
Going back
Anybody have experience returning to a company you left in the passed? I may have an opportunity to return to a related role.
Comments (12)

I did. I was a tech for a small consulting firm, left for a "bigger and better" firm. I learned a ton, gained a ton of experience, and then went back to the smaller firm as a project manager.
I don't regret it, it was a right move for me. There was a little bit of conflict with a few folks who would have been more senior to me when I left, but then reported to me when I returned, but that can happen anyway with promotions within a company.
No way. I literally JUST signed an offer letter to go back to my previous company yesterday.
The nice part about returning to a previous role is you won't have to spend months learning the company and you likely know what you're getting into.

I have done it as well, though it was to a different region. The transition back was easier than I expected, especially with all of the new experience that I had gained. As long as you feel that it is the right move for you then it probably is!

I guess my answer would be technically no, not to the same company.
I did however, return to my original role. When I graduated from college I became a Foundry Line Supervisor. I worked my way up the ladder to being a Personnel and Plant Manager. After 15 years with that company I moved my family (wife and 3 daughters) 500 miles to the west away from our family and friends. It was for what I thought a great opportunity in a beautiful community and area. I was partly wrong on the former as my new boss was a real tyrant! From the first day I knew my days were numbered one way or the other! However, I was spot on on the later as this is a beautiful area and we fell in love with the community from the start! I did last 5 years until I got in an shouting match with my boss and he fired me! My family by that time was older and the older two girls were in high school. They all begged me to NOT move! I turned down several jobs-out-of-state of comparable levels as I left but could not find anything locally. My wife did not work at the time and I needed a job! After two months I finally got one at a good company, however it was as a supervisor again, a job I had 20 years before. It was like starting over again! I felt cheated and was bitter! I had been the one going to staff meetings and now I was taking orders from people much much younger! I had to fight again to rise up the ladder! I tried. I would apply for jobs at bigger plants in the Corp but was only seen as a supervisor. I would apply for a HR Manager's job in a large plant and be told I had no experience. When I explained I had been a successful Personnel Manager at even a larger plant I was told, "Well you are a supervisor to us!"
I never really recovered and only made the level of when I had been fired about 20 years later, but by that time I was ready to retire.
This is a long story but I would only go back to my former company if the job was at a higher level than when I left.

Yes I have had the opportunity to go back to a company I worked for previously. It was nice because I knew everyone and they knew me. Plus it was the most flattering compliment that they sought me out. In fact after I moved away they contacted me for another opportunity to work with them again, but sadly I lived across country. But he said if I ever move back I will always have a job waiting for me.

I left a company when the manned down and went out to California to work at an EV factory out here. Got severely disrespected by craft guys out there. I walked off the job when my managers would not back me up. I got a phone call from the company that I left and they hired me on the spot to come back and work in Ft Worth Tx. I am grateful for that. This company is awesome and the leadership team gets it. 😎
I have. I left after 2 years to join a large corporation. Learned through experience that it is not my cup of tea. Thankfully, my previous employer had reached out wondering if I would come back. Been back for about 2.5 years. Very happy about it. Of course it is a little awkward when you get back but once you get back into the swing of things people forget you even left.

I was laid off about 16 years ago after getting promoted to a corporate safety manager position. I was laid off at our Des Moines office after working down there for a week orientating drivers and then had to drive back 3 hours home. I stopped in the next day to my old location (division) and everyone was unaware of what happened. I ended up working about another year part time for my old division filling in while some of my old coworkers were on vacation and orientating any new drivers hired for that division while the corporate office had no idea. Our old HR and Risk Manager that was in charge of HR and Risk Management before we had merged arranged it as he was mad at the corporate office for laying me off.