This is the Business English Podcast, Episode 210.
You'll be missed. How to maintain a professional contact.
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Worked somewhere where somebody you liked, someone you had a friendship with, left the company?
Yeah, for sure. Back when I taught English in Japan, I became very close to the other native teacher.
Actually, I guess I left first because my contract was up and I was going home.
But yeah, that was hard. Like I felt, I felt sad saying goodbye to my Japanese coworkers and the other native teacher there for sure.
Yeah. Yeah. It can be hard. It can be really hard because you see these people day in and day out and it's, it's, uh, I doubt it just gave me another idea for an episode.
Anyway, day in, day out. Um, so exactly.
Uh, it can be really hard to say goodbye when somebody is leaving or when you're leaving and, It's emotional.
So today we are going to talk about if you are staying at the job and someone's leaving, what can you say to connect with that person?
So we're going to get to that in a second.
But first, we wanted to thank you guys so much for your reviews.
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Love it. All right. Thanks so much for those.
So today, like I said, we are going to talk about how to connect with your coworker on his or her last day.
Lindsay, would you say it's common to throw somebody a party on their last day?
What happens on someone's last day? I think it kind of is common.
Yeah. And I think that it's nice. It's some way of wrapping it up, whether it's just a little party in the office, a get together, someone brings something in, or whether you go out together.
I think it is pretty common that companies do or departments or teams do not celebrate, but acknowledge it, do something together.
Right. Right. Also, if it's maybe someone's retiring, there could be a retirement party at work.
Maybe even the family comes and people, you know, that's usually maybe a bigger thing.
Right. But it also depends. Is this person leaving, you know, on good terms?
Did they give enough notice? Like how here we're imagining it's amicable and that it's not that someone was fired or that they're leaving and yelling on their way out for this episode.
Everyone's on good terms. Right. It might be different if someone did get fired.
Obviously, I guess the company probably wouldn't be organizing some kind of an event.
I don't think so. Usually someone leads them out.
Yeah, that's true. Right. If you get fired in a large company, typically you just have to leave right away.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is where the natural, like someone's quit, someone's moving on, someone's retiring, the more positive ways of walking out the door.
Yeah. Yes, exactly. I mean, I remember when I worked for the radio company and I remember, um, one, a coworker who, who he sat across from me, um, and we had gotten to be pretty close and it was, it was hard.
And you, this is someone you see every day.
And this was, I mean, this was now over 10 years ago and it, it, it's sad because you think, oh, well, you know, we'll keep in touch.
And, um, Doesn't always happen. Yeah, like I think I spoke to him a couple times since and it's just weird how that happens, right?
These goodbyes, like someone who's a part of your every day and then...
Yeah. I mean, I think from a career perspective, though, this could be really strategic to attend these parties.
Like if you're thinking, frankly, about your own career, right?
You know, presumably this person is still going to be working in the industry.
And just because they're no longer working at your company doesn't mean they can't be a great professional contact for you.
Yeah. That's right. And maybe they go somewhere new and in two years from now, you want to leave your job and they recommend you to that company.
This happens all the time. So I think it's less about the company and it's about your connection with this person is what the episode is about today.
Right. How do we actually improve our careers by building and saving that relationship?
Yeah. Definitely. So also, guys, head on over.
We have a great episode. This was Business English episode 193.
This was get the biggest bang for your buck with this episode.
I remember this one. This was a lot of fun.
Yeah, good stuff. Good stuff. So we're going to learn today, you know, what are the things we can say at that at that event, that party, or even just as they're just leaving, maybe they're just leaving.
It's no ceremony. What can we say? Right.
Right. Exactly. So one thing you can do is ask about their next steps.
Like, let's say, if you know them, don't ask.
But if you know where they're going, don't ask this question.
But what's something you could say if you don't know where they're heading?
Yeah. Could say, so where are you off to?
And so now, do you mean literally now when you're walking out the door?
Or what do you mean? You mean what company, what's your next career move?
So this expression is interesting because it can be used figuratively as in what's your next career move, what's your next life move, or where are you physically going right now?
Exactly. Exactly. But another thing you want to do is say what you enjoyed about working with them.
So you could say something like, you'll be missed here.
You were so much fun to work with. Maybe some sort of specific thing.
Make it genuine. Think of a memory or something you enjoyed about them.
Yeah. And I would be careful as you're asking the first question, where are you off to?
Be careful kind of who's around just because if there's a manager or a higher up and if maybe they're going to work for a competing company, it could be really... You might make them feel awkward by... You might make them feel like, ah, I didn't want anybody to know.
So definitely that's a really good point, Lindsay.
Don't do that. Maybe make that more of a private moment.
Yeah, I would just be really careful who's around for sure.
Yeah, for sure. Good point. Yeah. Abercrombie is known for their denim.
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Exclusions apply. See details online. Okay, something else we could say, Michelle?
Well, say how you personally feel. I mean, this is all about being personal.
So you could say something like, I'll miss you.
Or you could say, I'll miss our whatever it is.
Think of something you did together. Maybe I'll miss our talks.
I'll miss our lunches. I'll miss our jokes.
I'll miss working on presentations, whatever it is.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And wish them luck, right?
So good luck with your new position, or I hope you love your new job.
Very positive things, right? And then this is, I would say this is the key, Lindsay.
We talked about trying to keep those professional contacts up.
So giving them some sort of action item.
So for some, you could say just something like, it doesn't have to be anything really fancy, but you could say, please keep in touch.
Or what else could you say? Or let's make sure to X. Let's make sure to get lunch once a month.
Let's make sure to text. Let's make sure to go to happy hour.
I mean, the fact is, you know, if you have worked for a certain period of time, a year or something, that's a professional contact.
It's harder and maybe they trust you. They know your skills.
It's harder to find a new one than it is to maintain that one.
That person, again, could write you a recommendation letter for something.
Just because they're at a new company doesn't mean you're not going to see them at the industry conference.
Doesn't mean you can't collaborate with them on a presentation at a conference.
Yeah. So that really matters. That connection.
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Or you could say, this is a fun one, you know where to find me.
It's not necessarily an action item, but it's kind of saying, without saying, I'll keep in touch.
Like, I'd like to hear from you. And when you say, you know where to find me, you mean like your phone number?
Yeah, maybe you have my contact information.
You know where I work. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And then, of course, give them your information.
If for some reason they don't have it, be sure to connect on LinkedIn or Um, that would be, yeah, these are, this is the way to do it, Michelle.
This is important, right? Exactly. Exactly.
So now we're going to do a two role plays actually.
Something new. So two for the price of one.
Um, so in the, in this one, Lindsay, you are leaving the company.
All right, here we go. Here we go. So where are you off to?
Oh, I'm going to be at that new bank on 5th.
Oh, wow. Congrats. You'll be missed here.
Your Excel skills are unmatched. Oh, thanks.
I'll miss you guys too. But aside from work, I'll miss our deep talks at lunch.
Oh, me too. We had a lot of fun. I hope you love your new job.
Please keep in touch. You have my number, right?
Yes. All right. Very typical conversation, right?
So maybe we should go through this one before we move on to the next one.
So I said, so where are you off to? And first I did a look around to make sure there was nobody there.
Look over your shoulder. Yeah. We're just imagining maybe just the two of us talking.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And again, what you're saying here, you're not saying physically where you're going right now, right?
You're saying, where's your next career move, right?
Where are you going to be working next? Yes.
And then you said, Michelle, oh, wow, congrats.
You'll be missed here. Your Excel skills are unmatched.
And that means you mean Microsoft Excel, right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah. And then I said, aside from work, I'll miss our deep talks at lunch.
So it sounds like we were pretty close. Yeah, we were pretty close for sure.
Good work, friends. And then you said, I hope you love your new job.
Please keep in touch. You have my number, right?
So just checking in, being positive, all good things here.
Leaving on a good note. Yes, exactly. Exactly.
Leaving on a good note. So that's important.
So should we do one more role play? Yeah.
So here you are leaving the job. I'm leaving.
All right. Here we go. Oh, Michelle, I can't believe you're leaving.
I wish you so much luck at your new job.
Thanks, Lindsay. I'll miss you. You'll be missed here.
Your positive attitude always brightened everyone's day and I'll miss our coffee breaks.
Oh, same here. Well, let's make sure to get together for coffee once a month.
Yes, you know we will. You know where to find me.
Okay, good. So, and then here he said, oh, I wish you so much luck.
This is interesting here for our listeners.
Guys, write this one down, right? So normally say, I wish you luck, but here to make it more native and natural, I wish you so much luck.
So much luck. Really interesting here. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. Just stronger. Yeah. And then you said you'll be missed here.
And then you said something specific. Your positive attitude always brightened everyone's day.
And I'll miss our coffee breaks. Very nice.
And then I said, well, let's make sure to get together for coffee once a month.
Yes. So we have a little action item. And then you said, you know where to find me.
And I liked your intonation on that, Lindsay.
It was beautiful. Can you do that again for us?
You know where to find me. It just felt right, that intonation.
It felt right. Exactly. Yeah. Right. So yeah, I really think that these are huge connection moments.
Don't think of it as, ah, this person's leaving.
All right. Right. And mark the moment, mark the moment.
Cause again, I think the takeaway today is, um, obviously we don't want to be self-serving, but first of all, be positive, send them off in a positive way, let them know how they've impacted you, but also think about your career and their career.
You know, how can you help their career in the future?
I think nowadays, like I said, it's more about you as a professional.
You know, formerly before in our parents' generation, it was we worked for the same company from age 22 to 65.
And that was it. It was all about the company.
Now it's about you and your career and people are moving all the time.
Yeah. And so maybe you'll work with them again.
Maybe they can recommend you. Maybe you'll, you know, they're in your professional network.
Okay. Yeah. That's what matters. Yeah, definitely.
Yeah. So keep that connection and follow up with these people.
Try, try your best, you know, even if you just send them an email or text every once in a while, it doesn't need to be anything huge, but just try and keep the door open.
Or something as simple as just liking their posts on LinkedIn.
I try to go over to LinkedIn and often I see what's going on with people in my network and someone has a work anniversary and maybe this person lives across the world.
But I can like the post. I can write a little note.
Congrats. That just reminds them that you exist.
Yeah. reminds them of you. We're all so busy.
So doing little things like this to maintain our network, we could talk about this another day.
But this is important, Michelle. Yeah, absolutely.
That's a great idea, Lindsay, on LinkedIn.
Yeah, good stuff. So guys, don't forget to review Business English.
If you love this show, hit that follow button, but then go and review us.
We want to announce your name on the show.
Good stuff. Definitely. All right. Thanks to our reviewers.
And Lindsay, thanks for chatting today. All right.
Take care. Bye, Michelle. Bye. Thank you for listening to Business English, a podcast just for you, the high achieving global professional.
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