New Job & Promotion Group Cards: How to Celebrate a Colleague's Big Move
Someone just got promoted, or announced they're leaving for a new role somewhere else. Either way, it's a milestone worth marking properly — here's how to put a group card together that actually feels like a celebration.
Two different moments, two different tones
A promotion card and a "new job elsewhere" card look similar on the surface, but the tone should be different. A promotion is a celebration with no goodbye attached — the person isn't going anywhere, so the card can be pure excitement. A new role elsewhere is a celebration and a send-off at once, so it's worth acknowledging both: genuine happiness for them, and that they'll be missed.
Getting this distinction right in the cover message sets the tone for everyone who signs after you.
What to write for a promotion
- →"Congratulations — so well deserved. Excited to see what you do with it."
- →"Nobody worked harder for this. Couldn't be happier for you."
- →"Onwards and upwards! Can't wait to keep working with you in the new role."
- →"This has been a long time coming. Congratulations, truly."
What to write for a new job elsewhere
Balance excitement for their future with genuine appreciation for their time on the team:
- →"So excited for this next chapter — and genuinely sad to see you go. You've made this place better."
- →"Congratulations on the new role. They have no idea how lucky they are."
- →"It's been a privilege working with you. Go be brilliant somewhere else for a while."
- →"Sad for us, exciting for you. Wishing you all the best — stay in touch."
Getting the timing right
Create the card as soon as the news is public
Once the announcement has been made — whether that's a team meeting or an all-hands email — create the card the same day. Momentum matters; a card that shows up a week later feels like an afterthought.
Give it a clear deadline
A week is usually enough. If it's tied to a leaving date or a start date in the new role, aim to close signing a day or two before, so you have time to actually deliver it.
Deliver it in person if you can
For a promotion, hand it over at their desk or in a team stand-up. For a new job, presenting it on their last day — alongside whatever else the team is doing — tends to land best.
Reaching people outside the immediate team
Big moves like this often deserve input from further afield than the person's direct team — a manager from a previous role, someone in another department they collaborated with, a mentor. A single shareable link makes that easy: send it in the relevant Slack channels or by email, and let anyone who knows the person add a message, no account or sign-up required.
Mark the moment properly
Create a new job or promotion group card in minutes. Free, no account needed to sign.
See the free new job card page or the thank you & congratulations card page for templates and FAQs.