When it is time to leave a job, you may be unhappy and as a result, glad to be departing. However, once upon a time, you found the job and thought it was the answer you were seeking. You may have been nervous about going on the job interview and wanted very much to be offered the position you are now leaving. There was a time when you were looking forward to the first day of work on the job and wondering what kind of place it would be. Time passed and now it is time for you to move on to a new opportunity in a new place. This means that even though you are no longer in love with the job and must move on, the gratitude you felt when you first got the job is still legitimate.
The world is a very small place at times. People who we meet at one job, work with them for a few years and then see them again at another job years and years later. When you see them that second time, you will both remember how you met, talk about the last time you saw one another and remember what happened the first time you saw one another. It will be much better if you if you left on good terms without burning a bridge behind you. It is important to leave the job correctly so that when you see supervisors and co-workers at another job you can be comfortable, at ease and the reputation that proceeds you is a good one. After all, while it is fun to watch television shows and movies about people who go nuts when they leave a job, no one wants to work with that person.
[Tweet “Never burn a bridge you may need to walk across later.”]
Another way to show gratitude for a job you are leaving or were glad to have is to maintain friendships you started while at the job. This is truly a hard thing to do. Work takes up so much of our time that we don’t have a lot of time to hang out with friends from work once the work day is over. This problem gets even harder once we leave one job and start at another. Social media, text messaging and inexpensive long distance calling make it possible to maintain connections with people after we leave a workplace. It is a good practice to keep in touch with friends and colleagues from old jobs via email, text messages and social media interaction.
If you would like to read other articles about being grateful for work, check out the following:
https://www.janeanesworld.com/5-reasons-to-be-gratetful-for-work/
So, the question for you this wonderful day is, do you think a person should act grateful for work even after the person has decided it is time to move on to something new?
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Yes, and when you see those people later or think of them, there is always a bad taste in your mouth.
You are correct. The short term thrill of blasting a former employer on social media isvalmost never worth the long term consequences.
This is true.
Exactly! You never know when you will see those people again. You want the reputation that proceeds you to be good one.
Part of being a grown up is behaving properly even when life is hard.
I have not been in the workplace since 2005. I stopped working to stay at home with my son when he was born. Now 5 kids later and another on the way I love my job – a stay at home, homeschool mom. I will enjoy it as long as I can!
This is such a great article! People don’t stop to think about the consequences of leaving a business unprofessionally.
It can be difficult to leave a job graciously if you are truly miserable.That being said, how you handle that is part of being a grown up. There’s no room for inappropriate, childish behavior.Focusing on bettering yourself is key, not punishing (yourself and) others for a job that didn’t work out for you.
Great tips. I have been at my job for over 10 years now, I have seen so many people leave in VERY unprofessional ways.
It is so true that you have to be careful. I have seen people slam a company on social media. That is not only unprofessional, but other clients will see that.
You should never burn your bridges when you leave a job. You never know when you might run into those people again or need help i the future.
I never understood people who stormed out of jobs. They’re just cutting their nose to spite their face.
This is so true, to be thankful and grateful no matter what. I had a part time job I left, and although aspects were stressful and people were deceitful not everything was bad and it served a greater purpose and I am thankful for my time there.
It is great that your health issues allow you to work on occasions. Even jobs I had that were horrible I was grateful for because I learned things, got experience and always got a paycheck.
As someone who isn’t allowed to work due to health I am always grateful for any time I Get to do a job. I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked in some small businesses part time for a small period to earn extra cash and have always been grateful even if it has been awkward for some.