How to Leave Your Job with Professionalism

No matter how excited you may be about starting a new job, it is still important to hand in your resignation as gracefully as possible. You want to keep your reputation and your professional network intact. At Blue Rock Search one of the services we offer our candidates that have been offered a new role, is some coaching and advise on their transition starting with their resignation. The following tips will help you leave your job with professionalism.

Tell Your Boss as Soon as You Know You’re Leaving

It is standard to give your employer a two-week notice. However, some employees only give a week’s notice, and some don’t give any notice at all. The professional thing to do is to give your notice as soon as you can and give your boss ample time to find a replacement. You don’t want your departure to hurt the company. You also want to make sure you tell your boss you have made the decision to leave before you tell anyone else. You don’t want them to hear about the decision from someone else.

Remain Positive and Appreciative in Your Final Days

It can be tempting to criticize your boss on your way out. You may have things you want to get off your chest or criticism about the company you want to disclose. However, you are better off keeping quiet about your complaints. Instead, focus on thanking your coworkers. You want to leave on a positive note. It is entirely possible that you will encounter some of your current team members later in your career. Maybe one of your old colleagues will land a job at the next company you work for. You may even find yourself in a position where you want to return to the company you’re leaving. If you end things on a high note, you can leave your options open and avoid awkward encounters in the future.

Help with the Transition

Sometimes, employees will focus so much on prepping for their new job that they end up slacking off during the final days of their old job. Your coworkers may already feel sad or angry that you’re leaving. You don’t want to give them reason to resent you. Even if your team is sad at first, they will greatly appreciate it if you keep up with your responsibilities in your last couple weeks, help train your replacement, and actively seek to make the transition smooth.

Resigning from a job with grace and humility can make all the difference. Even if you’re leaving a job you hate, the people you worked with still represent part of your network. You may need them as references in the future. You may even end up working with them again. You want to maintain your professionalism on your way out, so you maintain your reputation as a reliable and considerate employee.

by Nancy Estep