Three things you should be doing during your notice period
You're about to start a new adventure at a new company, but before you ride off into the sunset, there are a few things you should be doing at your current employer.
Preparing to start a new job is exciting. There are so many emotions that go into deciding whether to leave your current place of employment.
READ: The danger of changing jobs too often
Depending on the company and the industry, a notice period may vary from one organisation to the next. A notice period is important as it gives your employer the time to find a suitable candidate to take over your role.
During your notice period, you will be excluded from certain meetings and it may seem that your company has forgotten about you - which is not the case. Business and life must go on, so the organisation needs to start planning for somebody new to take over the reins from you.
You would think that once you've placed your resignation that it's smooth sailing until you leave your job. Wrong! This is the time where the real work begins.
Here are three things you should be doing during your notice period:
Preparing your handover document
If you have been at your company for a while, you will be surprised at how many things you actually did during your tenure. Keep a working document (either in Word or even a live version in Google Docs) and jot down all the things you used to do - step by step. Keep it simple and less flowery. Add headlines and break your tasks up into paragraphs so that it's easier for the new incumbent to read. Also - if you have used any passwords to any company programmes and accounts, jot them down and don't forget to disconnect and delink them from your devices when you leave.
Continue being of service, but start delegating tasks
You may be leaving soon and want to continue completing all your tasks by yourself, but remember that you need to start handing over to your replacement. Put a checklist of things together of things that need to be done on a daily basis and instead of doing it all by yourself, sit alongside your replacement, and start handing them over. Be like a shadow and stay close to the newbie in case he or she needs to call on you. Each day, delegate one small task so that by the time your notice period is over, you'll be able to walk out with zero tasks pending.
Say your goodbyes: Write your farewell speech
Depending on your organisation, there may be a sneaky farewell party being planned for you. Spend some time writing down a short and sweet farewell speech. You want to leave on a high note, so instead of jotting down everything that went wrong and everyone who you may have had a run-in with, take the time to note your highs and achievements during your time. Send a big thank you and shoutout to those who have walked the journey with you. Ensure you leave on a high with the same excitement and vigour you entered the business with.
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