Be sure to watch your tongue when moving on, writes Julie Egan.

You've found the new job, written the resignation letter and chatted to your boss about handing over to your replacement.

There's just one hurdle to jump before you can leave: the farewell party. And the farewell speech. What do you say?

This is your last chance to make a good impression and ideally make your bosses feel they should have tried harder to keep you.

While the speech won't be too difficult if you are genuinely sad to leave, there are still numerous pitfalls to avoid.

You'll want to thank the people you've worked with. Humorous anecdotes have their place but Mary in human resources mightn't want everyone to know about the hilarious time she came back from lunch plastered and you tried to sober her up before that important meeting.

Be wary of pointing out the little idiosyncrasies you'll miss. This shouldn't be the first time that Jeff from customer services hears he has a peculiar laugh.

Avoid trying to thank everyone - the more people you mention, the more likely you'll leave out the one person who'll be offended.

If you must include a history of the organisation and your role in its growth, make it brief. Your colleagues are also not really interested in why you are leaving.

Phrases to be avoided are "after a lot of soul-searching", "the right decision for me at this time", "a chance to extend myself" and "a new chapter".

Your former workmates will just feel they've been labelled as stick-in-the-mud losers. This may, of course, be true.

Don't promise to keep in touch and say you'll drop in to see how they are going. You won't. Don't say: "It's not goodbye but just a farewell."

If you've been given a present, modest gratitude is the best response. Only be wildly enthusiastic if it is something you really, really wanted and, let's face it, that's not likely.

Beware going on to a bar after the official farewell is over. While your admiration for Matt in IT might have been kept in check at the last office Christmas party by the thought that you'd have to see him in the new year to upgrade your software, no such restraints exist now.

But what do you do if you're escaping from the job from hell and you're looking forward to your last day like a prisoner looks forward to the jail doors opening at the end of a long sentence?

If you can't get away with a discreet disappearance, you'll have to choose your words carefully.

This is not the time to tell your boss and your colleagues what you really think of them. The less said, the better.

If you've spent the past 18 months complaining about your job, your credibility and dignity will be shattered if you now profess to have had a wonderful time working there. Just thank people for building your character.

In this case, going on to a bar is definitely best avoided. You don't want to find yourself drunkenly listing your boss's many personal and professional failings. You might need a reference from these people later.

Remember, the most desirable characteristic of a farewell speech is brevity. After all, most people are just there for the free drinks.


Is there an aspect of office life that makes you laugh, cry or simply drives you crazy? Readers are invited to submit 550-word articles for publication in The Office to theoffice@fairfax.com.au.