In the IT field, changing employers regularly lets you climb the hierarchy and pay scale faster. But since it’s a small world, how do you resign with class, and without closing doors?
“Due to the shortage of manpower, people who work in IT currently have the big end of the stick… So I’m not sure that they always take care to do things right when they leave a company,” wonders Geneviève Dicaire, IT management coach and former director at Ubisoft.
The same applies, however, to their professional credibility. “You have to remember it’s a small environment,” she says. “They may be called on to work with the same colleagues again.”
How to resign with class
“First of all, a personal reflection is needed,” explains Geneviève Dicaire. “Why am I leaving? What would I do if there was a counter-offer? Then, it all depends on the relationship with your boss. When things are done with respect and professionalism, you leave on the right foot. Take the time to have a conversation with him. No email or voicemail, of course!”
Ideally, you do not resign in the middle of a project, or worse, during the last stage of putting it into production! “This would be a sign that there really is a problem within the team,” the IT management coach says, “because the last thing a programmer wants is to leave a project before it is completed.”
When she left Ubisoft, Geneviève Dicaire gave 4 weeks notice, while her contract provided for 2 weeks. “I wanted to leave an image of being a reliable person that could be counted on. I wrapped up my files, and then left.”
Explaining your departure
Do you give the reason for leaving? “If it’s a thoughtful and considered decision, why not,” advises Geneviève Dicaire. Settling of accounts is to be avoided, however. “You have to think of the professional image you want to leave,” she says. “If the comments are constructive and are meant to help the manager, they can be made.”
Geneviève Dicaire cites a personal example, dating back to when she was a manager. “Since programmers who resigned told me the reason for their departure (a better salary offer) I was able to make changes and review our pay scale.”
In IT, it must be said that people rarely leave a company solely for money issues. “Unless the salary is below the market,” says the coach. “It’s rather a symptom of something that’s not working. People in IT are looking for stimulating projects; they especially want to use their strengths or get more responsibility.”