Earlier this year, I made the tough decision to change jobs. I was in the fortunate position to be leaving a really good job to take another really good job. While it’s never a good idea to burn bridges (even if you’re unhappy!), it’s even more important to maintain strong relationships when you really liked the people you worked with.

Trust me, there’s definitely a way to leave a job that also leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. You don’t want them walking by your empty desk and cursing your name!

Here are a few tips for gracefully leaving a job so you’re remembered for the rock star you were when you worked there, not the bum who left them high and dry:

1. Tell the right person first. That would be your boss. Not your work friends or the random person you rode the elevator with. Your boss.

2. Have some suggestions for your transition right away. You can work on your full transition plan once the news it out, but if you’re able to give some suggestions to your boss upon telling her or him the news, it can ease concerns and make you look like a team player.

3. Remember the golden rule: Treat them like you would want to be treated. This is really a life rule, but it absolutely applies here. One day you will have an employee leave and wouldn’t you want her or him to exit in a way that makes your life easier, not hell?

Do you have a tip to share? Or, for a little fun, a job transition horror story?