The idea of boomerang employees — workers who voluntarily leave a job at an organization and then rejoin that same organization at a later date — is gaining more and more acceptance from hiring managers and in the labor force. If you’re one of these employees, how should you handle your comeback? What’s the best way to get back into the fold? Do you try to pick up where you left off? And what do you say to people about why you quit in the first place and why you’re back?
What to Do When You’re Returning to a Company You Used to Work For
Boomerang employees — workers who voluntarily left a job at an organization and then rejoin that same organization at a later date — are growing more and more widespread in the labor force. If you’re one of them, how should you handle your comeback? What’s the best way to get back into the fold? Start by projecting maturity. Establish yourself as a more senior person in the organization by highlighting your recent development opportunities. Your colleagues will want to see that you’ve evolved. Reset your expectations. Don’t assume the company stayed the same since you left. Engage in a series onboarding conversations to learn the new lay of the land. Make a conscious effort to network around the company and find ways to contribute to the conversation without smothering or criticizing. There’s no need to dwell on the reasons you originally resigned — particularly if you were unhappy. If a colleague presses you, be upbeat and express how thrilled you are to be back.