A successful career usually involves a series of jobs. We change jobs for various reasons like better growth opportunities, better salaries, geographical preference, change of industry, etc. Also, most of us spend a lot of time planning our careers and creating a powerful brand out of ourselves so that prospective employers find our profiles irresistible. But, have you ever paused for a moment and thought about what your previous employers think about you? How you behaved after resigning? A true professional never burns his/her bridges and stays the course not leaving any mess behind to be cleared by other people. Today, I will share some dos and don’ts to help you resign professionally.
Dos and Don’ts to Resign Professionally
Resign gracefully
So, you have accepted the new job. Now, it’s time to inform your current organization. First, sit down and type a simple resignation letter. Remember, this is neither a complaint letter nor a place to show your boss how good you are (many employees make one of these mistakes)! Keep it simple, crisp, and to the point. Arrange a formal meeting with your boss and inform him about your decision. Be polite and humble. Talk about the positives and how this change will be good for your career.
Provide sufficient notice to your employer
When you work with an organization long enough, you handle a varied mix of responsibilities. Like a cog in a cock’s mechanism, every task performed by you is important for the overall functioning of the company. Therefore, when you leave, the company needs to ensure that the person taking your place understand what you do and how you do it so that the transition is seamless. Be realistic while accepting the new job offer and ensure that your current employer gets enough time to find and train your replacement.
Don’t get into counter-offer discussions if you don’t intend to stay
Many bosses try to retain their employees by initiating a counter-offer. This can be a salary hike or a promotion or some other offer which might interest you. Many employees simply get into such discussions for ego-satisfaction. Avoid it.
A tip: Once you resign, staying back can be a weak career move as the company will consider you a flight risk for a long time.
Don’t feed the grapevine
Every office has a grapevine – an active and strong rumor mill. Remember, gossip is the only thing that travels faster than light. And in offices, news of resignations travel with warp speeds. Don’t tell a single co-worker about your new job till you have informed your boss. Even after that, avoid going all gaga about your new position as it can be destructive to the people around you. Also, you are not going on a trip – resist all urges to take your favorite colleagues with you in your new organization.
Fulfill all your responsibilities till your last working day
Even though you have resigned and are serving your notice period, your responsibilities have not vanished. If anything, they have increased. Remember, you are still being paid. Therefore, you need to continue doing your job till your last working day at the company. Even if your boss or your colleagues start treating you differently, stay true to your professionalism and do your job. For that matter, try to make your last few months the best-performing months of your time with the company and leave with your head high. Also, offer to train the replacement employee and do it wholeheartedly.
Don’t spout negativity
We all have something that we don’t like about our current employer – the boss, rules, certain co-workers, etc. However, resigning does not give you a free hand to take cheap shots at anyone. It’s just too childish.
Also read: Powerful tips to deal with Horrible Bosses effectively
Say your goodbyes
Do this the traditional way. Personally meet everyone that you have closely interacted with and thank them for supporting you through the journey. Leave all arguments behind, shake hands and leave with a smile.
At Change Ur Story, we have helped professionals bring out the best in them. We believe the ability to resign professionally is as important as the skill of settling into a new job. Through our Career Coaching Programs, we coach and mentor professionals like you to make career/job changes efficiently. Drop us a line and let’s talk about how we can together build a better career path for you.
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