How to Handle Leaving a Job Situation Without Burning Bridges

Today is my last day working at a place that has been a part of my life for 8 months. I have mixed feelings in this moment. I'm happy to have had the courage to move away from a situation that was not making me challenged, or happy. And, I'm sad that I won't be seeing some of the people who I have come to know, respect and laugh with regularly. Mostly, I'm feeling good about how the transition was handled and wanted to pass on some tips in that regard.

Don't write the resignation letter when you are angry or upset: I had a breaking point moment. The moment that was crystal clear to me that it was time to move on. But, I didn't write my resignation letter that day. I waited about 5 days before I wrote it. I had time to calm down and really think about it less emotionally. The time helped me to see the situation at a bit of a distance and as a result, the tone of the letter was not angry.

Take the time to reflect on the good as well as the bad: I also took time to reflect on what the blessings were about the season this employer had represented for me before I wrote the letter. While the job itself was disappointing, I met fantastic people, made new friends and my mother in law learned to rely on her daughter more because I wasn't home to take care of her as much.

Resist the temptation to vent or gossip about your frustration with co-workers: Negative comments will fly through the grapevine, get exaggerated and make you look like a whiner. I was really careful about this and did my venting with out-of state colleagues and family members. These people also gave me some perspective on the situation.

Thank your boss for the opportunity: My job did not turn out as expected, but I was still hired to do the job. So, be grateful that the organization had the confidence in you in the first place to give you the job.

When I submitted my resignation letter I wasn't sure if I would be shown the door immediately or allowed to work my notice. I'm feeling good about how I handled the situation because I got a really nice send off from co-workers and a sincere note from the boss hoping that we would have an opportunity to work again in the future. These will be the last tastes in my mouth about the organization that I leave behind.