THE ART OF RESIGNING FROM YOUR JOB
Resigning
from your job is a difficult task and if you are not
careful and you don't do it in a proper way it can create
bitter feelings between you and your employer, recriminations
on both sides and often, a bad reference. Thus one must
adopt the correct and proper etiquette of resigning
from the job which ultimately will help go a long way
in ensuring continued success in both your personal
and career development.
Points to consider before taking the plunge
-
Are you serious about leaving? Make a list of reasons
as to why you should resign.
-
Will
you be better off in your new job? Consider money,
exposure, opportunities and personal development as
the main factors.
-
Talk
to your family. How do they react? Listen to your
heart.
-
How
is your career going? Talk to the boss or your Personnel
/ HR Manager to assess how they think you're doing.
-
Always
consider your work satisfaction and interest. Are
you happy working there or not?
-
Would
you leave if you were offered more money or a promotion?
Approaching
the boss (oral resignation)
-
Always plan your moves. Think in advance as to what
you will be saying and then stick to it. The boss
will try and probe you for more information and try
to find out why you want to leave. Don't be obstructive
and rude but simply make it clear that you are submitting
an oral resignation and that you do not wish to continue
working there.
-
Emphasise
the positives and keep good relations. You never know
when you might have to cross paths with your former
employers so don't dwell on the negative aspects of
your time at the firm.
-
Expect
a reaction: unless your boss is expecting you to resign,
your decision may come as a surprise. The boss may
get emotional or even confrontational in which case,
stick to your prepared comments and retain your composure.
-
Always
leave the meeting on a good note and be as co-operative
as possible. Stress that you will undertake to finish
or handover any uncompleted work to the best of your
ability. People remember both the first and last impression
you make on them so make sure that you leave a good
impression on the people you worked with.
Handing
Over the Resignation Letter
-
A resignation letter should be as simple as possible
and only include the following information: name,
date, the person it is addressed to, notice of termination
of employment, when this is effective from and finally,
your signature.
-
If
you're leaving in good situations and feel that you
should add a bit more then, emphasise the positive
feelings - perhaps thank the boss for the opportunities
he / she gave you. This will help maintain good relations
with your ex-employer and you never know when you
may need your ex-employers help again in future.
-
If
however, you're leaving in strained or bad circumstances,
resist the temptation to badmouth and lash out at
your employer. Never commit these thoughts to paper
- your comments will remain in your personnel file
and may come back to haunt you. So don't get personal.
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