Don’t Burn Your Industry Bridges.

By Nicola Le Lievre

Leaving a job that’s no longer making you happy is often the right move for your mental health and career. Whether you’ve been offered a new role or decided to create space for something better, it’s essential to resign professionally and avoid burning bridges where possible.

Regardless of your reasons for leaving, they are your reasons, be professional with your work colleagues, employer, and clients. Never influence your team negatively. According to SEEK, one in three Australians say they’ve left a job on bad terms.

You can’t control how someone else acts, but you can control how you respond. So regardless of your feelings towards your boss, salon, and even if you are counting down the seconds until your notice is done – it’s in your interest to be professional and respectful and still focus on building bridges, not burning them. When exiting a position, the impression you leave on those around you can profoundly affect your future opportunities.

Being in the beauty industry for over 26yrs and owning my salon for a decade, I have seen many examples of therapists unnecessarily burning bridges. Salon owners and managers connect and talk; doing the wrong thing may eventually catch up on you.

When I first immigrated to Australia, I worked for Pure Indulgence as a Manager. After a year, I was offered to manage intherapy with the prospect of potentially buying the business.

As owning a beauty salon was my goal, I took the opportunity. I was professional with my resignation, courteous to my team and exited with my head held high.

2 yrs later, I purchased intherapy and would bump into my old employers at industry events; this could have been uncomfortable had I burnt my bridges. Fast forward a decade, by keeping in touch and professional, I was invited to give a presentation at their monthly manager’s meeting. This concept also applies to salon owners; refrain from burning your bridges with suppliers or BDM’s, as you never know when you will bump into them again. Many BDM’s I have worked with over the years have gone onto working with other companies I stocked, again, could have been uncomfortable, had I burned bridges.

Resign in person

When you give your notice, be sure to do it in person. If you cannot meet in person, ask to set up a meeting on a video conference site or phone to deliver the news. Follow up with your resignation in writing.

Leave a positive impression.

When leaving your position at a company, do everything you can to leave a positive impression after your departure. Stay professional and friendly until the day you leave and even after. Express your appreciation for those you shared time with and do everything you can to transition as seamlessly as possible.

Remain Confidential

After leaving a salon/clinic, keep business details, processes, and methods private. Sharing confidential information with a new employer, client, or former coworker can affect your reputation in your industry. Show respect for your previous place of employment by keeping sensitive or private information secret. Salon owners talk to each other, and unprofessional behaviour will eventually catch up on you.

Do not persuade clients to follow you

A big NO! Clients belong to the business; even if a particular client likes to have you do their treatments, they are still not “your” clients. Please discuss their protocol with the salon manager/owner on what to say to clients. Make sure all client notes are up to date before you leave.

I have interviewed potential team members who have told me they have many clients they can bring to my business from their previous salon. This is a big red flag for me, as if they would do this to a previous employer, they could do it to me.

If you have family and friends who follow you to a salon, they could be expected to follow you to your next.

Use social media thoughtfully

Stay aware of who can see your social media posts and communications. Posting about a new opportunity or complaining about a past position can harm you if your posts are public. Remain positive and professional if you post about your career change on social media. Similarly, excessive enthusiasm about a new position can harm your relationships with former coworkers. Staying aware of those who can see your activity online can help you make informed decisions about what to share and keep private.

You can use the tips below to avoid burning bridges that might burn you too.

• Don’t look for a new job on company time.

• Tell your boss first.

• Write a letter of resignation and set a final day. If you are unsure how much notice to give, check your work agreement or view the Modern Hair and Beauty Award.

• Keep working until you leave.

• Be honest.

• Show appreciation.

• Get some constructive criticism.

• Stay in touch.

Always be professional; if you are unhappy in your workplace, let management know you would like to schedule a meeting to discuss. You will find that many of the concerns you have can be resolved but having open communication. Never negatively influence your team or oppose your workplace concerns onto them. People prefer working with colleagues who constantly complain, take responsibility, and talk to management.

As women, we are strong but collectively unstoppable. We are in a fantastic, ever-evolving and growing industry. Let’s work together as an industry, be professional and kind.

I offer workplace empowerment sessions if you are a salon owner and would like to book a consultation with me. Head to my website www.nicolalelievre.com