By now you’ve probably read all about the Goldman Sachs executive director who quit his job with a very scathing – and public – resignation in the way of an op-ed published in the New York Times. It was a Wall Street meets Office Space moment – because despite the lofty criticism that the company puts the bottom line before its customers – there’s a certain degree of pounding the printer in an open field kind of sentiment, as well.

Greg Smith, the former Goldman Sachs employee, certainly could have waited a few months before penning his op-ed. He could have chosen a more discrete means of airing his frustration. That wasn’t the route for Smith, however, who’s decision to go out with a bang has spawned a whole series of Internet memes.

The question for the average person is – who can actually get by with this kind of public flaming of their former employer? Not many, especially in niche industries. And to be honest, few of us have the kind of office grievance to get ourselves published in the Times (I’m sorry, but the fact that your cubicle mate wears too much perfume or your boss is an ogre actually aren’t sufficient). That said, there is a time and place for letting your employer know why you’re not happy to be moving on, especially if you can do it without burning bridges. Here are a few points to keep in mind:

The first time your boss hears about your concerns shouldn’t be in your resignation letter or exit interview.

If you’re unhappy at your job, in the kind of way that has you praying that a new opportunity will present itself, it’s not a bad idea to talk to your boss. Don’t tell him or her you hate it so much you’re actively looking for new employment (that’s just a great way to get fired). Try to find steps to resolve the problems that are causing on the job frustration. Then when you do find a new opportunity, you can make it clear to your boss that the fact you had unresolved grievances is a key reason for your departure.

Make sure your concerns are legitimate, and don’t make it personal

We can debate the motivations or merits of the Goldman Sachs case, but if you have an ethical issue with the kind of work your company does, you should have considered that before you started. If you’re in sales but you hate the margins you’re charging customers, you probably need to get a job that doesn’t involve sales. You have to be comfortable with the ratios and embrace the costs of business.

Quit (and complain) to the right person

In most government offices or large companies there are human resources departments that are actually responsible for many of the functions of hiring, firing and formal complaints. If you see a problem within the company or with your employer that you view as a systemic issue, and something affecting more individuals than just yourself, you may need to be contacting someone in your human resources department. Find out what the official processes are, and follow those.

Be specific.

It’s better to say that you left a job because of a specific issue than simply hating the entire establishment. Channel your concerns into specific issues, and try not to flame the entire company in the process – you may need a recommendation later on and you don’t want to ostracize the entire organization.

Switch industries.

I’ll be shocked if Mr. Smith stays in the investment business (unless a competitor swoops him up for spite). If you really plan to leave your current job with a scathing assessment of your current office, you’d better be switching into a new career path.

Know your nondisclosure agreements.

In the defense industry and national security community, the fact is that many of the ins and outs of your job and organization will not be publicly releasable. Don’t risk legal hot water, or a lawsuit, just to get something off your chest.

Again, few of us will ever get the satisfaction of a public break-up from our boss – and for good reason. For security-cleared professionals, in particular, your job history will come up at every reinvestigation, and you’ll have to justify any comments made by you or your former employers. In these cases, honesty is the best policy. If you were fired after a heated debate with a coworker or reprimanded after that office-wide memo about what an idiot one of your clients is, you have no choice but to say so.

 

Lindy Kyzer is the editor of ClearanceJobs.com. She loves cybersecurity, social media, and the U.S. military. She loves the movie Office Space. Have a conference, tip, or story idea to share? Email editor@clearancejobs.com.

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Lindy Kyzer is the director of content at ClearanceJobs.com. Have a conference, tip, or story idea to share? Email lindy.kyzer@clearancejobs.com. Interested in writing for ClearanceJobs.com? Learn more here.. @LindyKyzer