How to leave a job

‘There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered’ – Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa. Gwen Cheeseman keeps your options open

Don’t make assumptions – when you get a new job, the last thing most of us think about is the prospect that we may end up back where we started with our original employer. But you shouldn’t rule it out. Companies go bust and people get made redundant all the time. You should never assume this won’t happen to you. So make sure that you don’t leave under a cloud. It is always useful to know you have something to fall back on.

Watch what you say – if you have a leaving party and are called on to make a speech, or even if you just say your goodbyes privately to colleagues, make sure you never say anything negative about the company or any employees. It will make people who still work there feel uncomfortable and can make you look bitter and ungrateful. Far better to say you have enjoyed your time with the company very much but sadly the time has come to move on.

Don’t be slack – however much it may be tempting to dash off any work you do in the last few days before you leave, remember that it will be the last impression you make. And should circumstances dictate that you return to your old position, you don’t want to feel embarrassed or guilty about work you’ve completed previously. Not making an effort could ruin any chances of promotion if you end up back with the company.

Back to the beginning – if you do end up in your old position, try not to think of it as a step back. Take stock of your role and think of how you can approach it in a new way. Re-evaluate your job specification and update it if need be. Remember that you wanted to move on originally, but things didn’t work out. Therefore try and move on in a different way, and do your best to get promoted.

Take advantage – you can use your time away from the company as a positive tool. Make your colleagues aware that you can approach things with a fresh viewpoint, and you can even mention how things were done in the other company if you think they may be useful. Be careful how you phrase this though, you don’t want people to think you are suggesting that their methods are inferior.

"If you have a leaving party and are called on to make a speech, make sure you never say anything negative about the company or any employees"