Leaving a company - need advice

[philote]

This is my last week with my current employer, a small-ish company where I'm the sole IT person. I'm loyal to this company and want to make sure they do fine when I'm gone, though I know I can only do so much. I was wondering what tips anyone could give me to leave them in a good position when I walk out the door this Friday.

I'm already working on some documentation, though I'm not sure how little or how much information to put in. I'm also making sure any projects I was working on are completed. I'll hand over a file containing all my relevant contacts and usernames/passwords to my boss. I'm also doing my best to see that everything is working fine before I go, but this employer has just moved into a new location and there is still plenty to be done.

And I'm going to be available to them for perhaps a day or so a week after I leave. This will hopefully be for helping interview prospective replacements and of course any major problems they have. I'll have to charge them for this time but hope I can be fair.

TIA for your thoughts

 

[aquias]

Sounds like you're doing quite a bit already.

Documentation is the biggest thing you can do for them, docuement everything (passwords, layout, servers, etc...) so the new hire has everything they'll need. Nothing is harder for a company than not knowing what is where, and why something is setup in the way it is.

In addition, if you're utilizing Windows 2003 and AD, I'd suggest setting up several taskpads associated with "day to day" tasks (verifying backups, creating users, etc...) to alleviate the burden of understanding the network setup.

 

[mrdenny]

Sounds like you are leaving on very good terms with your employeer. I think it's great that your willing to help out until they get the new person in.

I would have to agree that documentation is the best thing to leave, as well as the day to day tasks, and mabey an emergency list of what to do when.

Denny
MCSA (2003) / MCDBA (SQL 2000)

--Anything is possible. All it takes is a little research. (Me)

http://www.mrdenny.com

(My very old site)

 

[Dollie]

You may also want to consider that it may be a while before they get an IT person in. If that is the case, then the accountant, administrative asst, or even the company owner could be running the processes in the interim.

You'll need to write your basic documentation so that it can be read and understood by a fourth grader (the assumption made by newspapers and magazines nationwide). I always assume my mother could be reading the instructions and make sure I have written it geared for her level of computer knowledge.

 

[EBGreen]

I'm also making sure any projects I was working on are completed.

You're already doing more than anyone in IT that I've ever met.

[red]"... isn't sanity really just a one trick pony anyway?! I mean, all you get is one trick, rational thinking, but when you are good and crazy, oooh, oooh, oooh, the sky is the limit!" - The Tick[/red]

 

[Weigand]

I just started at a company as the sole developer. I agree with documentation being the biggest thing you can do for them. Something else you might want to consider (if you really want to help them out) is a list of tasks or ideas that you didn’t have time or the means to complete. Like what you’d change about program xyz, important approaching upgrades or anything you could foresee in the future.

"Politeness costs nothing, and gains everything." - the last fortune cookie I ate.

the dude abides...

 

[aquias]

You may also want to consider that it may be a while before they get an IT person in. If that is the case, then the accountant, administrative asst, or even the company owner could be running the processes in the interim.

Dollie is 100% correct, I go back to the recommendation that if you are AD and running 2003 (I don't know if Win2k has this funtionality) create a taskpad view of several MMC consoles, this will allow easy and "safe" administration of the network.

 

[langleymass]

I didn't get enough time to spend with my replacement. Unfortunately, I also wasn't in the decision to hire her. I could tell almost immediately that she was in over her head. I noticed that she didn't pay much attention to the extensive documentation that I had left for her.

 

[mercwrought]

When I left my last company I was in a similar situation. I left them in the best place I could and even stayed on a week after my contract ended to help them. (I was not going to renew due to a power struggle with my replacement) I was being replaced by an employ who had been in the company for 3 months and was a basically a ‘bookkeeper’ (I know that is odd but it’s a long story and my position was IT manager / Operations Manager. They thought a person with management experience could take over for me). I did everything I could for them and just a few days ago just over one year from the end of my contract she quit and left the place in shambles.

In the end you do everything you can for them but remember that they will only read / follow what they want to. You can only do so much.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[SF0751]

In addition to all of the documentation, etc., that you are leaving for your employer, I would leave a summary of that documentation for your boss and/or the HR department. Also, keep a copy for yourself (not of the actual documentation, but the summary).

Just in case your replacement decides to tell the boss "I couldn't do [whatever] because I wasn't left any documentation on it....."

Susan
"'I wish life was not so short,' he thought. 'Languages take such a time, and so do all the things one wants to know about.'"
- J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lost Road

 

[Dollie]

And don't forget, on Monday, it's not your concern but what they've chosen to do with it!

;-)

And are congratulations in order?

 

[philote]

Thanks for the responses everyone. They've actually found someone already to come in on a contractual basis, though they'll be working 40 hrs/wk at first. I'm sure they're dishing out more money than the counteroffer they presented me, but oh well. I have three days to train this guy and help evaluate him as well. It should be interesting.

I like the suggestion about a taskpad view, Win2k does have this abilility. Though there really wouldn't be too many I would have to create since I don't have to do much administration on that server now that everything's set up.

I guess my main concern is the Linux server that houses the intranet, which is where I did all my programming and some scripting. Though I'm leaving my programs in good shape, I know this contractor doesn't know Perl or Linux and probably won't be able to do much with that system. I guess they can get me or another contractor to help out with that if needed.

Oh, and my company was smart enough to agree with me that the contractor they're bringing in won't get any passwords until we've had a chance to see how he does for a few days.

And thanks for asking Dollie, I think congrats would be appropriate. I've been looking for a web development job for a while now and the intranet applications I did at my current job helped me get my new one. Plus, you can't beat higher pay for less responsibility It should be much less stress, more laid back, and I'll have opportunity to grow in this new position. And another plus, I'll have co-workers who know what I'm talking about without having to resort to 4th-grade speech.

 

[Dollie]

Well then, CONGRATULATIONS!



Now to get the theme song for "The Jefferson's" out of my head...

 

[aquias]

Now to get the theme song for "The Jefferson's" out of my head..."

Of all the blasted things to put in a bloody post...THANKS DOLLIE!!

And congrats philote

Movin' on up! To the sky...

 

[philote]

Thanks Dollie and aquias! And curse both of you as well, I had to go and find the lyrics.

And to follow up, the contract employee they brought in seems to be pretty competent so I feel they'll be in good shape. Now... only 2 days left!

 

[nissan240zx]

Goodluck Philote,
Everyone is right.
Proper documentation is key.
Also if you can put comments in your code..that helps also..
This way any new programmer who joins the company..where the code starts, what it does..etc..

Other nice thing you can do is..keep in touch with the firm..let them know that they can ask you any tech questions they got..and you can help them in your spare time.

Good luck..

 

[benlinkknilneb]

I disagree with nissan240zx on this one...

No matter how good the relationship is, make SURE that they get billed for extra time. Perhaps give them the first couple of weeks for free, but if you keep answering questions, they'll learn to keep calling you. And that's not really leaving your job... that's more like leaving your paycheck.

Yeah, be nice about it, but you gotta be firm.

Ben

There's no place like 127.0.0.1.

 

[aquias]

I agree with Ben on this. If they want your continued existance, beyond a question or two answered, you should begin to charge them.

Additionally, if you want to continue helping them look into putting together a simple contract. I know, it sounds cold, but if you advise the new hire to do something that breaks their systems...who's liable? It's an honorable thing to want to do, just don't put yourself at great risk trying to be the nice guy.

 

[philote]

Everything seems to be working out fine. The person they now have in that position seems to be doing a good enough job. He'll e-mail me with a question or two every once in a while but that's about it. However, I kind of wish they needed me more, I could always use some extra money.

 

[lb63640]

I commend you for doing such an outstanding job and in leaving with such a good rapport with your former employer. Those good feelings will go a long way in the future if you should need a reference from them.

Congrats on the better situation!