Over the last several months so many clients have landed truly great jobs. Like, blow your mind jobs, with salary increases, sign-on bonuses, flexibility, incredible cultures, and meaningful work. Everything you are seeing in the headlines about the ”Great Resignation,” from my vantage point at least, is true.
One thing that’s caught my attention in all this turnover is how troubled people remain about resigning. And that’s mostly because we are wired to make meaningful, lasting connections where we spend our time. And leaving a job can feel like severing those connections, which is painful.
How you resign can ease the way. Here are a few tips to keep in your back pocket:
- Consider what adequate notice means to you. It could mean following the company standard. Or it could mean longer if it will help you wrap up loose ends and leave things in good shape. It could mean you need to leave sooner if the situation is already toxic.
- Write out your thoughts in advance. But keep your official resignation letter simple. Include your last day of work. Have it written and ready to deliver.
- Don’t resign via email. Have a conversation, no matter what.
- Be gracious and acknowledge people. Communicate your genuine appreciation for what you’ve learned, and say thank you to people who have helped you.
- Ignore pleas to stay. This is a common tactic, especially if the company is already short-staffed. Do not accept promises of more $$ or a promotion. If they truly valued you, those would have come already. Remember you had good reasons to leave.
- Allow yourself time to grieve. For most of us, leaving a job and the people we work with is a loss, even if we are excited about the move. It’s okay to feel sad. That doesn’t mean you are making the wrong decision.
Depending on the company and its policies, you may be immediately escorted out of the building. Be prepared for that. It’s not about you. Most people are wildly surprised by the generous responses and well wishes they hear when they resign. People are genuinely happy for you. And you may even be giving someone some hope that something better is out there for them.
Cheers to your career!
I am a career REBEL!
I define my work.
My career is in my hands.
I stand up for who I am and how I contribute to the greater good.
I will invest my portfolio of knowledge, skills, and abilities
where they will earn the most significant return.
