ShareThisBy MARVIN WALBERG
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Dear Mr. Walberg:
My immediate supervisor put in his two-week notice last week. He's been offered a better management job elsewhere. This is my first job out of high school, so I'm not as experienced as others, but I am a little surprised that he is working us so hard during his short time here. It's like he's a man on fire, making sure everything is perfect and completed before he leaves, and he's being extra nice to us for a change. You would think he would wind down a little and enjoy his last few days here. Is this what is called "not burning bridges", or is he just enjoying putting our feet to the fire for the last time and making sure we remember him as a friend and supportive manager?
J.W., Huntsville, AL
Dear J. W.:
A little bit of this and a little bit of that...yes, it's called "not burning bridges", and it's what everyone should do when leaving one job for another. One of our most important assets is our reputation; how people think of us in a work situation. Honesty and a strong work ethic are tops in what's wanted in a recommendation from a previous employer or co-worker, and you get them the old-fashioned way _ you earn them.
You never know when you may need a good recommendation from someone in your past, or possibly get an invitation back to where you once were. So, when leaving one job for another, you make sure that you get your job done right, up to the very last hour, that all of your projects are up-to-date, your personal belongings are removed, your workspace swept clean, and you don't take company-owned souvenirs home. Do not burn that bridge.
Many times when you give your employer notice that you are accepting a position elsewhere, you will be asked to leave immediately, and your employer will pay you for the required notice time period. But, if you are asked to work out your notice, give that employer his money's worth.
In your supervisor's case, I suppose it would have been better if he had been a supportive manager all along, but maybe you should just be grateful for what you are getting.
(Marvin Walberg is a job search consultant based in Birmingham, Ala. He can be contacted at P.O. Box 43056, Birmingham, AL, 35243. E-mail him at mwalberg(at)bellsouth.net.)
