Why People Resign
So you’ve decided to quit your job, huh? Here’s a list of the most common reasons why people resign, and also good points to consider after filing your resignation letter and before finding a new job.
Location. How far is your workplace from your home? Most people tend to forget this very important factor, probably because they pay too much attention to how much salary they will be getting. Salary is vital too, but have you considered the travel time involved in your current/ future job? Make sure that your new job doesn’t entail a workplace which is farther than from where you reside.
Career Growth. One of the reasons why people resign too is because of the lack of a sense of fulfillment from their current jobs, especially if they don’t see themselves growing with the company. If this is your reason why you quit your current job, choose your next job carefully and make sure you are headed for a better career path.
Salary. A common mistake among new-hired employees or fresh graduates is finding a job with a high salary; only to realize that work experience is really what matters. Your value as an employee will eventually increase, depending on your skills and capabilities, of course.
Workplace friends. Believe it or not, friends in the office can be a very important on resigning too. These are the people whom you see everyday, and share a lot of stuff too. If you don’t jive with your officemates well and social skills are important to you, then this might cause you to resign.
To Quit or Not to Quit?
In the corporate setting, there comes a point in time when stress from work suddenly becomes too much for us to handle, even to the extent of affecting our personal lives. People resign from their jobs for a million reasons. Some people get tired of their daily routines that they feel like they’re not growing from it, some can’t stand the way their bosses treat them, some others may even feel like the pressure is too much to handle, while some others just have better opportunities at hand.
Whatever the reason is for filing a resignation, we must carefully weigh the pros and cons before finally coming up with a decision. The resignation should be to your benefit in a great deal too, because this decision might just change your future. Before you resign, here are some tips that might help you decide cautiously and hopefully, see things in a different light
To help you think clearly, make a list of reasons why you should stay, and another list on why you should quit. Secondly, think of other scenarios that might happen: would a promotion or a counteroffer from your current company make you stay? Try to involve your family friends into your decision too; because they are the people who know you, and they would contribute a lot to your thought about resigning. Lastly, think of your own happiness. If you don’t feel even a little bit of sadness about resigning, then that should answer your question.
“The Ideal Resignation Letter”
You’ve been scouting the Internet and other books for the best resignation letters because you are quitting your job soon. You’ve also realized that there is no such thing as the perfect resignation letter, so here are some suggestions on how to make your resignation letter leave a good impression on your bosses.
Be honest. State the reason why you decided to resign from your post and make it sound like it was a hard decision to make and you had no choice. If the reason is too personal and you’d rather keep it private, then you may use the “personal reasons” card. Just be sure to be ready for an answer when the time comes for your exit interview. Maintain a formal tone throughout the resignation letter.
Allot a period of time for turnover of materials as well as finding a replacement and stick to it. Don’t put a month if you plan to stay for a couple of weeks. State in the letter about your willingness to stay a bit longer if the need arises to assist them in finding a substitute for you.
Keep a signed copy of the letter for yourself, and send copies to all those concerned like the human resources manager. This will normally go into your file, so in case the boss loses the letter, at least the HR department still has it.
End the letter on a positive note. An ideal resignation letter usually finishes by expressing your appreciation and gratitude to their efforts during your tenure. This will be handy especially when you put your boss as your reference.
Resignation Letter Sample – Moving
December 5, 2008
Supervisor’s Name
Designation
Company Name
Company Address
Dear Mr./ Ms. <insert surname here>,
I am writing to tender my resignation as <insert position here> at your department, effective <insert date here>. I will be relocating to <insert place here> to pursue a new venture.
After thorough deliberation of the matter, this was not an easy choice to make, but I think
it’s time to move on. While I understand from my contract of employment that I am required to file two weeks notice, I would appreciate it if I could leave the soonest possible time, especially if you have found a replacement. I am willing to be of help with the turnover of my duties and responsibilities before leaving, and will assure you that I will accomplish all the necessary tasks assigned to me.
I would like to thank you for the prospects the company has offered to me during my tenure with the company. The work experience I gained from this company also molded me and will greatly help in my future endeavors. I have grown in many ways through this company and will always treasure the opportunities you have shared with me.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to your prestigious company, as well as my many friends and colleagues in the firm. If there are queries regarding my work history in the future, please feel free to contact me. I wish the company success in the years to come.
Best Wishes,
<insert your name and your handwritten signature here>
Sample Resignation Letter (Early Resignation)
First Last Name
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Date
Employer Contact Information
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Salutation
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name,
Good day!
Please accept this as a formal notice of my resignation from the post, effective today, December 5, 2008. This decision was not easy and took a lot of careful consideration.
I realize that my contract of employment requires me to work up to thirty days from the point of resignation. However, I’d be grateful to be released earlier and will as assume that this is acceptable unless you inform me to the contrary.
I am resigning because of personal reasons and the enthusiasm to try another field of work. Please understand that the other job I have accepted is in harmony with my career goals. While I believe that I am moving for good reasons, I am sorry to leave, and I thank you for your support during my time with the company, which I have found enjoyable and fulfilling.
Please be assured that I will do all I can to help you in handing over my responsibilities before leaving. I would also like to thank you for making me part of your team. I also understand that official company documents like my clearance and certificate of employment would take time to be settled, so I am more than willing to set a separate appointment for this.
I wish you good luck in your future endeavors.
Respectfully yours,
Your name and handwritten signature
Resigning Don’ts
There are a lot of tips on how to make a graceful exit from your current job, but here are some of the stuff you should avoid when resigning:
Don’t write a negative resignation letter. No matter how bad your experience is with the company, don’t ever mention it in your letter. Not only will this make a bad impression on the bosses, but you might also not get a reference when you do this. Don’t include personal remarks on a resignation letter because this is impolite.
Don’t announce your resignation to your co-workers. After you’ve made up your mind about resignation, don’t inform your colleagues because this might make things more complicated. Never inform your colleagues ahead before your bosses too.
Don’t leave abruptly after the resignation. Make sure to take care of the official documents like the contract of employment, your clearance and most especially, finish your exit interview. These official documents might also be needed for your next job. Allow two to four weeks grace period before leaving the company, or as stated in your company rules and regulations. If the company won’t be able to give you the official documents as well as your last pay, then set a future appointment with the human resources and promise to come back.
Don’t get too personal. Bear in mind that your actions will be filed in your permanent employee records which are crucial to your future jobs. Make sure to talk to all your colleagues and associates before leaving. You’ll never know if you will work with them in the future.
Resigning Do’s
You’ve finally got a better job offer from another company-which means better opportunities, and all that’s missing is filing a resignation. The following is a rundown of resigning do’s and other tips on resigning with etiquette.
Do speak with your boss or immediate supervisor before resigning. This is ethical, plus will make them realize that you are honest and concerned about the company up to the last minute. Making your resignation come up as a surprise to them is also not good, because the company might not have ample time to find a replacement.
Do file a written resignation letter. Although resigning orally is acceptable for some firms, a detailed, written letter of resignation is more formal and is standard. Do keep the tone of the letter positive too. Even if you are leaving the company due to negative circumstances, those shouldn’t be included in the letter. If this is inevitable, then pick your words carefully and keep the letter as brief as possible.
Do make a list of your tasks and responsibilities before leaving. This list will be helpful and will serve as a guide to the one who will be taking over your position. Your boss will also appreciate this because this will mean less training efforts from their end.
Do thank the company and the bosses before leaving. More often than not, employees forget the contributions the company made to them, either financially or personally. The bosses will also appreciate your gratitude, and they will also give you a good reference.
Resignation Letter Essentials
Resigning is not that hard to do, but writing the letter will make leaving your job official and will ultimately say a lot about your etiquette. Here are some of the essentials that are needed to write a professional resignation letter and exit gracefully from your job.
First and foremost, decide on the tone of your resignation letter. Decide if you want it to be straightforward, concise, and most of all focused and factual. State the real reason why you are quitting your job, as well as how long you are staying in the company. State if you are willing to extend your resignation, and more importantly, if your resignation is final and irrevocable.
To make your letter more optimistic, mention your achievements in the letter as well. State that these achievements helped mold your career and that you take pride in these milestones. Consider this as the last positive impression that your company will remember about you.
When ending your letter, thank your employer for the opportunities the company offered you during the duration of your employment. Don’t forget to include your handwritten signature at the bottom of your letter.
Lastly, be prepared for mixed reactions, especially from your immediate superior. Before even filing your resignation, you should also consider their reactions, if you are willing to take up on their counter-offers, etc. If they didn’t see your resignation coming, they might also be surprised and might take it personally. Whatever their reaction is, try to stay positive, firm and calm throughout the whole process.
“Resign Smoothly”
Burnout, stress, change of career path or simply getting bored at work- these are just some of the most popular reasons why employees decide to quit their jobs. After putting much thought into your resigning from your job, here are other details that you need to take note of for before you exit from your company.
There is absolutely no need for you to feel guilty after resigning from your job, or be afraid that your boss might hate you for your decision. Before even sending that resignation letter, you should be firm with your decision and understand that it happens often to employees all the time.
If a counteroffer comes up, make sure to review the offer before accepting it. To help you make a choice, think of the genuine reason why you are leaving. Counteroffers are attractive, because they are meant to flatter employees and prevent them from leaving, but there are also some cons that might affect you in the future. The counteroffer might also be just a way to make you stay for a while, but in the event that the company experiences budget constraints, you might be one of the first few people to be laid off.
Review the book of rules and regulations set by the company to make sure that you are not violating any rules pre-resignation. The handbook might also state how much time is really needed for you to pass on duties and responsibilities, as well as how much longer you need to stay with your current company.
“Before You Resign”
There is no step-by-step guide on how to resign from your work These steps give you pointers on how to handle things just before leaving the office for good.
Make sure to clean your desk and get rid of old personal files. Bring with you the official documents you might need for your next employment, but throw away other unnecessary stuff. Clean up old files on your office computer too. Backup the files you need incase the technical team wants to reformat your computer.
Leave the office mobile phone and other benefits that you have as an employee. These may include keys to the office, your identification card (ID), or keys to the company car (if any). Make a list of important passwords for your email, in case they need to open it for work-related matters. Send email blasts to your clients and contacts saying that you will no longer be using the office email address.
During your exit interview, focus on the good things that the company contributed to you. At the same time, be honest. The interviewer may ask you a couple of questions on the reason why you resigned from your company. Don’t divert the question, instead, answer truthfully. The information you share is confidential anyway, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Lastly, make sure to jot down the numbers of your colleagues and friends you’ve made throughout the duration of your stay. This will help you keep in touch with them even if you’ve resigned and don’t work there anymore.