Did you ever feel weird/sad after leaving a job?

n1guy

So left my job this week I'd been in for almost 10 years, It wasn't a job I particularly loved so I thought simple case of "Right guys see you later" and on I went.  What I hadn't taken into account was the relationships i had built with colleagues, I wasn't prepared for the emotions that appeared, the trembling lips holding back the tears when saying my goodbyes, the churning stomach, then the sleeping issues.  It literally felt like I lost a relative like grief.  I'm just so pleased I gave myself a few days off before i start my new job as I had initially planned to start the next day, I'd have been no use to anyone. But yeah wow they don't tell you that or maybe it's just me being a softie.

comeandgo

Usually only lasted a day then the looking forward to the new job/ experience.  Any friends I want to continue being friends with then we meet up or phone, just keep in touch.  

diystarter7

Hi

Ayone that has been in a place for more than a year or two IMO feels like that.

Though I had bullies at my last place and managed to educated them via offical routes and help of three close co-workers, I still do think about and miss many even those I worked with over 35 years ago
In the old days you did not have mobiles, emails but last 25 years my fauly for not keeping in touch as I am a private guy and kept private life and work life quiet seperate


Just give the ones you miss a quick hiya and a little chat when you know they are free . When i make a call to someone and its rare and they cant get to the phone or engaged, it saddens me further so possibly an emailsaying hi and call me or i will call you later may hel

You will get over it but at times stuff sdoes come back and we all miss certai people

Own_Worst_Enermy

Yes totally normal even if you’ve had a time in /been through the mill in that employment.

When I was in hospital my mind wanted to go back pre pandemic to a time just before I started with a small business in very early 2020 way before any trouble. I suppose that was me at my happiest or I felt safest. Ah maybe the dates just didn’t help.

TELLIT01

Possibly a small element of sadness on occasion, not about leaving the job but leaving the people.  I've only had one job where I was simply glad to be out of the place at any cost!

ReadingTim

Of course it's natural - you probably spend more of your waking hours with work colleagues than with friends/family.  

But you made friends with this lot, so you'll make friends with the new lot too.  And you may also realise that despite the "keep in touch" comments, if you do meet up with the old lot again, you may find out that you don't have that much in common anymore, as you're no longer in that office/situation....  

n1guy

ReadingTim said:

Of course it's natural - you probably spend more of your waking hours with work colleagues than with friends/family.  

But you made friends with this lot, so you'll make friends with the new lot too.  And you may also realise that despite the "keep in touch" comments, if you do meet up with the old lot again, you may find out that you don't have that much in common anymore, as you're no longer in that office/situation....  

Yeah, we’ve damn all in common really.  Funny how work or a crappy employer can bring people together 

SensibleSarah

Years ago, I had a job that I absolutely hated. It was a very toxic workplace. I was there for nearly six years and had been trying to leave for at least half of that time. I was delighted, relieved and excited about leaving, but I still welled up and got emotional on my last day when it got to the time to say goodbye. 
I left more than a decade ago, but several of the people I worked with there are still amongst my closest friends now. 

redundantmortgage

Most of the times I've felt like that I've not been 100% convinced about where I'm going. 

There was however a time when there were 3 colleagues I considered close friends and several others who I considered to be friends. I was relocating too so I knew I would be losing touch with some of them being realistic which made me sad after my leaving drinks.

Within 6 months of me leaving all 3 of my close friends had also left and relocated with one moving abroad. I ended up losing touch with all of them. I do believe it's always better to leave somewhere before you feel ready than to stay somewhere for longer than you should have.

I'm not really in touch with anyone from that company now except for the odd congratulations on LinkedIn. In hindsight we were all united by our hate for the company we worked for.

lincroft1710

Certainly didn't feel weird or sad when taking early retirement after 35 years, over 25 of them in my final place of work. Definitely no tears. Did meet up with ex colleagues when attending other leaving do's (until office itself closed) and funerals. Am FB friends with several ex colleagues. Coincidentally 2 live in adjoining streets to me

Doshwaster

The strangest one was leaving a job I'd had for 13 years. I had loved it in the early days and made some really good friends who I am still in regular contact with now. However, one by one, the colleagues I liked started to leave either voluntarily or through a series of redundancy rounds.  Eventually I decided to move on myself but when I announced my resignation there was just a collective shrug. I think they were just pleased to get rid of me.

In the end I left on my final day by returning my laptop and security pass and just walked out of the door without any fanfare. No card, no leaving party, nothing.

The saddest was actually from a job where I had been contracting for 3 years. Really enjoyed it there but there was a budget squeeze and my contract hadn't been renewed. I didn't want to leave and the people I was working with didn't want to lose me either. 

Th best departure was being made redundant just as I was about to hand in my notice after accepting a new job - so I got paid a few thousand to leave a job that I was about to resign from. I was dancing down the hallway after the HR meeting.