Giving Notice & Burning Bridges

I recommend people not give notice at their current employer until they have a written offer in hand from the new company. This may seem a bit silly, since 1) In most cases a verbal offer should be sufficient, and 2) Even with a written offer the new company can terminate your employment at any time, at least in an Employment At-Will state. Heck, they can even withdraw the offer before you start; it’s been known to happen in cases where companies suddenly engage in belt tightening. Still, having a written offer in hand can give you the confidence to psychologically break with your current employer.

Once you give notice it’s natural to mentally check out of your job. However, it’s important to stay focused on your responsibilities during the transition process. Your boss will likely want you to do a brain dump to fellow employees, or perhaps document everything you know.

It may be tempting at this point to thumb your nose at your employer, particularly if you feel like you have been mistreated in the past. However, it’s important to not burn bridges. And this applies not just to your boss but also to the colleagues you work with. Even if you only have light contact with a coworker they may still remember you when you cross paths again in the future. And you want them to recall you in a positive light.

Not burning bridges also applies outside of the resignation scenario. In this industry it’s not uncommon for someone who reports to you to one day to later become your boss, or vice versa. At one job I had a fellow team member who was a sort of my mentor, then became my subordinate, and later became my boss. It’s important to keep on good terms with as many of your co-workers as possible. Or at the very least, don’t piss them off.