Switching sides to work for a rival can be awkward yet there are ways of ensuring things go as smoothly as they can. “Telling your boss you are leaving [for a competitor] is never going to be an easy conversation,” says Sarah Lim, who left a rival headhunter to join Korn Ferry last year.
When handing in your resignation, explain that you want new experiences with a different company and that you have taken your job as far as you can, advises Michael Jenkins, chief executive of HR training organisation Roffey Park. If the response is cold, you can put up with it or try negotiating an earlier exit, says Steve Wigzell, partner of coaching firm Praesta.
If you have non-compete clauses in your employment contract, you will be asked to leave immediately.