You’ve accepted a job offer, so congratulations are in order. However, after you finish your celebrations and take that last sip of champagne, there are certain steps you should follow to professionally (and personally) move from one job to another as successfully as possible.
Let Your Boss Know
If you’re employed, the first thing you need to do is tell your boss about the job acceptance. Prior to this conversation, determine when your last day will be. Remember that two weeks is a standard notice to give.
Whether your company requires it or not, provide a formal resignation letter. It’s also good practice to educate yourself on retirement fund rollover policies and health insurance coverage. If you don’t receive health insurance benefits within a certain period after starting your new job, figure out how to bridge the gap between leaving your old job and when your new insurance kicks in.
Update Your Network
Connect with your soon-to-be former boss and colleagues on LinkedIn if you aren’t connected there yet. These people are important relationships that you should continue to nurture even after leaving. Consider grabbing lunch with them one more time and adding their personal email addresses or cell phone contact information to your mobile rolodex. You never know when your professional paths will cross again, or having them as part of your network will help as you approach your next career move.
Create a Transition Plan
Leave your job in better hands than you found it. Just as writing a resignation letter is a part of the unwritten workplace rules, so is facilitating a smooth transition as you exit. At the very least, it’s a professional courtesy. If you’re in a field where you deal with external customers or clients, prepare them for the change. If there’s a specific replacement already chosen to take your role, help train them. If not, create detailed instructions that can be left electronically or on paper for whoever is the next person to step into the job.
Keep Lines of Communication Open
Don’t ghost your future employer after signing on the dotted line. Instead, make sure you stay in touch with them during the transition period. Check in with human resources to see if you can address any paperwork before starting. Also, it’s worth connecting with your future boss and colleagues to help cultivate relationships so that you can hit that ground running on your start date.
Enjoy Your Time Off
If you can coordinate some time off between leaving one job and starting another, take advantage. Even if it’s just a couple of days, do whatever you need to do to prepare for your new role. The onboarding period comes paired with information overload, so the last thing you want is to worry about during that time is needing to clean your house or make your way through the eight loads of laundry. If you can organize your life before your first day, do so. If you get organized and still have some time to spare, treat yourself to whatever de-stressor you prefer.
Bonus tip: Don’t slack off. Leave your old job on a high note and show your appreciation to those who helped you learn and grow while you were there.
What do you think is the best thing to do after accepting a job offer? What’s helped during the job transition period? Join the conversation on LinkedIn and check out 7 Ways to Compare Job Offers.
