Whether you were fired or chose to resign, leaving a job can be painful. You might not remember doing the right thing, but here are four things you should avoid doing.
1. Don't badmouth your boss or coworkers, even if you think they deserve it.
Emotions run high during departure, especially when things end badly. You might feel tempted to impulsively tell your boss or coworkers what you really think.Even if they deserve it, don't do it. You never know who you'll encounter down the road or who you might end up working with someday. 2. Don't vandalize company property or steal anything. You might feel misunderstood by your boss and angry. However, intentional destruction and theft are criminal offenses. Your actions will not only ruin your reputation but could also land you in jail.
3. Don't forget to request a reference letter.
If you're leaving under unpleasant circumstances, this advice might sound odd. Yet, since you'll include this job on your resume, ensure you obtain a positive reference letter—or at least a neutral one. This is unrealistic if you were fired for egregious misconduct.But if your departure wasn't due to such serious issues, request a reference letter from your supervisor—even if it doesn't serve its intended purpose. 4. Avoid badmouthing your boss or colleagues to your replacement. First, this makes you appear petty and unproductive. Second, your successor will figure things out on their own.Finally, it could backfire on you, as your colleague may have had a completely different experience.
You'll only make yourself look bad. Potential employers might speculate about the reasons behind your strained relationship with your former boss and suspect you were entirely at fault.