By Marc Belaiche,
Are you in a situation where you left a great
position with an employer to go to another company and, now some months or
years later, it hasn’t worked out? Would
you go to your former boss and ask for your old job back?
Certainly, going back to a previous boss to
ask for your job back can be embarrassing and take a lot of confidence. Also, though, it is generally not successful.
Here are a few things to do and/or consider
prior to and during the process:
PRIOR
TO ASKING:
Would you be taking a step back?
How would your resume look down the road if
you went from, say, a Manager role to a Vice-President position and then back
to a Manager role? How would this impact
your job search again in the future? How
might future employers look at that?
How long were you with the company?
The longer you were with your former employer, generally the more likely you will be successful in getting your job back. A long-term trusted employee will have a better chance than someone who was only there a shorter time.
How long have you been away?
Certainly a factor in the chances of
getting your old job back may depend on how long you have been away. The team, division or people may have changed
since you left so your former boss will also consider this.
Ask Other Employees
Ask other employees (both with the company
or who have left) whose opinion you trust what their thoughts are and if your
position is still available. This will
help determine if it’s worth asking in the first place.
Your original reason(s) for leaving
What your reason(s) was (were) for leaving the
company in the first place will affect the chances of getting your job
back. For example, if you left because
of money and the position’s salary hasn’t changed, an employer may think you
will leave again if offered more money somewhere else. If the reason you left was because of a
coworker that you couldn’t work with and that coworker is no longer there, this
may help in your chances.
Did you stay in touch?
There is more of a chance that the former
employer will be receptive to the idea if you stayed in touch with them and/or
your former coworkers after you had left.
Is your position still available?
Is the position still available? Is it posted anywhere? Has your position been replaced? There is more of a chance of getting rehired
if your position has not yet been backfilled.
What was the mood after you gave your
resignation?
If your boss was cold towards you during
your notice period there is likely less of a chance that he/she will offer you
your position back. Also, do you
remember if they gave you, or offered to give you, a reference upon leaving?
Were you professional when you left? Did you give an appropriate amount of
notice? Were you responsive to any
follow-up questions that your employer had even after you left?
How were your performance reviews?
If you had excellent performance reviews
and were well-liked, your chances of getting your old job back are
greater. If you had areas for
improvement, have those been improved since you’ve left? Have you acquired any new skills that would
be useful for your former employer?
These points will also factor into any decision by your ex-employer to
have you come back.
How will it look on your resume?
You’ll need to think about how your resume
will look in the future if you return to a company. Certainly, future recruiters are certain to
view that your company gave you your old job back after you had left as a
positive. However, future recruiters may
think that you may do it again if a new job didn’t work out.
What salary will you accept?
This will certainly be a question that will
be asked. If you left for more money in
the first place, would you then be willing to go back to your old position at
the same salary you were at?
Do you have unique skills?
If you’re a Tax Manager in a C.A.
Ask for a meeting
Something like this is probably best done
in person as opposed to on the phone.
Ask your former boss for a meeting to discuss an issue that has arisen and
explain that it would be better discussed in person.
Practice what you’re going to say
Have some notes written up so you can be
ready to explain why you’d like to come back.
Practice the words that you’re going to say as well as the tone of your
voice.
Company Policy/Precedent?
Are you aware of an existing company policy
or a precedent of someone returning to the company after they left? This can help in selling the idea when you
meet your former employer.
WHEN
MEETING YOUR FORMER EMPLOYER:
Be Genuine and Humble
Being genuine and humble will help in
getting the outcome you wish. Be
brutally honest, if you hadn’t already done so, as to your original reason(s)
for leaving when you meet your former boss.
Be Confident
Speak confidently and directly to your ex-boss. Be sure to make eye contact to get a feel for
their facial expression and body language so that you can make adjustments
during your meeting.
Sell the Idea
You may need to sell your former employer on
the reason(s) that it makes sense for him/her and the company to have you come
back. Explain the benefits of having you
come back (e.g. you know the company, you know how things work, etc.). After your boss’ initial reaction, which will most
likely be one of “Look who wants to come back now!”, he/she should make a
business decision and not a personal decision as to the pros/cons your return can
have on the company and/or the department.
The more you can show the benefits of you returning, the better your
chances.
Ask them their concerns
Ask them their concerns to see if there’s
anything that you could do or say to minimize those concerns.
Ask for another role
If your position has already been
backfilled, ask if there’s another similar role or ask to be kept in mind for
any other appropriate positions if that interests you. If you have excellent knowledge of the
company’s operations, your former boss may realize the benefits of having you
back with the company in another role if something were to become available.
Thank Them for their Time
Chances are you won’t be given an answer on
the spot. Allow them time to ponder the
situation. Send a thank you letter/email
for the meeting. Respond promptly to any
follow-up questions they may have.
OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS:
Effect on Other Employees:
Your employer will no doubt consider how
your possible return may be perceived by other employees. It could be viewed positively since the
employer can show to other employees that the “grass isn’t greener on the other
side”. Alternatively, it could be perceived
negatively that someone left the company was welcomed back.
Perception by your former boss
There will certainly be a perception by
your ex-boss that you were disloyal in the first place by leaving. Make sure that you acknowledge and address
this concern, and reiterate the reason(s) you left in the first place even if
your former boss doesn’t bring it up themselves.
How will you feel if you don’t get your
job back?
You’ll need to be prepared to not get your
job back. How will that make you
feel? No one likes to be rejected – how
will that impact you?
CONCLUSION
Having a valued employee return to a
previous employer after leaving may help an employer depending on their
staffing needs and what you can bring back to the company. You’ll need to sell the idea. It doesn’t hurt to ask for your job back - the
worse thing that can happen is that you get rejected and your pride gets hurt.