Agencies Should Remain Open To ‘Boomerang’ Employees.

In the world of advertising and marketing, job-hopping is quite common. Experts say that when a superstar employee leaves to pursue a job or other opportunity, smart employers should always leave the door open for that person to return someday.

“There are a number of reasons someone may leave a job,” says Ragan Jones, Vice President of Recruiting at Talent Zoo, an Atlanta and New York-based communications industry hiring solutions firm. “Hiring managers and HR personnel shouldn’t take it personally and burn bridges with the departing employee.”

Jones knows a large amount of industry talent who’ve left positions for personal and family reasons. “Many people leave to raise a family, or to live closer to their family. It may not have anything to do with dissatisfaction of the job, so employers should take that into account. And in a few years, if the family situation changes, employers should be willing to take them back on if a position is available. A person who was valuable the first time may have improved their skills in the time since and could greatly contribute to the organization in the future.”

If an employee sees a chance to improve their skills or take on new challenges at another job, they may not be completely forthright for fear of permanently offending their employer. “Exit interviews can sometimes be seen as chances for employees to rant, but more often than not, they’re a formality where HR doesn’t learn what can be done to improve the workplace,” Jones said.

Jones also reiterates the importance of employers to remain in contact with their former employees and provide positive references when asked. “It’s just good business practice. We always tell industry talent who were laid off or fired not to take it so personally. Well, for employers, the reverse also holds true. What goes around comes around.”

Courtesy of Talent Zoo