Career Advice
Transition, aspiration, begin your legacy
Leaving Your Current Employer
A well-managed exit will pay dividends for your career. How you leave your current employer is just as important as how you began with them. Ideally you want to move at a time that is right for you and your family.
Working alongside your current company to work out a date that is mutually beneficial, even if it is longer than your contracted notice period, will be viewed by any potential new employer as a positive not a negative. It demonstrates integrity and honesty, both highly desirable qualities in any employee.
If you have already planned your exit strategy and your mind is made up to leave your current position, how can you be sure you are making the best decision for your future?
Transition
Transitions will inevitably occur and you must be aware of the potential shifts in your role or sector and be able to anticipate and adapt to the coming change. If it is a change of title, company, industry or career, taking the time to plan ahead means the transition can become a welcome change. Always keep building and enhancing your network as this will be essential if your situation changes.
Position yourself as a “Thought Leader” within your industry by writing articles for platforms such as Linkedin, speaking at events if the opportunity presents itself or hosting a webcast series. Act as a mentor or resource and advice point for the younger generation as today’s graduates will become tomorrow’s leaders.
To summarise, being prominent in your field and helping others pays dividends in the long term.
If you decide to go, go!
Giving your employer time to react often means they come back with a counter-offer. This is one of the biggest tests you will receive in your career. This asks the question, ‘what are you made of?’
Your company will be sorry to lose you as you have contributed to their growth and may be involved in major projects. Your superiors may counter with:
- This is confidential, but we were looking at promoting you.
- I am reviewing your salary in the next pay review, and I was going to upscale your salary/package to more than that.
- Think about it and we’ll sit down next week and discuss it.
The implications of the counter-offer are of course flattering, it is always good to hear that you are a valued resource that your current employer does not want to lose.
It is natural to be apprehensive about leaving a position and this may grow the more your superior tries to convince you to stay. It is important to focus on the reasons behind your decision to leave and not allow an emotional response to obscure these reasons.
Here are some facts you may be interested in:
- Six to nine months later, 90% of those candidates who accept a counter-offer are no longer employed with the company that extended the offer (Martin Varnier Research)
- Decent and well-managed companies, just do not make counter-offers….EVER! They will never be subjected to counter-offers, which they perceive as blackmail. Do you want to work with a company that does?
- By accepting a counter offer, you have committed the unprofessional and unethical sin of breaking your commitment to the prospective employer making the offer. The industry is small and incestuous, this news will travel fast and you could have just committed career suicide.
Reiterate that your decision has not been made lightly and that you are going to see it through in the most professional way.
