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The below article includes advice given from multiple hiring managers in the civilian sector.
After active duty military service, transitioning Soldiers often decide to pursue a career in the civilian sector. The most common reason Veterans stay in their first job is increased pay and a career growth path. However, not all jobs work out.
Unless a veteran chooses to stay at this job until retirement, most employees leave a position at some point. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Hiring our Heroes, 44% of transitioned Veterans leave their first job after active duty within the first year. Many Veterans leave for personal reasons or to pursue higher paid salaries, responsibility, and opportunity.
It is important to ensure that if an employee does leave a company voluntarily, that they do not leave on a bad note. Doing so can jeopardize the employee from receiving future recommendations, being re-hired in the future, and maintaining a positive relationship with the organization.
As a best practice, most employees give a two-week notice when they resign from a position. For senior-level positions and executive roles, this time frame can increase to four weeks or more, depending on the organization. If an employee is working on large projects and leaving the company would put the employer in a difficult position, more notice may be appropriate.
While some organizations may terminate an employee early if notice is given and it is in the company policy, in general, HR managers tend to appreciate the opportunity to backfill job openings, especially with vital positions. It is important to understand the company culture and relationship, as well as the typical turnover and industry an employee works in when deciding how much notice to give.
Some companies require employees to submit a resignation letter or complete an exit interview. This varies by state and employment at-will laws. If applicable, in this written notice, clearly state the last day of employment. A resignation letter should be professionally written in proper letter format and is not the best outlet to voice specific grievances with the organization.
Many employers appreciate the employee speaking with them before submitting a letter of resignation. In general, the letter of resignation should not be the first time an organization hears about an employee's concerns, as employers should encourage this dialogue and provide the opportunity to improve on specific problems prior. However, hiring managers do appreciate professional suggestions for improvement. An exit survey should have a similar tone to a letter of resignation if it is required in place of one.
If the job allowed an employee to gain certain skills, receive mentorship, or be part of a great team to work with, the letter of resignation and exit interview are great outlets to show appreciation for time at a company.
If an employee has a close professional relationship with their team, some company policies allow for employees to request letters of recommendation. Ask various members on the team or supervisors if they would be willing to write a letter of recommendation for future positions. While these are not required for most resumes, attaching them to job applications or bringing them to an interview is an added bonus.
For individuals who aren't able to write a letter, ask if they would be willing to provide their contact information as references during the job application process.
In the digital age, it's important to also ask coworkers if they would be willing to use the endorsement feature on LinkedIn. This option allows mentors, supervisors, coworkers, and others to write a public statement about an individual’s work. Often, companies find this very valuable, as it links the relationship the individual had at the organization on the profile, as well as a public endorsement of a candidate’s ability and character. As a result, LinkedIn endorsements are seen as powerful, public letters of recommendations from professional contacts. In today's job search, having at least three recommendations is encouraged when job searching.
While leaving a company can be an exciting time for an employee, as they are starting a new adventure, it is also a time to remember that first...and last...impressions are vital.
Resigning employees need to remember that their last few weeks at an organization are about leaving a positive, lasting impression versus burning bridges. Many companies do not allow employees to use paid time off during their final weeks and highly discourage the use of "burning through sick time." In the final weeks, it's important to still arrive to work on time, continue to work on projects, help get other employees up-to-speed on projects that the employee resigning will be unable to complete, and tie-up loose ends. Having a transition plan for the company is professional and helpful.
To learn more about preparing for future careers in the civilian sector, the Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program (SFL-TAP) assists transitioning Soldiers, Family members, Army retirees, and Department of the Army Civilians with their career goals.
SFL-TAP Centers are located around the world and teach resume building, information about VA benefits, career skills, offer higher education application services, entrepreneurship training, as well as provide access to hiring events, opportunities to network with civilian companies looking to hire transitioning Soldiers, and more.
Visit www.sfl-tap.army.mil to learn more or find us online on Facebook (@ArmySFLTAP), on LinkedIn (Soldier for Life - Transition Assistance Program Connection Group), Twitter (@SFL-TAP), and YouTube (SFL-TAP Television).
| Date Taken: | 11.02.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2017 10:53 |
| Story ID: | 253855 |
| Location: | KY, US |
| Web Views: | 187 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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