About a week or so ago I received an email from a co-worker. Not that it matters much but this particular co-worker actually lives and works overseas. This is also a co-worker I have never heard of or met in my career with the company. The email I received from this person was the first time I ever knew this person existed.

I’m kind of fussy about leaving people with good impressions about me, myself and I. Regardless of what I may think of them, I try to temper any ill feelings and try to take the high road in all of my interactions. I have worked at jobs with hellish bosses and I have worked at jobs with hellish co-workers. I have worked in environments that were, for lack of a better word: hellish.

I know what it is like to have trouble getting out of bed because I hated my job THAT MUCH. I have been laid off by the same company THREE TIMES during my career. Oh yes, you read that right. Laid off three times by ONE company. I know what it feels like to be let go in a re-organization and to have my role classified as unnecessary and unimportant.

I’m not saying any of that feels good. Not the mean bully boss and not being told you are an unnecessary part of the organization. Regardless of that I do feel like it is important to always leave an employer with some tiny bit of grace.

The co-worker I mentioned at the top of this post didn’t do that. My first and likely only impression of this person was them sending an email communication (apparently to anyone and everyone in the company) that slapped management for letting them go and closed with personal contact information and a request for job leads.

I was a bit irritated to be on the receiving end of that message. First of all, I don’t know this person or their direct manager so I have no knowledge of their issues. Second, I think to exit with a letter of that tone (sent to anyone, not to mention an entire international staff) is unprofessional and immature.

If this person had issues that needed to be shared perhaps the Human Resources department would have been the appropriate avenue. For as complicated and stressful as some of my work environments have been, I have never felt like I was to the point where I needed to leave on such a sour note.

What are your thoughts on these types of exit letters?

Have you ever sent one and if so, what was the tone of the message?

If not, under what circumstances would you send something of that nature to your co-workers?