CIO — Whether you can't wait to tell your employer you're moving on or you're dreading the conversation, your behavior in your last days at a company can leave a lasting impression on your professional reputation.

"Acting graciously—despite what your instincts may tell you—is so important: You can demolish your investment in your career and work relationships if you're not careful," says LinkedIn Career Expert Nicole Williams. "Leaving can be hard, but you want to be as elegant and as refined in your departure as possible. Ultimately, it's to your best advantage," she says.

Here's a look at how you can ensure you're remembered fondly by your former employer, plus tips for maintaining your work relationships.

1. Keep It Short and Keep Your Cool

"While getting all your grievances off your chest may feel cathartic to you, I promise that weeks or months later when you see your colleagues at an industry event, or are sitting across from that former boss in an interview years later, you'll be wishing you reined it in," she says. "The world is a small one."

Keep your conversation to less than five minutes, too; anything longer and your risk stumbling and appearing less confident, Williams says.

2. Replace Yourself With Someone Better

Williams says that while replacing yourself with someone better than you may work against your instincts, your employer will be thankful for your efforts and the gesture will ultimately reflect well on you.

"This is something that psychologically may seem counterintuitive but is really important," she says. "You look better by virtue of bringing someone in of a high caliber, and they'll be thankful for that. Use LinkedIn's search capability to identify some candidates, and pass those along before you leave."

The easier your departure is on your boss, the more fondly you will be remembered, Williams says.

[Want more LinkedIn tips, tricks and analysis? Check out CIO.com's LinkedIn Bible.]

3. Say Nice Things

Once you're gone, continue to say positive things about your employer and former colleagues, Williams recommends.

Don't turn to Facebook to vent now that you're gone from the company, she says. "You may want to vent and feel the need to justify to others why this decision is a good one for you, but don't: Word gets out, and I can guarantee airing your grievances will come back like a game of telephone and probably much worse than what you originally said."

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