According to a recent survey by Robert Half, 1 in 4 workers are currently looking for a new role. But before employees tell their boss to “take this job and shove it,” they should consider their words carefully. While they may not like their boss or the job that they are leaving, burning bridges when changing jobs can make it more difficult to get referrals.
On average, American workers will have 12 jobs in their lifetime. Workers may work with coworkers or bosses from the job they’re leaving again in the future, especially when switching to positions within the same industry. How workers leave a job can have a lasting impact. Showing gratitude when leaving a company continues to be essential.
Robert Half reports those most likely to make a career move in the remainder of 2023 are Gen Zers (74%), technology professionals (64%), working parents (63%), and employees who have been with their company for two to four years (62%).
Getting and Giving Job Referrals
People have a greater chance of being hired if someone refers them. And if they refer someone, they may receive a bonus. Zippia’s research reports 71% of U.S. employers have a referral program where the referring person receives a bonus or other incentive if the person they refer is hired. Referral bonuses range from $1,000 – $5,000. Overall, referred employees have a 28.5% chance of being hired, while non-referral employees have only a 2.7% chance.
Anika Jindal agrees, “The relationship matters and helps you find better opportunities.” She left her employer due to moving, and another location hired her because of good referrals.
She shared, “They had another office in Houston, but my team only operated at the previous location. So my supervisors and coworkers put in a good word for me, and another team in Houston hired me.”
Boomeranging to a Previous Employer
Employees who leave a company only to return later are called boomerang employees. Workers may want to return to a former employer in the future, meaning they should strive to make their last impression good. The same company rehired Anika after she took a break during the pandemic and passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam. “They kept checking on me for the whole year as I was appearing for my CPA exam because they thought I was really good at my job. Finally, they hired me with three times more salary than my previous salary.”
Boomeranging is on the rise. In 2021, 4.5% of new hires were boomerang employees for companies using LinkedIn, up from 3.9% in 2019.
Before opening Spatula Desserts, Katalin Nagy started her career at Mondelez, working for more than ten years in the chocolate industry. She resigned from her position to travel. A few years later, she moved to the United Kingdom (UK) and found a perfect job description for Mondelez UK. Nagy said, “I felt slightly nostalgic, knew that I have the experience, so I applied, and besides my face-to-face interviews and several interview tests, one of the reasons I was hired was a recommendation from an ex-colleague from this first business unit I worked for. It was a fantastic opportunity, and I reconnected with some colleagues.”
Leaving with Gratitude
When it comes time to change jobs, workers can write positive farewell messages to their coworkers, boss, and others they interact with. They should take care to individually thank those they’ve worked with for any help, support, mentoring, or friendship they received from them while working together. This practice can also include sharing your contact information. Workers can send a group email to the team to acknowledge them. A short message will do. The message can include contact information, which may be helpful for referrals in the future.
For example, “I enjoyed working with all of you.” or “I learned so much from the team.” include a link to a LinkedIn profile or personal email address.
Impact of an Attitude of Gratitude
Expressing gratitude at work can positively impact careers. Whenever opportunities arise, people can thank their boss and say thank you to coworkers. Workers don’t have to wait to show appreciation until they leave a job. When colleagues leave for another company, there’s a higher chance they’ll recommend a previous coworker for a position when their relationship is positive.
When workers leave behind a good impression, a former company may be more likely to welcome them back should they apply for another position in the future. Workers will be thankful they didn’t burn bridges when hired because of a referral or when they get a nice bonus for referring a previous coworker that gets hired.
John Dealbreuin from FinancialFreedomCountdown credits his career moves with helping him achieve early retirement. He says, “Always leave on good terms with your former colleagues and ensure a smooth transition.“
Dealbreuin once moved to a different company in Silicon Valley, and six months later, his former boss also quit and moved to the same company and was his boss again. Having stayed in touch with his colleagues and staying positive during the transition period definitely helped him in his career progression.
This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
Heidi Bender is the founder of Tons of Thanks, a website that helps people write thank-you notes by providing example thank-you messages, templates, and tips. When she’s not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband and their cats.
