What should you do?

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12 March 2016

00:00

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By Carole Ibukun Adebayo

Now there's so much advice out there on what to do in the "first" 30 (or100) days in a new role, but very little on what to do in the latter days' in a role, when working one's notice period.

What you do from day 1 onwards in a new role, and in your last 30 days, could make the difference between you being remembered with ignominy - or given the send off of a lifetime, like this CEO, Mark Sebba, or a less spectacular but equally honorable send off like David Letterman's - albeit neither of them built up their awesome reputation in their last 30 or 100 days, clearly.

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Sorry You're leaving

People were clearly sorry to see Mr Sebba and Mr Letterman go; and I hold pleasant memories of having to send former departmental members off with fondness, and a card/present citing the words "sorry you're leaving", not only because of their commitment whilst on the job, but also once they'd handed in their notice, and up until the end of their tenure.

On the other hand, I remember jointly interviewing a gentleman 10 years ago for a role who - when I asked what he did in his last 30 days in his previous role – said: "they'll definitely remember me, as I locked all employees out of their accounts before I left because they didn't pay me the contract rates they'd promised!" I obviously didn't hire him, never mind wait to see what he'd do in his last 30 days with us.

So what should an employee or leader do in their last 30 days or whilst working their notice period - to maintain their dignity and professionalism?"

6 Do's

Aim to complete all unfinished projects.
Set up your replacement for success - share all your work with them, and introduce them to the key stakeholders they need to relate with.
If no replacement is in place, strive to document everything you'd have liked your predecessor to have documented for you before you started in the role.
Pay back any unpaid loans - even if the company's forgotten about these.
Thank everyone who has made your time in the company what it's been.
Whatever your rank or file, specifically thank your team members , as you couldn't have achieved what you did alone - without them.

6 Don't s

Don't clock off mentally or physically until you've signed out on the last day.
Don't badmouth your colleagues to your replacement - no matter how tough things may have been.
Don't sabotage your replacement's chances of progress.
Don't try to poach team members if leaving for another role.
Don't lock anyone out of their accounts if you have the ability to do so!
Don't take any regrets home with you on your last day.

When all is said and done, it all boils down to not only what you'd want people to remember and say about you, but also what you'd be proud to tell future employers about yourself. If you can't say to a new employer (or yourself), with pride, "I did xyz in my last 30 days", then is it worth really doing it, in the first instance?

Whilst I've listed my personal do's and don'ts - the question remains:

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What would you do

if you had 30 days to work out your notice:

Any more suggestions as to what to do (or not) in those last 30 days would be more than welcome, as always!

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Ibukun Adebayo

12 March 2016

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