Question from CW: At my current job, I feel like they can smell it. Some individuals who normally are mildly unpleasant, have been dialing their unpleasantness up a couple of notches each week. How do you handle an impending exit, especially with those who have made it clear that they don’t think highly of you, but rely heavily on your work?

You cross all of your T’s and dot all of your I’s. In other words, go above and beyond your best work. This is especially true with projects dealing with higher ups. This is because people usually judge a person based on the last things they know of you. You want them to remember you as sharp, professional, and all around, on the ball.

When you go to your next job, connect with everyone on LinkedIn. A lot of folks wait to do this when they are on their way out. It’s a dead giveaway. Speaking of which, if you have been uploading any job sites, the coworker could have gotten a notice. Cut all that stuff off.

Depending on your industry and the connections your coworkers have, they may know you are putting feelers out. If, up until this point, you have had a good relationship with them, you should be able to ask them directly. If they admit to knowing, simply say that you are always open to new opportunities but you are very focused on learning and contributing to the current. Organization and would never leave them, or the team, hanging.

Lastly, they could be going through things that have nothing to do with you.

You don’t owe them shyt. But you gotta play the game to the end and beyond.

Note: I went back and re-read. For the people who never thought highly of you, they likely won’t ever. Be professional, be excellent, and build bridges to others. Others, meaning folks at every level, starting with the admins, if you aren’t already. They know all the tea. When there are opportunities for you to shine, snatch them and crush them. This all goes back to leaving that good impression so much so that when those who don’t favor you speak ill of you to others, their unpleasant assessments won’t be taken seriously.