What to Do on Your Last Day at Work

What to Do on Your Last Day at WorkWhat to Do on Your Last Day at WorkIts your last day on the job- just one final 8-hour stint, and then youre off to start your fab new position, go back to grad school, or venture into a gig of your own.So how should you spend this glorious day? Moonwalking down the hallways? Telling everyone whos ever pissed you off what you really think? Sipping Baileys in your coffee cup and muttering suckers anytime your cube-mates walk by?Tempting- but no. While counting down those final hours might seem tortuous, theres actually a lot you need to accomplish to make a graceful exit before you leave your cubicle for good. Check out our hour-by-hour guide to your last day in the office.8 AMWrap Up Your WorkIdeally, youll wrap up all of your actual work to-dos before your final day, but you still should plan to spend a couple of hours in the morning tying up any loose ends (and there will be loose ends). Most importantly, if youre transitioning projects or duties to your other team members, check in with each of them, make sure theyre completely up to speed on their assignments, and answer any final questions they have.This will bedrngnis only help your departement to continue running smoothly in your absence, it will prevent people from calling you in a panic next week (yes, it happens).10 AMCollect Your ContactsYour co-workers, clients, vendors, anyone youve done business with- theyre all part of your professional network, and people youll likely want to stay in touch with in the future. So, if you arent already connected outside of work, spend time going through your contacts and reaching out to them on LinkedIn. You can alsoexport your Outlook contacts to Excelso youll have them saved for the future.11 AMWipe Your ComputerOnce youve transitioned your projects, its time to clean house on your computer. First, put all of your work documents that would be useful to your team on a shared drive, and let your co-workers know where to find them . Then, make sure you save to a USB drive or email yourself any files that could be even remotely useful for your future- either to help you do your next job, or as work samples. (I know you dont want to think about that 90-page annual report ever again, but trust me- when youre interviewing again, you will.) Also save any important emails- like great feedback from your boss or colleagues- that you may want to reference again in the future.Once you have what you need, do a clean sweep of everything else. Trash your personal documents (and then empty the Trash), clear your browsing history, and otherwise make sure your digital slate is wiped clean.1 PMLunchAfter a long morning, go to lunch with your office mates. Hey, youre probably not going to see these guys for a while2 PMDo an Exit InterviewExit interviews are par for the course at many companies, but if you dont get one, ask for it. This is usually the time that HR will give you any final paperwork, share information on continue d health insurance, and solicit your feedback on what it was like to work for the organization.The key here is to be honest, but also to be as positive as possible. If the place resembledOffice Space, no, you dont have to pretend it was all rainbows and butterflies, but do position anything you say as constructive feedback that you wouldnt mind getting back to your boss. (Because it probably will.)3 PMPrepare for TakeoffIf you want to keep your professional reputation in tact, youll want to make sure that none of your co-workers or clients are ever left hanging. So, change your voice mail to let any callers know that youre no longer with the company, and who to contact in your absence. Also set up an auto-response on your email that does the same.Then, send your good-bye emails. If you havent already, send a mass email to everyone you work (BCC, of course) announcing your departure and letting them know the best point of contact moving forward. Follow that up with mora personal emai ls to your immediate team, to your work friends, and to each of your supervisors or subordinates, thanking them for the opportunity and letting them know that you enjoyed working with them.4 PMPack Your BagsIts best to wait to start packing your literal bags until the end of the day (unless you have a large office full of belongings). Grab your work samples, picture frames, and personal belongings, and get them ready to go. Then return your keys, ID card, computer, and any other company-provided items you still have to your boss. (I know giving back your brand new BlackBerry is painful. Do it anyway.)5 PMCelebrateYes, you should stay until closing time (they are paying you for a full day, after all). But once youve wrapped everything up, said your good-byes, and finalized your transition, youre done If youre leaving a job or co-workers you love, this can definitely be an emotional time, but your last day is also cause for celebration- its the beginning of your next step. Congrats