This article first appeared on LinkedIn Pulse.
Tech transfer is a tight industry. There are a lot of common connections. If you want to leave your tech transfer job it’s important you do so without alienating or angering your stakeholders. These tips can help you move on gracefully.
While most of what I write is about tips on finding the perfect job, improving your career options, and working with specialized recruiters, it’s also important to talk about what happens after you put it all together.
You’ve landed your dream job and you can’t wait to start but there’s one thing standing in your way and that’s your current position. How do you exit gracefully with as little turmoil as possible? Follow these suggestions:
Tell Your Boss First
While you might be tempted to tell your work buddy that you’re moving on, you owe it to the organization to tell your boss first. No matter how well-intentioned your best friend is, the information could get out if you tell someone other than your boss first, and if it does you’ll be meeting with a lot of bad feelings. While you don’t have to tiptoe around your boss, there are some things you never want to tell him/her.
Create a Transition Plan
While this is not your responsibility, it shows an extremely mature employee who is willing to help make the departure as painless as possible with a transition plan. You always want to give two weeks’ notice but I have known plenty of intellectual property professionals who have given a month because of the timing of a crucial project, agreement, or venture.
Don’t Succumb to Spring Fever
Remember what it was like to be in school when the weather warmed up? Most of us developed a more casual tone towards our studies and a restlessness that could only be solved by summer’s arrival or a strict teacher fixing our focus. You may be very excited about your new plans but the last thing you want is to slack off in your last few days on the job. If you do, people won’t remember your years of hard work. They’ll remember your chair races in the hall and your inability to get any work done. You may be leaving but everyone else is staying put. Respect that and help by getting everything completed you said you would.
Take Part in the Exit Interview
If you’re asked to take part in an exit interview, you should but don’t use this as a time to flame out. The HR person conducting it works for your company. S/he is not a union steward. Keep this in mind when sharing concerns. Do so in a professional manner and only share constructive criticism. Tech transfer is a small industry. You never know who you’ll meet again and in what capacity.
How did you leave your last tech transfer job and what did you learn? Share your insights below.
