At some point in your life, you’re going to leave a job.
I don’t care if it’s a grocery store, your family lawn business, babysitting for the Washington’s up the street, or a college study aid position. We all say goodbye.
What I’ve found matters most, is how you do it.
If you follow my social media pages, you’ve probably seen my recent post about leaving my HR Assistant Position. It was my 1st official HR title. The 1st position that introduced me to a little of the crazy I’d see in HR. The 1st interview I’d even gotten for a Human Resources position after I got my Bachelors. A lot of 1st came with this company.
I decided it was time for me to leave, but I wanted to do everything possible to make sure the transition was smooth. My 3 years with the organization was great, I was able to accomplish a lot, but I knew I wanted to do more. So, when a position that sparked my interest came known to me, I jumped on it.
It’s important that you understand your company, the managers, and the culture of your organization. While I was silently looking, I didn’t tell anyone. A hard goodbye, includes not telling people who could possibly decide you’re not dedicated to the company and push you out that day. I didn’t think that would happen in my case, but I went with the side of caution, just in case.
The hardest part was not telling my boss. She was a great boss and good friend. She really helped me build my knowledge of HR. Encouraging me to attend different events and network better in our city. She’s been with the company for 30 years, in various roles, and I felt like I’d be leaving a company of approximately 500 people in her hands. Actually, that’s exactly what I was doing 🤦🏾♀️.
Once I officially signed my offer letter and received notification that it had been received, which I’ll talk about in a later post, I knew the deed had to be done. 
Now, I didn’t go this route. I did ask my sister and a friend if I could be the typical millennial and send my boss a text, but they both said no. So, on Monday morning I marched in my manager’s office, asked if she had a moment to talk, closed the door, handed her my resignation and a list of items I would have completed in two weeks, and told her that I’d accepted a position with another company.
Part one was done. We had a conversation about why I had come to this decision and various other things, but ultimately, she understood it was time for me to grow.
Part two was waiting on her to inform the other owners of the company before anyone else found out. It is a small office of about 14 people so word would travel fast.
While leaving my first HR position was hard and brought many restless nights, I had to make the best decision for myself and my career. It was a hard goodbye, but it helped me gain a new beautiful hello.
The journey to ending a job can come in many different ways. But, how you decide to leave can help determine how the organization will react to the news. The best advice I can give the newbies possibly in this position is to make sure you have everything in order. No matter if you hate or love the job, it’s still something you add to your resume. That company might still get a call to ask for a reference check. While many companies don’t provide information besides the basic dates of employment and position, you never know.
A position can drop in your lap at any moment and this is another reason why it’s important to make sure your resume is ready. Don’t take just any position that comes your way. Understand why you’re looking to leave your current role and ask questions. You need to know what you’re leaving behind for a new company, don’t get caught in an open floor plan if it’s not what you want. Is the pay what you’re expecting or at least appropriate? Are the benefits the same or better? Will the job provide you with flexibility you need? One major thing I had to think about and answer for myself about a new role was knowing the type of manager I wanted to have in my next position.
Don’t leave your future to a hope of what a new position could be.
Ask questions and get all the answers.
Saying goodbye to a good thing can be challenging, but I’d rather be challenged for better with a new hello.
Until Next Time …
HRJazzy 