Close Doors Quietly.
Why how you leave matters just as much as how you arrived.
In your career doors will always be opening and closing. New roles. New hires. New partnerships. But it’s not the opening of doors that defines your reputation, it’s how you close them.
Whether you’re the employee resigning or the employer making a tough call or accepting an unexpected resignation - the way you exit a chapter becomes part of your personal brand. And in this wonderful world of fashion and retail, that is exponentially smaller than you would believe, people talk.
Anyone can show up well on day one, but the real measure of professionalism is often revealed at the end. On both sides of the coin. Yes we are looking at employers here too.
Can you leave with dignity and integrity?
Do you speak respectfully or constructively about the experience?
Do you protect relationships — even if they didn’t serve you?
Can you communicate clearly and directly, rather than emotionally or reactively?
This is not to detract from bad behaviour, tolerating poor treatment or awful experiences, or suppressing feedback. Feelings are valid, decisions to move on are personal, but given others people’s behaviour are always outside of your control – the one thing you have control over is your personal brand.
Careers are long. Industries are smaller (much smaller) than you think. And your reputation travels faster than your CV. There is power in control, and your reputation is cumulative over the course of your career. Careers are marathons, not sprints.
Closing the door quietly doesn’t mean silencing yourself. It means:
Giving proper notice
Avoiding public criticism or dramatic exits
Completing handovers thoroughly
Thanking people who invested in you
Leaving systems and relationships intact
Because here is the truth you never know:
When a former colleague becomes a future client
When a past manager becomes a referee
When your industry circles back around
Professional maturity is the ability to say “That chapter is complete. I’m grateful for what it taught me.” Even if what it taught you was what you don’t want moving forward.
And if you’re the employer?
Letting someone go, or navigating a resignation with grace, is equally defining. We have all been there – a resignation can feel deeply personal no matter how much you try to remain objective.
How you treat people on their way out says more about your culture than your website ever will.
Closing the door quietly as an employer looks like:
Communicating with clarity and respect
Protecting dignity, and confidentiality
Avoiding a he said/she said narrative
Paying entitlements promptly
Recognising and celebrating their contributions
So, when it is time to go – ask yourself, “How do I want to be remembered?”
Close the door quietly, because when you want or need that door to reopen you will want to be associated with professionalism, composure and integrity, not a knee jerk reaction that makes you cringe today.
Every exit becomes part of your story. Make sure it’s a chapter you’d be proud to reread, because your personal brand is always worth protecting!
If you’d like to connect with Ange, please email Ange@thetalentmill.com.au today.
By Ange Millar // Edited By Shannon Parsons