ShareThisThere comes a point in every young person's career when it's time to move on to the next opportunity.For most young employees, this point comes after approximately 2.7 years with a given employer. And this figure is, of course, entirely made up. There may be statistics available to support such a claim, but I'm not going to look them up. Because I'm out of here.As all grads learn, finding employment out of college is a frustrating experience. Such a competitive hiring environment often keeps young men and women in undesirable jobs for longer than they'd like. It's better to be employed, to pull a paycheck, and to establish oneself in the workplace before immediately jumping back in the fray, hoping for a better position.But once that experience has been gained and a reputation has been established, the young employee is likely to take the first good opportunity to come along. In many cases, it need not be a career opportunity, so much as an opportunity to escape, flee, run away, or any of a number of other synonyms which I will not explore further, because I quit.It is important, though, when offering one's first resignation, to do so professionally. A corporate position, even at the bottom of the overall ladder, cannot be treated like a high-school summer job. One cannot simply toss down one's spatula, look the shift manager in the eye, and confess what one has done to the chili.This would be an example of what corporate executives call "burning bridges" (and what the sheriff would call a "felony"). In a professional environment, it is important to remain professional until the very end, because a reputation in the corporate world transcends high-quality, watermarked resume paper.For now, they are your coworkers. In two weeks, they will be the poor slobs you left behind at the last job. In 2.7 years, they will be your(begin ital) references (end ital). And they will remember you. Even if they don't seem to notice you now, and even if their attention seems to wane further when the bonuses arrive.As such, some decorum is in order. A resignation letter lends a professional touch to an otherwise unpleasant affair. Keeping it simple and succinct, explain that you value the knowledge and relationships garnered from this experience but that another opportunity has presented itself and cannot be dismissed. Or, photocopy an extended finger of your choice. But realize that one option keeps doors open, while another burns bridges.When the time has come to clean out one's desk, be certain that all your affairs are in order. No coworker will hold greater grudges than the unfortunate drudge who takes on your workload. Make the transition as painless as possible by keeping neat files and careful records. Leave behind an encouraging note, or hide a sizeable morsel of tuna. Again, open doors or burnt bridges.Remember, above all else, that to take a new position is to take a great risk. It is often a case of leaving the devil you know for the devil with flat-screen computer monitors and snazzy mobile email devices. But one good spin of the economic wheel could find you downsized, back on the street, and knocking on familiar doors.It may be wise to reconsider the resignation itself, providing that one's bridges are intact. As I'm sure mine are. It's unlikely, after all, that the editors would end my column after a few idle threats. With my experience, I'm far too valuable to simply let g... (Ben Grabow writes for the young, the urban, and the easily amused. Contact him at thinlyread(at)gmail.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
Opening doors and burning bridges
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