A little while back I shared my decision to try to get a new job. At the time I was quite optimistic about my potential to land a job fairly quick. I’d love to say this post is about how I scored a sweet job, but unfortunately the job search is still ongoing.
As some of you may recall I was hoping to go back to work for one of my previous employers. One of them had mentioned a possible offer and it seemed the other would be interested in hiring me again. Largely due to circumstances outside of my control, I did not get an immediate job with either one.
This setback initially filled me with disappointment and negative thoughts about my career’s future. Combined with my recent break up, nothing seemed to be going my way. It was a bad time to be a pessimist to say the least.
Lately though I’ve been taking some positive steps to get my life back on track. It’s opened up a new perspective on things and I’m starting to feel more optimistic.
Although I didn’t get a job with one of my previous employers this time around, I do want to acknowledge the importance of avoiding burning your bridges.
Crossing Existing Bridges For New Employment
When we leave a job, there are often things that made us unhappy and more willing to leave. We have to remember that circumstances change and we grow as individuals. So most of the time I do make an effort to leave jobs on good terms. You never know when you might end up going back to work from them in the future.
Twice I have actually gone back to work for a previous employer. On other occasions I have received job offers from old bosses which I ended up turning down. It is quite satisfying knowing that people you’ve worked for in the past still value your skills and what you can contribute to their company.
Besides being good for self esteem, it can also make the job search a lot less stressful. You don’t feel that same apprehension when going to meet with someone that you’ve already worked for. You generally know what they expect and you’re under less pressure to impress them. They’re unlikely to be grilling you with difficult interview questions or taking notes on everything you say. It’s more of an informal chat with an old friend.
Even if you don’t go back to work for them, at least it will sometimes give you more options.
Previous Connections Leading To Other Opportunities
While avoiding burned bridges can directly land you a new job, there are also a variety of ways it can lead to employment elsewhere.
The most obvious way is that those employers then become a strong reference to use on your resume. A fellow coworker can be a good reference, but your actual boss is a much stronger reference. That is the person who has been monitoring your work and taking mental note of your work habits. It’s not someone who just enjoyed eating their lunch with you.
They also have a better perspective about what potential employers are looking for. Instead of talking in general terms, they’re more likely to cite specific examples of why you’d make a great employee. They really know what you have to offer.
The other way leaving a job on good terms can help gain employment is via your boss’s contacts. If you leave a good impression, that boss may recommend you to their friends and urge them to hire you. Chances are high that an employer would have contacts who are also employers themselves. I’ve landed one of my jobs that way.
Conclusion
So just because you might not immediately need favors from your old boss, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t need their help in the future. Avoiding burning your bridges can keep more doors open and help your career in the long run.
It’s also a good idea to keep contact with those previous employers even in times when you don’t need anything from them. Just chatting once in a while keeps you on their radar and strengthens those bonds.
Have you personally benefited from avoiding burned bridges? Or have you burned bridges that you later regretted? Maybe you have some tips to help keep those relationships strong.
Connections are a huge way to make normal progression in life. I was working for an Investment company a few years out of college and my bosses ended up leaving and they took me with them. Having that connection was big for my career at that point. Even though we don’t work together any more I still try and keep in touch.
I’ve heard of other people in that kind of situation too. It may be a boss or even a supervisor, but if they go work somewhere else they very well might try to bring along some of the employees that they value the most.
Great advice. As an experienced manager, I actually brought quality with me when accepting new positions. Quality employees are hard to come by and this helped me to prove my results in a new company as well as eliminate the need for further “ground up” training of the individual. Great post and advice!
Great to hear from a manager’s perspective. You’re right that it does eliminate a lot of the training required when an employer or manager hires someone who has worked for them in the past. If that training can be avoided, it just makes the manager’s job that much easier.
While I haven’t found employment directly from past employers, I did score some sweet interviews throughout school at sought after agencies – all because of maintaining good relationships with past employers. I’m happy to know that if I needed to find a new job, I have people I could call.
For sure, even that peace of mind is huge. Then if you do happen to lose your job you know you have a support network that you can reach out to for help. You’re not suddenly all on your own trying to find something new. It is quite comforting.
I agree that it’s so important to avoid burning bridges. I had an internship in college that I really enjoyed, and I kept in contact with my supervisors after it ended. I was having a hard time finding a job after graduation, so I reached out to my contacts from my internship and a short time later it led to the job I currently have. I’ve been here almost 3 years now!
I think with internships that’s especially important, because those opportunities are often just a test for future employment. It is a company giving you a shot to see if you would work out in a different role later on. You might not move onto a different role with that company right away, but if you’ve left a favorable impression they might hire you back later on. Employers would usually rather deal with someone they know they can trust rather than taking a chance on someone new.
It’s kind of like an extended interview, where the company can watch your skills in action without having to pay you a lot (or nothing at all.) I ended up in a completely different department that the one I interned in, but I still had a basic knowledge of the company’s services and culture. I’m sure they valued this over someone they hadn’t met before.
I’ve never done an internship, but it does seem like a really good way to get your foot in the door. That’s great that it led to a job in a different department in your case. Once you’ve proven yourself, they are bound to be more comfortable hiring you for something else.
Like you, I’ve recently started looking for a new job – I’ve had a few interviews but not found the right fit yet. It’s been very important to me to maintain a good relationship with my current manager. When I was younger, in my first job out of university, I didn’t have such a good relationship with my boss – although they weren’t the best of managers (I think it was one of those cases of being promoted with little/no management training), neither was I the best of employees. Knowing that I accidentally burned that bridge is really highlighting how important it is to make sure I get along with my boss now.
Unfortunately some bridges are harder to avoid burning. In those cases you probably wouldn’t want to go back to working for them, but you don’t want to lose them as a potential reference. Some employers will contact previous bosses even if they are not listed as an official reference. Early on in our careers we often do not understand the importance of this though.
I never see any advantage in burning bridges. You never know when you will need a connection. Networking and sending the odd catchup message seems to work best. But it just never seems worth burning bridges.
No it usually isn’t worth it, but sometimes our emotions get the better of us. When we feel mistreated at a job, it is very tempting to really let that employer know how you feel on your way out. It may bring some temporary satisfaction, but it can hurt you in the long run.
I try not to burn bridges. Networking is great for the future.
Some people just don’t appreciate the value of maintaining previous networking contacts. They assume that since they’re moving on they will just network with new people, but those old contacts can be quite invaluable.
Sorry to hear about the hard times buddy! I hope they turn around soon!
Burning bridges never does anyone any good. In my own industry, I’ve seen customers of mine who were gods become the lackeys someplace else. You just never know when you’ll need a favor from someone or a friend to help you out. What goes around comes around.
Yes this principal doesn’t just apply to employers. It applies to all kinds of networking. If you maintain a good impression with different people that you deal with, you never know when one of them could lead to something better. If you’re a believer in karma, this is a perfect reflection of that principal.
A buddy of mine left the company where I work a little over a year ago and essentially waged war on the company. He burned the bridges, destroyed the forests and murdered all of the bridge makers in the tri-state area. It was ugly and uncomfortable. It’s already started biting him in the butt… Definitely not the way to go.
lol sounds like he had some fun with it. Hopefully he didn’t screw himself over too badly. Some people tend to go a bit extreme with reacting to their emotions. I’m not perfect though. I’ve burned some bridges myself, even within the personal finance blogging community. The thing is you sometimes can’t appreciate the true nature of how it affects you since the results mostly happen in the background.
I do not know why some feel the need to burn a bridge. Just have some decency and we all know that what goes around comes around. Never good for anyone especially yourself because most likely you will run across this person again and all those years you were a great employee are erased by being a jerk upon departure.
I would think in most cases they are just overly emotional people who don’t always think things through before acting. Or maybe they are just not mature enough to see the potential consequences of their actions. It definitely can erase a lot of great work that you have done.
I will say that I’ve burnt one bridge that I didn’t mind. I talked about it in my ‘Remember the movie Office Space’ post. That was a circumstance that, in my opinion, warranted the bridge being soaked with kerosene and lit on fire.
On the other hand, many of my other previous employers had been good friends and I always left on good terms. Some managers/people will always bother you but at the end of the day most mean well and may be just trying to do their jobs.
Keeping contacts is extremely important because you never know where life will take you.
Yes I guess there are some bridges that don’t hurt as much when you burn them. That feeling of satisfaction may actually outweigh any potential benefit of staying on good terms with them. You just have to think it through to ensure it really isn’t something that may come back to haunt you.
This is so true Jeremy! Great post! Keep your head up, you are talented…something will come your way any moment now.
This post could not have come at a better time. I’m thinking about quitting my job and this is the first full-time “real” job that I’ve had. I really don’t know how to approach it and how much notice I should give. I want to help out as much as I can and I really saw myself working here for awhile. I didn’t think I would be leaving so soon. Thank you though, I will make sure to keep in touch with my boss and colleagues here… they made it really memorable and enjoyable for me.
I’m sure you’ll do the right thing if you truly like your boss and coworkers. Normally 2 week is the shortest time frame you’d want to give, but the more the better, especially if it is a crucial position that they would need to fill right away. I think 1 month should be plenty of notice.
Hey Jeremy: Job searches are hard on the ego. I wish you good luck with yours. I left a job under bad circumstances, but I ensured my work was left in good shape, with as much detail as possible, so at least the coworkers I left behind would still think well of me. It’s definitely important not to burn your bridges.
Good point about staying on good terms with coworkers. If you leave your work in rough shape, those people picking up the slack could become resentful and you could lose them as a contact.
As long as they don’t mess with me on the way out, things will be fine. If not, I’ll make sure to open the dirty closet with all the skeletons, revive their ghosts, THEN burn the bridge on my way out. 🙂
Haha, that is something to consider. Some employers can be outright mean when an employee leaves their company. If they are going to treat you poorly, they probably won’t be a good contact afterwards. Still, you have to be careful to not go overboard as that can still hurt you if a potential employer calls that person up to ask about you.
This is a great post, Jeremy. I’m impressed particularly that you have such clear and positive insight regarding employment considering your current challenges on the same subject.
You’re very much on point about not burning your bridges. In rare and extreme cases where you would be forced to leave your job on bad terms would likely be the exception. Otherwise, it’s imperative to leave on the best of terms when parting ways with your employer. Just as you stated, leaving your former employer on good terms can have great future benefits where you may not have originally seen any.
Good luck with your job search, and make sure to let us know when your situation takes a positive turn.
Thanks Anthony. I can’t say that I’ve always had a positive insight about the situation. I did have some days where it all was seeming a bit hopeless. After some positive lifestyle changes though, I’ve refocused. I’ve realized that although I didn’t get a job yet, those very same employers have helped me out in the past by rehiring me. So I felt I should pass on that advice. I know some people don’t realize the importance of leaving jobs on good terms until it’s too late and it hurts them down the road.
There are many people that are unhappy in their jobs and when they decided to quit they may use that as an opportunity to get nasty with their employer. It may make them feel good at the time, but could very possibly come back to haunt them in the future. It is always smarter to leave on good terms whenever possible, whether you plan to keep in touch or not.
Good luck with your job search Jeremy!
Exactly, people’s unhappiness can often get the best of them. They may think it is all the employer’s fault and take it out on them in a vengeful way. Nothing good can come out of that other that very short term relief.
First, I’m sorry to hear that things have been so rough lately. Keep your head up and keep moving forward–it will all work out!!!
Second, I try my hardest to not burn bridges, although I have a few burnt ones in my past (largely for circumstances out of my control but the damage was still done). I personally know how valuable old contacts are, and I work to maintain them to the best of my ability.
Thanks for the kind advice. I’m trying to maintain a positive outlook and I’m sure it will all work out in the end.
You’re right that sometimes it is just unavoidable to burn some bridges. Sometimes the other person decides that on their own and there is very little you can do about it.
I definitely avoid burning bridges. Even if there is something I hate about my job I keep my mouth shut. The last thing I want to be remembered as is a whiner.
Contacts from old bosses are great. I got a job recently from a referral from a contact at my long time job. I think it is sooo important to leave your job on good terms.
I wish you much success in your current situation. Don’t let it get you to down, you’ll find something great.
Thanks Katie. Yes even by making complaints on the way out, you can leave a poor impression on people. Unfortunately I’m not one to always keep my mouth shut when I don’t agree with something. Instead of doing it on the way out though, I try to do it earlier in a more constructive way in hopes that it might help fix the situation.
Connections make finding a job easier and can open many doors one wouldn’t expect. You’re doing the right thing by avoiding burned bridges Jeremy!
An easier job search is always nice. For anyone who’s gone through a long job search, they know that it can become a stressful time. So if there’s anything you can do to make the situation easier, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. You’ll be happy you made that decision later.
My last employer really wanted me back actually. I think it’s a great idea to keep the lines of communication open as well. Even if you don’t ever go back, it’s nice to have the option available. Sending you positive vibes with the job search!
Thanks Michelle. It is really nice to have the option available. If they want you back bad enough, they might even make a more generous offer in hopes of winning you over. Even the thought of their offer makes you feel good.
I know I can have a temper sometimes and so when I was younger I definitely burned some bridges. Some have later come back to bite me in the rear, while others have not. But you never know which burned bridges are okay versus not (since we can’t tell the future!), so not burning bridges is great advice! Good thing I’ve gotten my temper mostly under control now.
A temper can be a dangerous thing. I’m trying to do a better job of keeping mine in check, but it can be tough. You’re absolutely right that you can’t tell which contacts will be most important to keep. If you keep all your options open, you never know which one might lead to something else eventually.
It is always important to have connections. But in this economy it is imperative to have connections in order to get a job.
Yes it is even more important when opportunities are hard to come by. While others are fighting over the jobs posted publicly, you can have the inside track on new positions that might not even be posted anywhere.
Great advice. I was told a very young age to never burn any bridges when it comes to my career. I’ve taken that advice to heart and while I haven’t had to go back to any of my previous employers, I still feel good that I did the right thing and left on the right terms, even if I hated the job.
That is great advice to get early on in life. Sure it didn’t lead to going back to any of your previous employers, but it probably helped a lot with landing jobs elsewhere. Plus a bunch of good karma is a good thing to have on your side.
Good advice. I’ve heard often who you know is more important than what you know. I’ve thankfully never been let go or dismissed from a company yet but I definitely try to stay connected with my acquaintances or school mates from the past. Problem is I usually lose contact with people I don’t see anymore. Have to make more use of tools like facebook and linkedin. By the way I think we’ll win game 5 🙂
Staying in touch with older contacts can be tough, but sites like facebook and linkedin do make it a lot easier. You can simply check up on them periodically and chat with them once in a while. If you enjoy their company or see them as a potentially stronger connection, then you make the extra effort.
As for the Canucks, I hope you’re right, but it will be tough if we give up that many chances again. They were relying on Schneider way too much.
You are right – it’s soo important to keep those bridges intact 🙂 A network can serve many purposes, from helping with job hunting to helping with research etc. I don’t have a big network yet, but the people I do know have helped me in so many ways already.
Early on in your career it’s natural to have fewer connections. In your career it sounds like you are already making a very favorable impression with some good contacts. Keep up those same work habits and I’m sure you’ll go far in your career.
Great Post Jeremy! Very thought-provoking!
Thanks Scot. Good to see you back online and working on your blog again.
You’re right. I value my network immensely. While not for job hunting reasons, but because they provide support and advice when I need them.
For sure. The advice and support can be very helpful too. There are all kinds of benefits to keep those contacts intact.
There are some awful bosses and workplaces out there, but burning bridges should always be a last resort!
I live in a tiny country, work in a very small industry that’s ALL about who you know, so I’m hyperaware of the importance of making and maintaing connections.
Yes I’m sure you have to pay even more attention to this kind of stuff when you work in a small industry or in a small area. In environments like that, your connections are amplified much more. If you burn bridges in that situation it can be disastrous.
Jeremy, I can say a lot about this. I work for a large bank, and a year ago I was promoted with hefty raise and nice bonus. To make a long story short, my senior VP got another job. He liked my work ethics as I am a workaholic. New boss came from another bank, and started hiring people from his bank. I realized what was going on. Sine I never burn bridges with anyone, I consulted my previous boss, and he helped me get another very promising lead assignment within the bank with — not to mention — another hefty raise and more bonus. When we feel down in our lives, we have to look for another way to pull ourselves out. It’s all up to us to make best out of our lives.
Being a workaholic is sure to get you on your boss’s good side. That’s great that the work habits you demonstrated led to another assignment with your previous boss. I am definitely learning to appreciate the benefits of maintaining strong contacts, especially with former bosses.
I think you are very talented, and if you keep your hopes high, I am confident that you’ll find a job even far better than these few opportunities that you have lost recently. I am confident my friend.
Thank you for the kind words Shilpan. I went through a while when I was pretty down on myself and things weren’t looking very promising. I’m confident that it’s all turning around though. More opportunities are opening up and I no longer feel the need to just take whatever is offered. I know I have the skills to be a little picky with what I accept.