It’s no secret that the world is facing some shaky times – and there’s plenty more to come. Between pandemics, a war in Europe, and costs of living increasing rapidly, we’re living through a time that you might hear described as VUCA – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. 

All of this has led to the labour market being tighter than ever, giving many employees the opportunity to assess their situation to understand whether they’re in the right role and, if they’re not, to look for greener pastures.

But, if you’re considering jumping ship, there are a few things you might want to take into account to make sure your offboarding process isn’t fraught with negativity. 

Finishing strong in your current role 

Our motto at Career365 is ‘Start strong, finish strong’. It’s inevitable that you will leave roles and organisations over the course of your career – some of these departures will be entirely positive as you look toward new opportunities, but others might be borne out of frustration.

The key is to not burn bridges as you leave. 

Just like first impressions, last impressions are incredibly important and your lasting legacy can hinge on how your final days and weeks play out. The reputation you create throughout this time is your currency – you want to keep it strong and positive so it has the potential to benefit you further down the road. 

Exiting badly – what does it look like? 

While the global situation continues to be unpredictable, it’s a tricky time for all employers. They should be doing everything they can to recruit the right people and retain their best employees with stay interviews and other initiatives, but it doesn’t mean that people can’t leave if they find a better opportunity. 

However, I would advise against jumping ship just because things aren’t perfect.

The reality is that there will be some difficult times ahead, but leaving in the midst of difficult circumstances might not leave the best impression.

If you do decide to leave, remember to leave well, tying up loose ends and doing everything on your side of the equation to keep business running smoothly while they look for your replacement. This might sound odd to some, but it’s the way I am wired: when I leave a hotel room, I put my rubbish in the bin, neaten up my room and make sure it’s left in a respectable condition for the cleaners to do their job.

I don’t like leaving a mess and people thinking poorly of me, even if they never met me. I like to ‘finish strong’. It’s the same when leaving any role. Things don’t need to be polished, but some care and consideration goes a long way in leaving the right way and making that last impression of you count.

This also goes for ghosting recruiters. In such a tight labour market, candidates have more power, but this doesn’t mean that you should use this power to forget to be polite.

Respecting the time and effort recruiters put in will go a long way, and you will be remembered as a candidate who shows consideration throughout the process – something that could serve you well should you encounter the same recruiter again down the line.

Is it the right time to ask for higher remuneration? 

Many organisations are desperate to find the right talent, which leads many candidates – and existing employees – to ask for higher remuneration. While it’s a good idea to see how you can negotiate your remuneration that will help you weather the rising costs of living, it’s also important to remember that there will come a time when you need to prove your worth. 

When there are economic downturns, magnifying glasses go to the budget and questions are asked. The employee who is costing the organisation the most money will be considered carefully – are they worth it? If the answer is no, all too often they’re the first to go.

Remember to be reasonable and realistic in your remuneration or promotion requests. 

Remember, organisations like boomerang employees

You never know when an organisation is going to want you back. This month we’ve seen Elon Musk’s mass Twitter layoffs at play – but within a week it looks as though he’s bringing some back on board. It would have been easy for these employees to burn bridges and feel scorned as they underwent offboarding – no one would blame them – but it is a great example of employees needing to come back and, with burnt bridges, that opportunity may not have been available. 

Boomerang employees are common and organisations love them because they know the people, the systems and the procedures.

Through the offboarding process with positivity and ensuring you leave a good lasting impression means you’ll be better placed for any opportunities that come your way further along in your career.