How to Quit Your Job in a Professional Style Without Regret

How to Quit Your Job in a Professional Style Without Regret.

How to Quit: If you have been unhappy in your present job and you are ready to cut the cord, bear in mind that how you quit can either hurt or help you where you go next in your career. I was once facing the same situation but I overcome it. I will use my experience to tell you how to quit a job you no longer feel happy with.

There’s plenty of advice out there on the fundamentals of how to quit your job. Break the news, express gratitude for all the chances you have received, and show that you are committed to transitioning your responsibilities. But let us go one step further and talk about how to make having that conversation a little less painful.

How to Quit Your Job: First Thing First

Here are three things you will want to do in the event you decide to tender your resignation:

1. Go Directly To Your Manager

When it comes to delivering the news about quitting your job, don’t let anyone get between you and your manager. You want to have control over how the news of your plans is presented to your boss.

Having the information reach him or her in any other way — through the department grapevine or office gossip, for instance — is unprofessional and, frankly, insulting.

You should resign in person, if possible. If a face-to-face meeting is not an option, set up a meeting via Skype or another video conferencing platform, or call your manager on the phone. Email is the last resort but can be used when circumstances warrant.

If you’re looking to quit your job, kick off your search for a new position with Robert Half. We can start your search for you as you prepare for your last days.

2. Know What to Say When You Quit Your Job

Be sure you know exactly what your message is before you approach your boss. Even if you are leaving on good terms, the conversation is likely to be awkward and difficult. You don’t want to stumble over your words.

At the same time, you want to be firm in your decision and prepared for any potential questions or objections your manager brings up. Are you prepared to say no to a counteroffer?

What if your manager asks you to reconsider and suggests picking up the conversation in a few days? What if he or she gets emotional? (It could happen, especially if you’re a key member of the team, or you have a close relationship with your boss.)

Keep the meeting professional and, above all, don’t give in to the urge to vent about your job. While it may be fun to fantasize about making a dramatic exit, getting creative when quitting your job is not recommended.

3. Put Your Resignation in Writing

Even after speaking to your boss about resigning, it’s wise to send the information in writing as well (email is fine, but hard copy is better). A resignation letter ensures there will be no confusion about the date you gave notice and the timing of your departure. Many companies include a copy of your resignation letter in your HR folder as final documentation.

What to say when quitting a job? Your resignation letter should be brief and include the following information:

• The date of the last day you plan to work — The standard for advance notice is no less than two weeks. If you are in a senior position or special circumstances apply, such as a deadline for a major project, you may want to offer to stay longer.

However, some organizations, such as those that deal with sensitive information, will escort employees to the door soon after they give notice rather than allowing them to continue working.

• A short explanation of why you are resigning — When explaining why you are quitting your job, it’s OK to keep things general and say something like, “I am leaving to accept a position at another company.” 

You don’t have to go into more detail than you are comfortable with, even if your manager presses you for additional information. If you are leaving a job that doesn’t suit you or because of issues you’ve had with the firm, keep your explanation vague rather than going negative. It’s acceptable to say you are resigning “for personal reasons.” 

• A few words of gratitude — Even the most trying jobs have their bright spots. While gratitude isn’t mandatory, this is a good time to take the high road and extend a thank-you to the organization. You might say, “Thank you for employing me and helping me along my career path.”

Do You Know When to Quit?

When you’re unhappy in your current position, it can be very tempting to put in two weeks’ notice before you have a new job. Of course, conventional wisdom says that it’s much better to wait to quit a job until after you’ve safely secured another one.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. To determine if you can afford—literally—to quit your job before finding a new one, here are some questions you should ask yourself:

• Depending on your industry or field, it can be difficult to find a new job fast. Do you have the financial resources to keep yourself going for three months? Six months?
• Many hiring managers—though not all—don’t like to see a significant gap between jobs. If anything, they’re going to want to know: what happened with your last job? Can you tell the story without it appearing as a negative part of your career history?
• Being unemployed for a long stretch of time can be hard on people psychologically, which makes them more likely to underperform in an interview.

How to Write a Resignation Letter

After you’ve spoken with your employer, it’s time to make your departure official with a resignation letter to the present. A resignation letter is brief, direct, and devoid of extraneous fluff. All you need are the details of your departure, peppered with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the experiences you’ve had on the job. Here’s a template you can tweak:

Dear [BOSS’ NAME]
This letter serves as formal notice of my resignation from my position as [JOB TITLE], effective [DATE].
The past [NUMBER] years working at [COMPANY] have been some of the most rewarding experiences to date. I’d like to particularly thank you for your time, support, and encouragement of my professional growth. It’s been a pleasure working on such a talented team, and to be able to have done so under your leadership.
I’m committed to making this transition period as smooth as possible. I’ll continue to work on my [SPECIFIC JOB RESPONSIBILITIES] until my resignation. Following my departure, [COLLEAGUE/REPLACEMENT] will be the new point of contact.
I look forward to staying in touch, and please feel free to add my personal email to your address book: [PERSONAL EMAIL]
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION]

Send your resignation letter to your boss. If your company has an HR department, you should send it there as well. Submit a digital version via email, but also print your letter and submit a paper copy so they can keep it for their records. And don’t forget to keep a copy yourself, especially if you sent it from a work email address that will soon be defunct!

Finally, do keep in touch with your colleagues and advisors. After all, you’ve spent hours and hours with them at work every day. Why throw it all away? You never know, they might serve as a valuable reference or open doors to bigger and better opportunities down the road.

Now that you know how to quit your job professionally, it’s time to start thinking about your next job hopefully, your dream job! You can also invite your friends to read by sharing with them on social media.

StudentsandScholarship Team.