‘How important is it really to leave on good terms?’: 20+ Professionals Working In and Out of Different Industries Discuss the Pros and Cons of 'Burning Corporate Bridges' When Quitting

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Dec 14, 2024 7:00 AM EST

What happens when you start to feel miserable at your place of employment? When you are at your last straw and feel the need to get out of there. Perhaps you have a better job lined up already or maybe you don't even care and you just gotta go. Many, dare we say most, have been in this position before. If you have worked multiple jobs, then you know how hard it can be out there. You have to try on jobs like trying on new jeans to find that perfect fight. However, you're ill-fitting jeans aren't helping you pay the rent, but that deadend job is… So how do you quit? Do you throw your unfinished paperwork at your boss and tell him to stick it where the sun don't shine? After all the entitlement and disrespectful ways he's treated you, sounds only fair. But wait, what if that gets around the industry? You might be black listed from any other company! So, do you just swallow your pride and do the "professional" thing with a 2-weeks notice and a defeated limp out the door? Professionals discuss in a Reddit thread—we've pulled the highlights below to help provide you with the best answer. 

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  • 01
    "We always hear everyone say the importance of leaving companies on good terms and never burning bridges, but realistically..."
    via Unsplash+ (and Getty Images)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    Has burning corporate bridges ever come back to haunt you? How important is it really to leave on good terms? I am currently working as a consultant for a medium sized firm but I will be joining a new company in July as a full time associate in a rotational program.
    via 99rondo
  • 03
    Planning out my budget now and I'm accounting for leaving with the traditional 2 weeks of notice before I move to start my new position, but with the ability to work remotely would it be crazy to work until I'm basically pushed out? I assume I could squeeze at least an extra month of half- assed work before its put on notice. Between this and some additional PTO this could put an extra 7k-12k in my pocket which makes a huge difference for a young worker in a new city.
    via 99rondo
  • 04
    Granted, this could ruin any prior good rapport I had built up and could eliminate any chances for rehire or using anybody as a professional reference, but if I had 10k in hand right now I wouldn't pay that price for a good reputation and a few good references.
    via 99rondo
  • 05
    We always hear everyone say the importance of leaving companies on good terms and never burning bridges, but realistically this is a role that I don't ever see myself even wanting to return to, the instability of consulting is not for me, and the client I'm working on is in a completely different industry than any other companies I've worked with or entertained, not to mention being in a different state. Of course, I
    via 99rondo
  • 06
    can't foresee the future and anything is possible, but I do feel confident about the company I'm joining and being in a rotational program I know they place more of an emphasis on investing in associates and wanting to keep them around long term. I don't foresee myself needing to look for another role for some years and by the time I might, I'm sure my resume will be more impressive than it is now and I could land another position better than this current one.
    via 99rondo
  • 07
    Have any of you been in a similar situation, or had an experience where burnt bridges came back to haunt you, or the opposite where leaving on good terms has turned out to be beneficial?
    via 99rondo
  • 08
    Used_Mark_7911 You'd be surprised how many people you run into again in your career, often at other firms. You don't want their most recent memory of you to be a negative perception of your dramatic exit.
    via Used_Mark_7911
  • 09
    Who_Dat_1guy If you're too tier talent, never burn bridges. If you're working a small retail job. Who cares.
    via Who_Dat_1guy
  • 10
    LeagueAggravat... Career Critical. Never burn your bridge because it's not IF but WHEN it bites you back. In one of my jobs I truly detested management and my reason to quit the company, I nevertheless left with a smile and thanked everyone. 2 companies later,
    via LeagueAggravating595
  • 11
    when I was applying to one company, the Hiring IT Director said they were personal friends and past co-workers with so-and-so VP that I had worked for... The Director called him up while I was still finishing up my interview and got the job. While it is tempting to get your revenge from your previous employer(s), you will never get the last laugh.
    via LeagueAggravating595
  • 12
    jjfl... I've gotten multiple jobs because people I'd worked with in the past remembered me and tried to bring me over. I've also been in customer and partner conversations where the network paid off and helped start off with goodwill.
    via jjflight
  • 13
    Importantly both of those were often not with the specific company I'd worked for, but with the people I'd worked with who had then gone to many many different companies and industries. And as a hiring manager I've also hired lots of people who had great references, and decided not to hire a few when the references were poor. I didn't personally do "backdoor" reference checks (calling folks I
    via jjflight
  • 14
    thought would have known someone even if it's not a name they provided), but also know from processes I was an interviewer in that that was really common too. So all of those are very real reasons that your reputation and network matter, which is well understood broadly in the world even if some folks on Reddit say otherwise and even if it may be hard to prove counterfactuals at times.
    via jjflight
  • 15
    Determined Quo... So it has not come back to bite me. Because I'm not burning bridges. But I've seen it come back to bite a lot of other people. Most fields are significantly smaller than you expect them to be. So multiple times in my career I've gotten sent a name of someone I did in fact know and rejected them outright based on previous behavior.
    via DeterminedQuokka
  • 16
    The only time I that I didn't do this (because I hadn't worked with the person just been on some panels with them, where they were 50% red flags). The person lied. and said I recommended them and I had to correct that but told them to continue the process. They got rejected in the next phase for being a j
    via DeterminedQuokka
  • 17
    So on some level being the kind of person who burns bridges is likely to screw you even if no one knows what you did.
    via DeterminedQuokka
  • 18
    redditmodloserv... I wouldn't make it a habit, especially if your industry is small. I would refrain from it strictly out of principle and in the interest of professionalism/trying to be the bigger person, but if someone is doing unethical/illegal stuff then I wouldn't care to burn the bridge. Tldr I wouldn't do it every job but sometimes it might be the right thing to do
    via redditmodloservirgin
  • 19
    Foraging_For_Pokemon I never burn bridges, no matter how poorly a company treated me or how much resentment I have for said company. You never know if or when you might need to use that company as a reference, or someone from that company as a reference. Upon departing a company, I always shake my bosses. hand and thank them for the opportunity. Even if you felt like the opportunities were poor and your boss was the worst boss imaginable, there is literally no
    via Foraging_For_Pokemon
  • 20
    benefit of laying into a boss/company with your bad experiences. Maybe you'll temporarily feel better since "you showed them", but this feeling will soon dissipate and your references/resources from that company are likely now moot. Remember that a lot of opportunities come not necessarily because of what you know, but who you know. Here's a great example:
    via Foraging_For_Pokemon
  • 21
    Didn't like your boss Steve from Dominos? Turns out Steve from Dominos is best friends with Jim from Disney Land, your dream job that you meet all the qualifications for and just submitted a job application to. Jim talks to Steve about this new candidate that just applied and meets all his requirements for the role and how excited he is about having them join the team. Steve chimes in saying
    via Foraging_For_Pokemon
  • 22
    that name sounds familiar, and that you used to work for him but really laid in to him and burned your bridges when you left the company. Despite not legally being allowed to do so, (nobody will know unless Steve or Jim say anything to someone else) Steve will now tell Jim to avoid hiring you at all costs. Being best friends with Steve, Jim takes his advice and throws your application in the trash. Don't burn bridges.
    via Foraging_For_Pokemon
  • 23
    SlickWillie86 As good as $10k sounds, it's not worth it long-term to burn that bridge. That said, you MAY be able to work part-time in the old role while starting the new one (assuming both are remote) with a quick exit strategy to achieve the boost in short-term income you're after. The risk is underperforming in the new role and damaging your rep with the incumbent organization, but only you'll know what's doable.
    via SlickWillie86
  • 24
    CupOk5474 I burned a lot do bridges and still land at the top. Nobody can hurt you if you are top talent. Everyone knows the jealousy factor is high
    via CupOK5474

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