How to Quit Your Job
Most career advice is focused on obtaining a job and keeping a job. How should you structure your resume, what avenues to search for a position, how to properly network with strangers and friends. But, today, we’re going to look at the proper way to leave a job.
Most certainly you have come across viral videos of employees leaving their jobs in epic form. Whether they are creating a scene or leaving a video on their bosses computer, these people have chosen the wrong way to leave a job.
The first thing you want to do is never tell anyone you are considering leaving. You want your soon to be ex-boss to be the first to know. It’s simple respect.
You also want to give proper notice. Do not take a hint from the viral videos online about people quitting and walking out immediately thereafter. Some businesses have set policies that one week or one month notice is required. If there is no policy, two weeks is the norm. Providing proper notice shows your respect to the company you are leaving. It allows the supervisor adequate time to begin searching for a replacement employee, not just leaving them hanging with the other employees having to pick up the slack.
Along with this notice, you must keep working. Do not slack off, do not stop caring. You never know when you might need a reference from this company and if you leave a bad taste in their mouth, it might not be a good reference. Leave on a high note. Sure, not everyone will be happy you are departing but if you leave after having wrapped up projects or completing necessary tasks, then they can’t say a bad word about you.
Finally, you have probably made friends at your company and to abandon them the moment you leave is wrong. You won’t be seeing them every day anymore but that doesn’t mean you can’t see them for a drink after work once a month or shoot a quick email to see how they are doing. If you are really friends, you will make the time to keep in touch.
The theme here should be obvious: respect. Respect for your former employer, the business and former co-workers. The best part about this level of respect and common decency is that it takes little effort on your part and the returns will be plentiful. Leave with your dignity and professionalism in tact by simply being respectful.
ISGF is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All rights reserved. Copyright ISGF 2019-2020.
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