Starting your career is among the most crucial and exciting moments of one’s life. You should be aware that you cannot stay for very long in a job that you are not happy doing. There is nothing wrong with quitting when things are just not right or when an opportunity presents itself that will enable you to take on something greater.
Your colleagues may think of you as someone who doesn’t have any ambition, but they can never understand what it feels like whenever your work is dissatisfying. No matter what anybody else tells you, quitting your current job is for the best if it does not feel fulfilling.
1) Prepare well before it’s time to quit
You should wait for the right moment when you can finally resign. This means that you will need to find a replacement or someone who can take your place while you are gone. You have to plan so that there is no gap in service while you are on leave and so that your clients will not be inconvenienced during this transition. Your work colleagues should also be informed of your decision beforehand to not be left speculating about why things are turning out weird.
2) Don’t anticipate an emotional reaction from your employer
You should not feel guilty whenever you communicate that you are leaving to your superior. It may be normal for employers to get upset when their valuable employees opt to leave, but if they have understood your situation, you need not feel guilty whenever you tell them that it’s time for you to go. If they were not happy with your work in the company, they should have told you so.
3) Do not give excuses or explanations
Your resignation is already a form of an explanation, so anything else will just be redundant. Do not say things like “I am leaving because I do not agree with the company philosophy” or “I am resigning because I got a better offer.” You are free to provide additional information regarding your decision if they ask questions about it, but make sure that your answers are matter-of-fact.
4) Give two-week notice if possible
There is no hard and fast rule regarding the notice period in your contract, but it is a good idea to try and give a couple of weeks’ notice to make the transition easier for everyone. It also shows that you are responsible enough to come up with a plan before leaving your current position. Just make sure that you do not leave earlier than what’s provided in the contract; otherwise, your employer may take legal action against you.
5) Make everything official when you hand in your resignation letter
Another way on how to resign from a job is that your resignation should be kept professional at all times, from how you communicate it to when you formally submit via email or through regular mail. If something is wrong with the company, you can leave your current post with dignity and without feeling bad about it.
6) Update your LinkedIn profile and professional connections
Your online assets like social media profiles and business networks will be excellent reference points if the hiring company wants to know more about you. If you have been updating them from time to time, they should turn up a lot of new information when prospective employers search for your name. This means that recruiters will get a thorough idea of what you are doing right now and how much value you can bring to their company after being hired.
7) Give yourself a break for a while before starting another job
It’s always best not to jump into looking for your next position right after resigning but to give yourself a break instead. This is probably the most difficult part for people who are motivated by achieving more professionally, but you’ll know that you deserve your vacation when it’s finally time to go back to work. You might even find something better than your previous job once you have the time to think about what direction you want your career to take.