After a little over five years, I will be leaving the longest, committed relationship I’ve ever been in – my post at APCO Worldwide. Today is my last day. Scary. Next week, I will be the new kid on the block joining Marriott International’s corporate headquarters as director of digital talent strategy within their talent acquisition center of expertise. Exciting.  Actually, it’s really, very exciting. Really! I would clutter this post up with dozens of exclamation points to try to express the excitement – but I don’t want to make you think any less of me. It is going to be an awesome ride though. Especially when you see how they just shot up on Fortune’s list of best companies to work for – from 71 to 57 . And especially because they are highlighted as a social media star  by Fortune not only for their consumer efforts but for their employment brand and talent initiatives. You’ve heard about the  My Marriott Hotel™ game by now, right? And I get to be a part of that. A big part of that! I will be driving digital talent efforts for Marriott alongside an amazing team of pros. I can’t wait. Going through the process of seriously exploring an outside opportunity though – interviews, the offer, giving notice, being in that waiting period of starting a new role, winding down – it’s all been quite fascinating. Especially as an HR gal, you get to see everything from your very own customer base of applicants/candidates/new employees… so as a result? I have blog fodder for at least the year ahead. Mostly great. And nothing really awful… except well, maybe with regard to giving my notice. Because really, I have never resigned from a job gracefully. Crazy for an HR gal, right? I know. I’m a complete mess. And let us count the ways… See, there was the time my manager found out I was considering leaving because the recruiter I was working with called for a reference – and the recruiter somehow forgot my search was confidential and I hadn’t yet told my manager. I nearly died. There was the time I was planning on giving notice, and then my manager had a death in the family. Timing is never good as is, but here, I had to decide… resign and also send my condolences via email? Or wait until she returned from bereavement leave and give less than two week’s notice.  Ugh. There was also the time my so called “colleague” told my manager first that I was leaving … needless to say my then manager was not happy to learn this news second hand. All quite pitiful given my line of work. Of course though, it makes me more sympathetic when I think about how employees I interact with exit, or candidates I recruit transition from their role and give notice… but me? I should definitely know how to do this right. I’m an HR gal. Through and through. Yet for some reason, it’s just never played out with grace. And it’s never been intentionally lacking grace. It’s like control gets taken completely out of my hands any time I’ve tried to resign. And with this change too… it wasn’t clean per se, as much as I wanted for it to be. Because it’s not as if I’m itching to leave this place.  I’m not spiteful. I’m not throwing a peace sign and saying, “Later suckas!” I like that place way too much. I loved my time here. And really, this next step is only possible because of APCO. I’ve grown so much in the past five years. But alas, it’s not you, it’s me. And this is an opportunity which I just can’t pass up. So now here I go… with my first onboarding experience in five or so years just around the corner. I’m thrilled to be joining Marriott, but I’m sad to say goodbye to my friends at APCO who have made me a smarter, better professional. And on Monday, I’ll sit in the seat of the new girl. Going through onboarding. I’m going to remember to bring my I-9 documentation. I’ll wear something smart. I’ll take down lots of names and absorb as much as I can… and then I’m off and to the races. Wish me luck, friends.

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