How to Resign From Your Job Gracefully

The time has come (for whatever reason) for you to resign from your job. Even if you’re leaving a toxic workplace, your best bet is to resign gracefully. It will help you keep relationships intact and allow you to leave your job on a professional note.

But resigning can be nerve-wracking, even if you’re on the best of terms with your boss. And then, of course, you still have a few weeks left on the job. To help you through this career transition, we’ve gathered some tips on how to resign gracefully.

How to Quit Your Job Gracefully

Although it might be tempting to simply stop going to work, burning those bridges can negatively impact you for far longer than you might realize. Instead, use these tips to strategize your exit.

1. Make a Plan

The first step to resigning gracefully is to plan it out. FlexJobs Career Expert Toni Frana advises, “Whether you are quitting your job because of a great opportunity or because you are looking to get out of a toxic situation, you want to handle your resignation with care.”

Frana explains, “Ahead of resigning, think through what you want to say and prepare talking points ahead of time. Often, the conversation feels awkward and isn’t easy, so as much preparation as you can do ahead of time will help.”

2. Find and Give Time

Timing is everything, particularly when you want to resign your job gracefully.

For example, if your boss is always busy on Monday mornings, it might be better to resign Monday afternoon or even Tuesday morning so your boss can better focus on what you’re saying.

You’ll also want to give your supervisor a reasonable amount of notice that you’re leaving. Though two weeks is generally the gold standard, some companies request that you give more notice if you’re resigning from a more senior or technical position. Double-check your documents to see what might be requested or even required of you.

And finally, even if you do give two or more weeks’ notice, be prepared for the company to ask you to leave immediately. Not all companies allow staff to continue working after they’ve resigned, even when you’re parting on good terms. Be prepared to leave that day, and don’t take it personally.

3. Notify Your Supervisor

Part of resigning gracefully means telling your immediate supervisor about your resignation first. After you’ve talked to your boss, you can share your plans with colleagues. Because this can often be a difficult conversation, many people would prefer to email their resignation letter and leave it at that.

However, resigning face-to-face, even if that’s over video chat, is the most professional way to resign.

No matter how fabulous or awful your boss is, it’s best to keep things simple and positive, or at least neutral. Frana warns, “It’s not advisable to be angry or mean when resigning. Focus on the positives of your time at the company, and let your supervisor know you appreciate the opportunities you’ve been given.”

Finally, during your discussion with your boss, confirm that they will notify HR about your resignation on your behalf. Or, confirm that you need to submit your resignation to HR directly.

4. Share the Information

As part of your graceful resignation, create a document that includes passwords, deadlines, or anything that someone stepping into your role needs to know. Leave things neat, tidy, and in good shape so your boss—or whoever takes over your workload when you leave—can step right in and not miss a beat.

5. Lend a Helping Hand

While your replacement likely won’t be hired until you’re gone, it’s possible an internal person may replace you and can start learning the role immediately. If that’s the case, offer to train that person before you leave.

However, the company likely won’t post your position for a while (and then they need time to interview, hire, and onboard), so consider offering to train your replacement after you leave. You’ll need to get an OK from your new employer, but being available for a quick Q and A with your replacement will go a long way toward resigning with grace.

6. Keep Working Through the End

During the last few weeks of your employment, continue performing at the high standards you have in the past, and be the professional the company has come to know. Tie up any loose ends as much as you can, answer any questions your boss or coworkers may have about projects, and let clients know they’re in good hands.

7. Attend the Exit Interview

Finally, make sure you participate in the exit interview, but do so with care.

Most companies conduct exit interviews to understand why you’re leaving and to see if there’s anything the company can do to stop others from resigning. While it is a chance for you to provide feedback to the company, any feedback you do give should be professional and constructive.

You may want to trash-talk your now former boss and colleagues. Though your feedback may be accurate, it may not be well-received. While you shouldn’t lie about your reasons for leaving, sometimes it’s best to be a bit vague. Just like the conversation with your boss, try to find something positive about your time with the company to talk about. And if you can’t find anything, stick with neutral responses.

Moving On

Resigning from your job gracefully helps keep your professional reputation intact, allows you to maintain any professional or personal connections you want to have, and lets you leave the job on the best terms possible.

If you’re thinking about resigning from your job (or already have), FlexJobs can help you find a new job. Our extensive database of legitimate, remote and flexible jobs is updated every day with new job postings across 50 career categories. Take the tour and learn more about all the ways a FlexJobs membership can help your job search.

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