The Grateful Exit

I've made a few job changes over the years, maybe more than most. I was once referred to as a "job hopper," which annoyed me at first. Then I realized that accumulating knowledge and relationships under new contexts is a really powerful thing.

Something I've done intentionally during my last two transitions is to make a list of people that helped me in a way that stood out. I then go through the list of these friends one by one and send them a note letting them know how thankful I am for their positive influence on me, personally and professionally. When I left Greystar, there were more than 100 emails to send! More than 100 people that - knowingly or not - helped me grow in my career.

With the transition that starts today, I had just as much growth for which to be grateful, even if it boiled down to only 12 emails (each of the employees at Catalyst). I'm sure others do this as well, but it's been very helpful for me to ensure people know I'm not "leaving," I'm just making new friends and doing new things.

The hardest part of this approach is ensuring you keep in touch with these friends after the transition. I've developed unexpected new hobbies and partnerships from maintaining these relationships.

The point I'm trying to make is that regardless of the reason for your transition, if you have the opportunity, don't forget to be grateful to those that showed you grace.