Posts Tagged ‘Resign’

When its time to leave a job, whether for a better opportunity or to escape an undesirable situation, let dignity be your friend and exit of choice. While the company you are leaving may not be your future, you are your future. If you want others (and even yourself) to view you as an honorable person, you must choose to be honorable. Don’t worry about past mistakes. We’ve all had our less than glorious moments. Moving forward with dignity will always be a winning formula.

So how do you exit and leave behind a loyal employer who has stood by you through thick and thin? How do you exit from a dreadful employer? First you must take emotion out of the equation. We’re talking about making a living. This calls for logical thought. Whether you’ve had a good or bad experience with your present employer, moving on to serve your career, income goals, or even to accommodate family needs, is perfectly respectable. Once you truly own this concept in your belief system you are already half way there; to resigning with dignity.

Depending on the weight of your current position, standard protocol may dictate a two week notice or a one month advance notice. Be sure to follow protocol when possible.

Your resignation should be in the form of a written notice even if you are on a friendly basis. Proper pays respect. Keep your letter short and to the point. Remember this is a business letter not an emotional cleansing outlet. State your intention to resign and your date of departure. You may want to thank a good employer for the opportunity they have given you and for all that you have learned while working for their company. Keep it brief. Sincerity stands on its own. If the working relationship has been less than positive you can still create a dignified closure. A simple statement expressing your appreciation for giving you an opportunity with their company and the experience you have gained will do the trick.

Dignity feels so good. Enjoy, and good luck with your new job!

When leaving a job, even a terrible one, it’s important to maintain the best possible relationship with your soon-to-be former employer. A well-written resignation letter can ensure that you’ll be able to use your supervisor as a reference in the future. While these letters rightly tend to be short and unimaginative, the following tips will assist in paving the way to a smooth resignation.

- Resigning from a company using its own letterhead would be bad form. A printed resignation is far better than an e-mailed version, but use plain paper.

- Resignations should be brief and formal. State that you are resigning from your position and give an effective date.

- While it may be appropriate to provide a reason for your departure, in no instance should the letter itself become a list of complaints. This letter may be kept on file for future employment references; therefore, do not make negative statements about your tenure with the company. If there is a possibility of legal action related to your employment with this company, provide as little information on your reasons for leaving as possible.

- Thank the employer for the opportunities and assistance that were provided to you during your tenure. Try to be genuine without gushing.

- If you are willing to do so, offer to assist with the transition to your replacement. Apologize if you are unwilling or unable to do so, or if you are giving your employer less than two weeks’ notice or leaving a fixed-term position earlier than agreed upon. Do your best to offer your employer a reasonable notice in order to train someone to take over your duties, especially if you have accrued a lot of knowledge that is not understood by anyone else in the company.

- Include any requests related to your departure, such as where to forward your last paycheck.

- Wish the employer well for the future.

That’s it! The best resignation letters are short and to the point. Be sure to make a copy of the letter for your records, and be prepared to be terminated immediately upon resignation, regardless of the notice you have offered.