Proper Technique for Quitting a Job
After months of looking you've finally found the job of your
dreams. The new company loves you and wants you to start work as
soon as possible. The only problem is how to quit the job you
have? Though you may have fantasized about telling your present
boss to take this job and, well, you know how the song goes,
there is a right way and a wrong way to quit a job--and just up
and quitting in a bout of anger is definitely the wrong way.
The right method of quitting a job means formally resigning from
your position. And even when you're excited about leaving and
perhaps even desperately want to leave, it can still be hard to
actually resign. But it must be done--and the sooner the better.
You should resign immediately when you've accepted a position
with another company. This is particularly important if you're
going to work for a competitor because some companies have
policies where this could cause what they consider a conflict of
interest and they will want you to leave immediately after
you've given them your notice.
When resigning from a position, you will want to give your
employer a written letter of resignation. This letter does not
have to be long or detailed, but should include the following:
* Salutation to specific manager of the department you're
leaving or Human Resources manager * Date of tendering your
resignation * Date you'll be exiting your position * Brief
explanation (i.e., I'm leaving to take a position that will
offer more opportunity for advancement, to be a full-time
mother, etc.)
Again, when writing your letter of resignation, there's no need
for in-depth details or to give the name of the company you'll
be going to work for. Also, don't give into the temptation to
use your resignation letter to vent your anger and/or
frustration. This could cause you career difficulties down the
road. Make your resignation letter short and to the point, and
keep it as positive as possible.
If you've had a good experience with your company and managers,
don't be surprised if you receive a counter-offer. But you'd be
wise not to take one. Staying with an employer that you've
already made plans to leave rarely works out well. In fact, in
most cases people end up leaving within a year after taking a
counter-offer.
Emotions run high when you quit a job, even a job you dislike,
and it's always easier to stay with the devil you know rather
than take a risk on the one you don't know. Still, whatever
reasons you had for seeking employment elsewhere will not go
away if you decide to stay, so make your decision to leave and
don't give into pressure to stay, well-intentioned as it may be.
The last thing you want to do is to have to endure resigning all
over again!