If you have ever considered returning — or boomeranging — to your former employer, you are not alone. In a recent study, nearly 40 percent of those surveyed said they’d consider returning to their former company, according to the study from The Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated and WorkplaceTrends.com. Among those surveyed, 15 percent said they already had boomeranged back to an old employer at some point.
Boomerangs may be onto something. They’re already accustomed to the ins and outs of the company culture, technology and leadership. And perhaps their goal for leaving — to earn a higher salary or develop a new skill — has been achieved, and it feels like time to revisit the old stomping grounds.
Intrigued? Well, there are several ways you can immerse yourself in this trend. Market yourself appropriately and, better yet, strategically position your career moves, so that returning to your former employer is the natural next step. Here’s how.
1. Leave on good terms. The adage “never burn your bridges” couldn’t be more true. You should always resign on a positive note. Resist the temptation to text your resignation and always give at least two weeks’ notice. And write thank you notes to your former boss and colleagues.
Beside the fact that you may need to reach out to them as references in the future, you never know when you may cross paths with your colleagues — especially under the same roof — again.
2. Strive for impeccable performance reviews. When I worked in recruiting, former employees who applied to my jobs were always highly considered. Regardless of the employer, the common denominator was always to give significant weight to boomerangs and put them at the top of the virtual pile.
Why was this consistently the case? For starters, ramp-up time for boomerangs is significantly shorter than with new hires. They’re already familiar with the internal workings of the company, from the culture to the time sheet system.
That said, I still always looked into their performance reviews from their time at the company and, more importantly, to find out why they left. Were they terminated for poor performance? Or was their department eliminated? If anyone had a “needs improvement” rating on their record, they were an immediate “no.” So, during performance reviews, and upon exiting a company, find out what’s going to be on your permanent record.
Granted, there’s not much you can do to change a “needs improvement” rating after the fact, but it’s always good to be knowledgeable about where you stand and make sure that records are 100 percent accurate before you leave.
3. Stay in touch. It’s always smart to maintain your professional relationships, and it’s especially important to reach out if you’re contemplating returning to your former employer.
While you’re enjoying lunch or coffee with them, dive deeper. Ask about ways the company’s culture, leadership and values have changed and what growth looks like. Is it a happy environment to work in? Are there opportunities to grow? Figure out what you’re looking for in a new employer and ask specific questions to determine whether they’re aligned with your priorities.
Keep your original reason for leaving in mind. If you previously felt that the company’s core values weren’t aligned with your own, but now it seems like things have changed, then by all means consider pursuing them. At the same time, just because certain things have changed doesn’t mean that everyone at the company will share your beliefs. For instance, if your former horrible boss still works in the department you’d be joining, or if compensation hasn’t changed, and you previously felt underpaid, it might be better to simply stay away.
4. Showcase your knowledge about the company. It’s not only likely that old colleagues will forward along job opportunities to you as soon as they hear about them — there’s a good chance they’ll send your application directly to the hiring manager.
When recruiters call you for the initial interview, be prepared for an alteration to the ubiquitous question, “Why should we hire you?” And of course, “Why do you want to work here?” You need to be prepared to convince them why they should rehire you and, of course, why you truly want to work there again. Yes, being a boomerang certainly boosts your chances of being a front-runner for that job, but don’t solely rely on it during the process. You still need to ace it.
Demonstrate how knowledgeable you are about the company. Don’t be a know-it-all, but remind them how you’re already ahead of the curve without saying, “You know, I’m a boomerang. I should get first preference.” It’s a show-don’t-tell scenario — show them that you’re well-versed on company happenings by mentioning nuggets of information you found on their social media feeds, for example. Make it seem like you haven’t missed a beat in the time you’ve been gone, and you’ll boomerang back into familiar territory in no time.
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4 Steps to Becoming a Boomerang Employee originally appeared on usnews.com
