Resignation Tips

Few people relish the thought of tendering their resignation. Guilt, nerves, embarrassment or relief are commonplace, however, difficult though it may seem, it is important to keep your emotions in check once you have made that decision to resign. You may have landed the job of your dreams, but you never know when your career may bring you into contact with your former employers again. For instance, at some point they could end up being a potential client.

Do's and Don'ts of Resigning

DO:

  • Tell your immediate boss informally, face-to-face if possible, before handing in a formal letter
  • Give constructive criticism if necessary but avoid blatant insults
  • Be prepared to consider a counter offer from your employer
  • Be as helpful as you can and make every effort to facilitate a smooth handover of your workload and role.Remember that the people you were working with could be good contacts for the future.
  • Decide whom you will select as your referees carefully and talk to them about your next role
DON'T:
  • Hand in your notice when you are feeling resentful or angry.
  • Focus solely on negative points.
  • Feel obliged to give specific reasons for your resignation.
Dealing with a counter offer from your employer
  • Research has shown that 8 out of 10 people who accept more money to stay with their present employer have renewed their search for an alternative position within 6 months.It is important to consider, if you are offered a pay rise equal to or above your new job offer, why it took the threat of leaving to bring it about.Many employers promise to remedy any problems within the company which have influenced your decision to leave, but can you be sure they will be dealt with effectively?If you do decide to stay, remember that your boss will be questioning your commitment and you may feel yourself having to prove your loyalty to the organization all over again.By staying, you will in turn have to turn down a job you have accepted - this could work against you if you deal with your would-be employer in the future.Whatever your decision, it is essential that you keep all parties, including your current and prospective employers, and your recruitment consultant if applicable, informed of your thoughts and decisions at all times to avoid any last minute changes and unprofessional behaviour.
Your letter of resignation:
  • Your letter only needs to include the basic details of your resignation - the position from which you are resigning and your intended leaving date.If you wish to add more, keep it positive and resist the temptation to air any grievances or get personal.If you haven't had the opportunity to discuss your decision face-to-face with your employer, you could include some brief constructive criticism in your letter to explain your reasons for leaving, but ask a respected colleague to read over it first.See the attached template for an example of a resignation letter at the end of this page, which is positive but brief.
Your notice period
  • Your notice period should be stated in your contract or offer of employment. Where no period of notice is stipulated, it is courteous to allow between two weeks to a month, depending upon your current workload.Normally you have to work your notice period, in which time you can handover your duties and responsibilities to someone else.However, there may be reasons why you or your boss will want to make the notice period shorter, for example, you are leaving to work for a competitor, your new employer has requested an immediate start. In this situation, discuss the issue face-to-face with your employer if possible, and offer to ensure a smooth efficient handover to your successor.

Resignation Letter Example