Leaving any job, regardless of the rhyme or reason, is a very difficult task. Emotions often play a factor in this decision, but it is crucial that emotions do not drive your parting conversation.
In order to remain as prepared and professional as possible, I have provided a guide to prepare your exit. Hopefully, this guide will help you implement a plan of action and eliminate any additional stress from an already stressful situation.
Below are three things you should do when quitting your job and some additional instruction on how to execute these steps efficiently.
Tell your manager/boss first.
As if drama in the workplace isn’t bad enough, the last thing you want is rumors flying around about your departure. With a big decision on your hands, you do not want misinformation or extra inconvenience spreading around the company.
It is difficult to replace an employee on short notice, so be cautious of who you talk to and the information you provide. To avoid any unnecessary complications or explanations, it is best not to tell people in your personal or professional life before you have talked to your boss. The best thing you can do is talk to your manager/boss first.
Whoever you report to should be the first person notified. This conversation should always be done in person, and it should be brief. You are not required to tell your company why you are leaving, so in this case, less is more. If you have personal or professional things going on, do not feel obligated to provide any information that is outside of your comfort zone.
Give two weeks’ notice.
The minimum amount of notice you should give before quitting your job is two weeks. At the same time, you don’t want to give too much of a heads-up in case the transition gets messy or your company essentially writes you off after you provide notice.
What you can and should do is assist with the transition as much as possible. Whether this means describing your position to a recruiter, training a new employee or volunteering in realms outside of your daily tasks, find a way to make yourself useful, and ask how you can be of any additional help in your last ten days.
If you would like to give constructive feedback on your experience at your company, there are two ways you can go about doing so: Have a meeting with the appropriate team member on your last day, or write a resignation letter. Do not submit this until you have completed your two weeks. This will avoid any backlash, negativity or criticsm around you or your leave.
Say goodbye to your colleagues.
No one wants to burn a bridge or end on a bad note. So yelling at your colleagues, writing something passive-aggressive or leaving without saying goodbye is generally not the best approach. Even if you are leaving your company on bad terms, your reputation as an employee is critical to your future career. Job applications typically require references.
Regardless of whether or not you are staying in the same industry, there is no potential good that can come out of a bad business breakup. Even if you do not ask the company you are leaving for a reference, a potential employer may contact them off of your resume.
Instead, make sure that you thank your managers and co-workers for all that they have contributed to your experience at that company, both personally and professionally. Lastly, you should say goodbye to everyone in person and continue to maintain positive relationships in case a new opportunity — with them — presents itself in the future.
