Timing your move · 5 min read
Should I go back to my old employer?
When going back to a former employer makes sense, the questions to ask first, how to approach them, and how to negotiate a better deal than last time.
The short answer
Going back to a former employer, sometimes called being a boomerang employee, can be a smart move. You know the culture, they know your work, and you often return with new skills and better pay. It works when the reasons you left have changed or no longer matter, and when the new role is a step forward rather than a retreat. Before you go back, ask what's different now, talk to people still there, and negotiate as a new hire with outside experience. If you left because of a person, pay or culture that hasn't changed, you'll likely leave again.
Key takeaways
- Returning to an old employer is common and can be a good move.
- It works when the reasons you left have changed.
- Talk to current staff and ask what's different before saying yes.
- Negotiate as an experienced hire, not as someone coming home.
On this pageWhy boomerang moves can work
Why boomerang moves can work
- You already know the systems, people and unwritten rules.
- They know your work, which lowers their risk.
- You bring outside experience and contacts they don't have.
- Starting fast makes a strong first few months more likely.
When it's a mistake
| Why you left | Go back if |
|---|---|
| Pay | The new offer fixes it properly |
| Manager | That person has moved on, or you'd work elsewhere |
| No growth | The role is genuinely bigger |
| Culture or burnout | Leadership or ways of working have changed |
| Your new job is hard | Only if you'd want the old place anyway |
Questions to ask before saying yes
- What has changed since I left?
- Who would I report to, and who left after me?
- What does success look like in the first six months?
- Why is this role open now?
- How do people who returned talk about it?
How to negotiate the return
Treat it as a new job. Bring evidence of what you've done since, a market salary figure, and clear asks about title, scope and flexibility. Don't accept your old pay plus a little, because you're a more experienced hire now.
Illustrative example
Tom left a logistics firm for a start-up that folded after a year. His old manager hears and invites him back. Tom asks what's changed, learns the team now uses the warehouse software he worked on at the start-up, and negotiates a senior title and 12% more than he earned before.
How to make the second stint go well
Come back with a clear story about what you learned elsewhere and how you'll use it. In your first month, meet the people who are new since you left, because they don't know you yet. Avoid starting sentences with 'when I was here before', which can sound stuck in the past. Ask early how your role fits current priorities, which may have shifted since your first stint. Finally, keep the contacts you made while you were away, because they're part of what made you more valuable.
Questions to ask yourself
- Would I apply for this role if I'd never worked there?
- Am I going back to something, or running from my current job?
- What would make me leave again, and has it changed?
- What will I do differently this time?
Questions people ask
- Is it embarrassing to go back to an old job?
- No. Many employers actively rehire former staff, and colleagues usually see it as a compliment to the place. What matters is that you come back with something new.
- How do I ask to come back?
- Contact your former manager or a trusted colleague with a short message: what you've been doing, what you've learned, and that you'd be interested in the right role.
- Should I expect a higher salary when I return?
- Yes, if you've gained experience. Research the market rate for the role and negotiate as you would with any new employer.
- What if I left on bad terms?
- It's harder but not impossible. Acknowledge it briefly, focus on what's changed, and start with someone who knew your work well.
- Do I keep my old service or benefits?
- Usually not automatically. Some employers restore benefits or count past service for leave. Ask, and get it in writing.
- How long should I wait before going back?
- There's no rule. Some people return within a year, others after a decade. What matters is that you've gained something new and the reasons you left have been dealt with.
- Will people treat me differently?
- Some may at first, especially if you left suddenly. Most adjust quickly once they see you're committed. Be open about why you came back and what you bring.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Future of Recruiting · LinkedIn Talent Solutions
- State of the Global Workplace · Gallup
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.