Old Employers: Do They Really Still Like You?

Going through all the social media I belong to and use, I noticed that whenever I got a new job, the old employers and managers never "Liked," "Messaged," or did anything else to indicate they approved my decision and new adventure. You can understand the most recent employer not liking the fact I'm no longer with the company, but what about the employers before that?
Surely they can't still be mad that I'm no longer with their company?

Using myself as an example, one scenario you might realize is; yes old employers are still mad and they might still hold that against you for a long time. Check your non-compete or non-disclosure agreement carefully and be sure you didn't and are doing nothing that would cause you to be in violation of either.

That doesn't mean that there are not co-workers that support you or still like you.

Maybe even a manager will still like you.

Upper management sets the example for how the company deals with former employees, and they might not be shy telling others in the company and the industry how they feel about you leaving.

Should you be sad or offended about this? Maybe. 

You're dead to them.

Depending on what your position was, what company information you were privileged to have access too, or the customers you might have worked with, the employers might be upset that you left with all of that knowledge or customer relationships and therefore keep an eye on what you are doing in your new job just so they can catch you doing something that they can claim is hurting their business and try to come after you in a legal way or torpedo you with your current customers or employer in some other way. Some people and companies can be very vindictive. Make sure THEY are not doing anything to violate YOUR employment rights.

More likely you won't hear from former employers because they just don't have the time to worry about what you are doing. They have to worry about their own business.
Good companies know people leave and will try to at least remain neutral about you in what they say online or in any other public forum.

They know that at some point you might be available again to hire, or there might be an acquisition and you are back in their company family so better to keep you close so they can once again use you to make their company a success. Who cares what they think? You left them for a reason. Concentrate on your current job.

If you have tried to go back to your old company after leaving, you might notice that they treat you just differently enough after you come back that you notice things "are just a bit different."

Don't be alarmed. Nothing can quite be the same. You might be back but the employer will always remember that you left them once before.
They are going to be a little more guarded in their attitude towards you.
You can accept that or work harder to overcome it.

If they didn't hire you back, consider that they might think that whatever caused you to leave in the first place hasn't been settled in your life and they don't want to take the chance on losing you again. Maybe there is something about the company that caused you to leave. If management knows that something hasn't been fixed they won't hire you back because it either isn't fixed, can't be fixed, or they think you will just start complaining about it again and harm other employees attitudes about the company.

Sometimes the grass is and isn't greener on the other side of the new job. It can be fun to reminisce about the old company or even pine for the old days. Better to acknowledge that they happened, remember the good times, and concentrate on what you are doing now. 

You can't go home again.
If the old company does do something to acknowledge you, be pleasantly surprised. 

Don't go out of your way looking for it. Resist the temptation to rub their nose in the poop of your success. You'll meet them again at some point and in some in your career and life.

Ev

A Heck of A Nice Guy