When you need to resign from your job, it’s important to do it in the most professional way possible. You don’t want to burn any bridges, and if you’re relying on your employer to leave a good reference, you won’t want to rock the boat. We’re going to share the easiest way to resign in a professional way.
Why Are You Resigning?
Before you begin taking steps towards your resignment, have a think about your reasons for leaving. You may want to communicate your reasons to your manager or HR department. It’s also worth spending a little bit of time to ensure you’re confident that you want to leave. Leaving a job is not a decision that should be taken lightly, as it’s very rarely something you can go back on. Your reason for leaving may come under one of the following categories:
A New Job
Most people will hand in their notice when they find a new job. Perhaps you’ve found a position that’s more exciting, better paid, in a better location, or all of the above! You should only hand in your resignation when you have received an official job offer, otherwise you run the risk of being left without employment if your new job falls through.
A Change Of Circumstances
Perhaps you’re relocating, have a baby on the way or a new health condition that demands a change of circumstances. Whatever your reason, if you need to find a job that allows you more flexibility, different hours or a shorter commute, you’ll eventually have to resign from your current position. Unless your circumstances are urgent, we would always advise that you have a contract in place for your new job before handing in your notice.
A Need For Change
If your current job is causing you stress or is otherwise unfulfilling, you might be in need of a change. Not every job is going to be a perfect fit, and not all jobs will be perfect forever, even if they start off well. Change can be a very healthy thing, and is a perfectly normal reason to want to resign from your job after an appropriate period of time. We would suggest trying to stay in a position for at least two years before seeking out a change. An extensive history of short-term jobs may make you appear to be indecisive and risky to employ.
Prepare To Resign
Before you resign, you’ll need a few pieces of information. Have a look at your contract of employment and confirm how long your notice period is, and who you need to give your notice to. If your contract doesn’t state a person to contact, go to the HR department, your manager or higher management.
If you have a date in mind that you want to leave your job by and it’s sooner than your notice period allows, you could negotiate with your employer to leave earlier. This could be easier if you have outstanding annual leave which you need to take before your employment ends.
How To Write Your Resignation Letter
In the UK, when you want to resign from a job it needs to be done in writing. You need to include the following:
· The date that you have handed the letter in.
· A statement that you are resigning from your position.
· Confirmation of your notice period, and the date you expect your employment to terminate on.
Although this is all that’s required, you might also want to include a few other things. This could be an expression of gratitude, thanking your employer for training you and offering you an opportunity. If you feel that you can, it’s also worth adding in your reason for leaving, as this will help your employer to understand if anything went wrong on their side.
We would strongly recommend against including any negative sentiments in your resignation letter, even if you’re leaving because you weren’t happy there. Try to be as neutral as possible, and always be polite, no matter what.
Depart On Good Terms
If you’re serving a notice period after handing in your resignation, do so with dignity. Try to wrap up everything you can and make any necessary handovers. Don’t allow your productivity to drop significantly, as this looks unprofessional and could put your employers in a position to leave you a bad reference. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help the company transition, and try to maintain good relationships with your colleagues, even if you don’t plan to see them again.
You may want to leave earlier than your notice period, or ask for some flexibility in your last few weeks. It’s important to communicate if this is the case. The employer who you’re leaving may be more support you if you’re clear as to why you need additional time off.