How Much To Tell
Two years ago, I left a company I loved because of new senior management and a reorg which was going to result in my job being downgraded to make room for the new leader's manager of choice. I was a star employee until the last couple of months, during which I was trying to negotiate a new position. The position was approved, then rescinded, then a new deal was approved then changed again. Bottom line - I left in anger, without giving two weeks notice, and have been blacklisted in this particular area of the company.
There is now a role open in a different part of the company, one that has little connection with my former group. I had a phone interview with the hiring manager, and would love to return to the company. She asked why I left, and I just said that there was a lot going on and I had a new opportunity that offered me more of what I was looking for, but that I had always regretted leaving and would love to return to the company.
My question is: do I tell the hiring manager that I left on less than ideal terms? My former senior manager is very high up in the organization, and I know she has put the kibosh on my returning to her group, but I don't know if she would speak ill of me outside of her team. However, I don't want the hiring manager to feel that I'm keeping anything from her. Any advice is welcome.
It is incredibly unlikely that this will go all the way to a job offer and your hire. At some point, HR is going to pull your old file and it is going to come out that you left them without notice. That's got to mean that they have you marked as "ineligible for rehire". No company wants to deal with someone who left in a huff, no matter how justifiied you think you were. Even if this did go through, you're putting yourself in the position of coming into contact with this boss that hates your guts. Yes, currently it is a different part of the company, but things change daily in companies.
So, tell the new potential boss that you left without notice. It is going to come out one way or another but again, it is incredibly unlikely you're ever going to be able to work for this company. That's what we mean when we say "burning a bridge".
Tess
I'd tell. Companies have policies regarding former employees, so you can almost bet that she's going to hear the other side of the story.
You are going to need the tact of a diplomat. Take the blame. Try not to say anything negative about the other woman. I say this because politics are a dirty game and if the interviewer is forced to take your side, she may suffer. Just explain why it wasn't a good fit and tell her what you've learned and how the current position will be different.
Thanks, Tess, for your uplifting comments and for your definition of bridge-burning. If I had asked something like, oh, I don't know, how stupid am I? I could justify your remarks, but that wasn't my question. For the record, I'm well aware of what I did, and also aware that ever walking through their doors again would be a miracle. However, I also believe that you don't get if you don't ask, and I'm not quite as jaded as you, so I prefer to think that the two years of outstanding work I did might mitigate the fact that no one handled themselves well at the end. By the way, I'm not interested in waging a discussion board war with you, so don't feel the need to send further caustic remarks.
Have a great day.
Depends on how deep the reorg was. I once was part of a company that was considering hiring as the VP of the company an employee who was fired under a former hostile regime. The person did not get the job because there was still enough old blood still infecting the ranks BUT it is not impossible. They know you left under crappy circumstances and it might turn out that your good deeds will oversahdow your stupidity. . So discuss the matter frankly. I am jaded too but not quite as jaded as Tess
Maybe you'll luck out and have an interviewer who's familiar with the upheaval that was going on at the time of your resignation, also aware of what a great employee you were. Do you have some great references from that company? Might go a long way toward rebuilding that bridge.
In my world, jade is for wearing, not being. Good luck!
See the reorg and the bad feeling you might get past (assuming the new boss isn't in bed literally or figuratively) with the old one. You can't get past the leaving without notice part. That's black and white and not subject to interpetation. Leaving without notice puts the bad act on you. Doesn't matter what went before it to make you think that you were justitied. As I've said a million times, 2 weeks notice isn't about whether or not your employer deserves it, it is about you and your integrity and professionalism.
The second issue is that I can't imagine why you'd want to put yourself back into that position again. Different division or not, this other person is highly placed. Your new boss could end up reporting to him next week. Happens all the time.
Tess