Enhance Your Exit Strategy

Khalil Gibran once said “Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be.” It is human nature for people to consider their ability to progress beyond their current roles at work. Some employees view progress as a marathon race where slow and steady sets the pace for their advancement via strategic steps like training and professional development.

Others may pursue their career goals only to achieve them sooner rather than later. Then the question becomes…what’s next after accepting the job offer? Whether you are transferring to a new agency or leaving federal service for the private sector, it helps to review and upgrade your exit strategy.

In the past, a simple two weeks’ notice may suffice before you take the final stroll out of your old job to the new one. Today, it takes a lot more than simply serving notice to transition from one job opportunity to another. Your exit strategy will help you strategically plan your transition from one job to the next smoothly and succinctly in a timely manner. Below are some suggestions to consider for your professional exit strategy.

 7 Tips to Enhance your Exit Strategy

1. Create an exit strategy checklist to include benefits, salary, 401k and leave transfer to ensure the correct information transitions to your new agency.
2. Talk with your manager once you have a final job offer letter to manage expectations about leaving to take a new job.
3. Develop a transition plan to ensure your stakeholders are taken care of before, during and after the transition. Your efforts will be a positive reflection of your leadership skills.
4. Notify your internal and external stakeholders about your departure and provide them a point of contact for after you leave.
5. Clean out your desk/office clutter.
6. Continue your high level of work performance and attendance.
7. Be gracious and professional to those left behind. You may see them again.