're done!

Preparation, Follow-through, Clean-up. There's an art to leaving. Believe that. Because, like it or not, the company you are leaving will be part of your employment history. Exit like a pro.

Just gonna leave this here,
T___T