Left firm after only 3 months - did I avoid burning the bridge?
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Well... wait six months and try re-applying for the job or some other job at that firm.... see if you get a call back. If you do, bridge didn't get burnt. If you don't...........
When people talk about "burning bridges" they don't mean being treated meanly or yelled at (I mean, it could happen). They mean, you cannot "re-cross the river" as you "burnt the bridge", meaning no return. This is really what you should expect when you quit a place, whether after three months, three years, or three decades, really has little to do with "hard feelings".
The added danger of the three month walk away is if this gets transmitted to other firms (or people from that firm leave and join others you later apply for), then it becomes the "watch out" type of item. In all reality, the risk of this is less than people make it, but not zero. And if you had a legit personal reason and weren't just jumping to some other firm that paid better, then I'd say even this risk is very very minor (maybe even could get rehired, still unlikely, but maybe not impossible).
Wtf?
It’s okay you’re just an analyst. If you left a good impression I wouldn’t be too worried
Associate*, have not updated my profile, but yeah feel like I left a good impression overall. They liked my work and complimented me somewhat often.
Analyst 2 in RE - CommAssociate*, have not updated my profile, but yeah feel like I left a good impression overall. They liked my work and complimented me somewhat often.
If you’re doing deals with them later you’re fine, prob won’t work there again
They were just being professional. That bridge is def burned my guy
It's hard to say exactly because we don't have more context around why you left after only 3 months. But it's safe to say that you probably did burn your bridges. Just because your team is being civil and professional, it doesn't mean that they're not pissed over you leaving.
Unless they specifically and explicitly mention that they want to keep in contact in case you want to come back (note: this is different than the pleasantry and broad statement of "hope to cross paths in the future"), you've probably burned the bridge. Defined as others here have noted in terms of going back to that specific firm or team.
I've definitely heard of much worse in how people have handled exits, and so long as this is a one off I don't think this will impact your career materially. I've heard people speak poorly of those who left in < year off the record but on documentation just left as different reasons.
Got it. It felt a bit less broad, I did get the sense they would still be willing to work together in the future (maybe not at the same firm/team), but probably just optimistically reading too much into it.
What is the reason for you leaving after 3 months? Did you get a dream job that paid like 2x what you were making? Or did a family member die (genuinely)?
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^This.... Yep that bridge is a blazin!
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My man.... you just pulled the professional equivalent of telling a girlfriend "Hey, I need to breakup because I am now dating a hotter girl! You understand right? I mean look how hot she is!"
Since this is work and not dating, they just said "good for you", that "made sense in my POV" is a total professional way of saying "fuck you". Do they hate you? Probably not, you were there 3 months!!! They may not even have remembered your name yet! Since you probably had yet to be useful/important, this is just a wash.
Like others said above, its not about if they are nice/professional to you (I mean they aren't assholes), it's about future ability to return. They don't want you to hate them either (maybe you will be on other side of the deal next), so they don't want to "burn bridge" either. But, don't miss what happened here. You LEFT for a BETTER job 3 months later, meaning you kept applying or interviewing AFTER taking this job! You traded-up, that's cool, but don't like gloat about they would now serve as an amazing reference, I'd probably just keep this off the ole' resume!
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