Staying Paid

Revolution Eve: 3 Things To Do On The Last Day Of Your Day Job

Posted on April 15th, 2008 in Breaking Fear, Business, Creation Station, Empowerment, General, balance

As the title implies, I go in tomorrow for my last day of work as part of the headset bound. I’m ready and scared at the same time — and in the spirit of information, decided to do some thinking about what you should do to make the last day memorable for not only yourself, but for your coworkers and former bosses. Even though you’re now on the road to entrepreneurial nirvana, there’s no reason to mix matches and bridges together.

1. Start, Pause, and Finish the Day Right

Are you the person that greets everyone on their way in? Starts the morning pot of coffee? Waves hello to the visiting sales reps? Continue to be that person. There’s no reason to stop being the star you are just because it’s your last day. That said, it’s important to also continue to give 100% percent today, as hard as it may be to do when freedom’s knocking on your door. I would rather be the person they remember as part of the team, than that chick who sat and twiddled her thumbs while everyone else was holding the rope.

As far as the specific rules of your office, you’ll want to watch for those particularly on your last day — it’s so easy to take the leniency of the office as a given when you’re headed out the door but it’s still a loophole that others can use to unfairly tarnish your reputation. Avoid taking long breaks or lunches, and leave when scheduled — until you turn in your badge, you’re still on company property and should take care to not stir up trouble.

2. Shred all old information, Turn In All Relevant Material

Every company, including yours once you get the ball rolling, has proprietary information. Contact your team lead for the specifics, but as a general rule of thumb, you should take care not to take with you things that are sensitive to the company. It’s not a rules issue, but one of ethics — would you want a freelancer to hold your passwords hostage? How about taking all of your copy wholesale? Try to put yourself in the shoes of your former employer and you’ll find that it’s just better to toss out the old and turn in the documents that are still relevant. Do you really need copies of “Sales Expectations for Q1 2007″ hanging over your head? Delete and move on!

3. Find Something to be Thankful About!

Saying “thank you” is the quickest way to put a smile on someone’s face. A pack of thank you cards from your local big box retailer costs less than a run to the local fast food joint. For the frugal, a typed note from Outlook still speaks volumes about your manners as a person, as well as how you valued the connection you had to the recipient. Flag down old lunchmates and training buddies and tell them the basics: a) you’re moving on and b) it was a pleasure working with them. Be sincere — if it was a nightmare on wheels, a simple handshake and distance still carries the same message. You don’t have to love your coworkers; you don’t even have to like them. However, if you want to still have a link to one of the best word-of-mouth networks running, you have to respect them.

If someone asks you what you are moving on to, keep that conversation thread limited, and safe for discussion around the water cooler. Let’s face it, office gossip is rampant and badmouthing the company will only ruin the connections you have at the company. Save it for your locked diary, a non-related 3rd party you do lunch with, or even dear old Mom, but don’t vent out loud on company property.

Just For a Little Something Extra

For those that are interested in the same field you’re entering, leaving your contact information is another great thing to do. I like to have a little business card in my thank you note along with perhaps a discount code of some sort or a referral bonus — everyone likes to be in on a discount.

Thoughts

For the old hat among us, what did you do on your last day at work? Did you leave quietly, or did you have a goodbye party? Was it easier to do this while in a place you enjoyed, or did you deploy these same principles in a place that made you crazy?