How to Quit Your Job

How to Quit Your JobWithout ruining your future jobs

Articulating The Goodbye

•Do: Briefly explain your reason for leaving. ▫ simply saying that you've accepted

another offer that you hope will further your career.

•Don't: Offer too much detail. ▫Your manager may misinterpret it or use it

to try to persuade you to stay.

Mastering The Countdown •Do: Provide as much notice as possible

and as is required. ▫Two weeks is standard

•Do: Maintain your enthusiasm and work ethic.

•Don't: Fake your way through the time that's left. ▫you want strong recommendations, keep up

the same pace

Handling the Counter Offer•Be prepared for a counter offer, and if

uninterested, turn it down graciously. ▫Say that you appreciate the offer but feel

the other position is in line with your career goals.

•Don't: Insult the employer by tossing out a line like "it's too little too late" or "it's not about the money.”

Refining The Tone •Do: In speaking with managers,

colleagues and subordinates, always focus on the positive experiences you've had with the company.

•Don't: Burn bridges by being overly negative, lying or taunting colleagues with news of your next position.

Training The Replacement •Do: Agree to help hire or

train someone for the position in your remaining time on the job. ▫It's ultimately to your

benefit Less likely that you'll be

contacted after you've left. •Don't: Rewrite the training

manual or give too much of your time over to it.

Fielding Questions • Do: answer a few questions

that arise after you've gone. ▫two e-mails or phone calls

would be standard, and it's courteous to respond as best you can.

• Don't: Give away too much of your time. ▫If questions continue, begin

by slowing your response time and consider offering your services as a consultant.

Informing Clients •Do: Seek the guidance of a manager on

how to inform clients of the transition. ▫will approve phrasing.

•Don't: Disregard contract clauses that bar you from taking clients or proprietary information with you.

Remembering The Details•Do: Pay attention to details

▫like e-mail and phone messages. Where will they be directed

after you've left? ▫Carefully organize all hard

and soft files so that important documents will be easy to find.

•Don't: Leave your physical space in a mess.

Writing The Transition Document•Do: Organize and write down the status

of all projects and responsibilities that you are accountable for, including the appropriate contacts on each.

•Don't: Verbally give a manager the rundown.

Wrapping Up Relationships • Do: Answer all questions

and offer feedback to subordinates▫remember to acknowledge

those you worked with before leaving.

• Don't: Run out on subordinates without making sure you've left them in a position to succeed or follow up with you.

Writing the Resignation

The Introduction•Indicate that you are resigning•Provide the date of your last day of

employment

•Ex: Please accept this letter as a notice of my resignation from my position as [JOB TITLE]. My last day of employment will be [DATE].

Body•Explain reason for leaving

▫Don’t provide too many details

•Show gratitude for experience ▫Even if you are leaving on bad terms, focus

on the positive

Body Examples• Found a New Job: “I have accepted a position as [job

title] in [location], which will give me the supervisory responsibilities I have been eager to assume."  

• Starting School: “I regret having to leave [employer name], but I am strongly committed to earning my [degree type] and have been accepted to [school name] for the fall term."  

• Medical Reasons: “I regret having to leave, but I am currently experiencing medical issues that prevent me from continuing in this position."  

Body Examples Con’t• Partner Relocation: “My wife/husband has been offered an

excellent job opportunity in [location], and we have decided to move there so that she/he can accept it."  

• Relocation Refusal: “The company's restructure has left many of my colleagues looking for new positions, so I am grateful for your offer of reassignment to the office. However, my family and I have decided that relocation is not feasible for us right now."  

• Bad Experience: “My decision to leave is based on both personal and professional reasons, but please understand that I have thoroughly enjoyed my association with [company name]. I have learned a great deal from you, and I look forward to applying this knowledge in my next position."

Body•Mention anyone that you appreciate the

opportunity to work with. ▫Don’t forget anyone– they may share this

letter with those people•State your willingness to help with the

transition▫Offer to train a replacement

Closing•End with an expression of kind wishes for

the company’s future•Express an interest to keep a good

business relationship

•Ex: “I hope that we can continue our professional relationship and that we meet again in the future. Best wishes to you and the rest of the staff.”