When it comes to leaving a position and company, it can be easier to get fired than quit. Why? Because when you get terminated, the procedure is already settled and laid out for you. All you have to do is follow it, whether you like it or not. On the contrary, when you decide to quit, thereโs a lot of decision making involved. Who do you tell first? What reason will you provide? How do you say goodbye to the people youโve grown fond of?
Of course, nobody wants to get fired. Termination is a negative way to leave a job and a company. However, if youโve decided to quit, there are certain things you need to do to make sure that your exit goes as smoothly as possible. You have to make sure that you wonโt offend anyone along the way, unless maybe if your tenure has been problematic.
Even if you do have some complaints about your current position, itโs still better to leave without hard feelings. Itโs important that you leave with grace and respect.
So now, here are a few tips on how you can quit your job without burning bridges.
1. Time it right
Timing is very important even when quitting a job. You should never quit while youโre part of a major project or task. Even more so, donโt leave while you have a lot of pending tasks of your own. Itโs always best to leave your current position with all of your to-dos ticked done. You donโt want your teammates and boss (even if theyโll soon be โexesโ) to hate and see you as irresponsible.
2. Tell your immediate boss first
If youโve been contemplating resigning, do not talk to coworkers about it before you can tell your manager. News spreads fast and you donโt want your boss to know about your plans from other people but you. This is especially important if you are somewhat friends with your manager.
3. Give ample notice
After letting your boss know of your plan, make sure that you gave ample notice to allow everyone to adjust. Your team might need to adjust tasks, considering that theyโll be one person short. HR will also need enough time to potentially find a replacement.
4. Assist in finding and training your replacement
If itโs necessary that someone replaces you as soon as possible, you should volunteer to help in finding, hiring, and training your replacement. This is, of course, if youโre still in the company when they get to hire someone successfully.
5. Continue working hard
While waiting for the effective date of your resignation, nothing should change in the way you perform the tasks you have left. As much as possible, extend help to your team any way you can. After all, youโre still getting paid for every day that youโre still in the company. Additionally, thatโs the least you could not do for the people youโve worked and triumphed with during the past several months or years.
Find these tips useful? We have more career advice, workplace tips, and job search tips on our blog. If you’re looking for jobs in the Philippines or abroad, sign up now and start applying!
Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
