Resignation with Dignity

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Dignity is about being worthy of respect, and a stylish resignation should leave your employer sorry to see you go.  Having said that, remember that resigning can be stressful here are some top tips to ease the pain:

Employee Resignation

Check your contract

• What is your notice period?  If you’re still on probation, you are likely to be able to terminate the contract with immediate effect.  Most employers will ask for between two and four week’s notice.
• Unless you can get your employer to waive your notice period, you are legally obliged to work it. Work it with good grace, if at all possible.
• If you have no written contract, a verbal contract still counts.  Honour your verbal contract to make sure you don’t lose out on any outstanding monies.
• If you need to know more about legal obligations and have confidence in how you approach your resignation the Citizens Advice Bureau can help.

Meet with your boss

• Make sure you are feeling calm, composed and capable – you may be confronted and you want to be able to manage the conversation
• Prepare and practice what you want to say, and how you will respond to your boss’s reaction. Make sure that what you say about your decision is neutral and not inflammatory or reactionary.  Saying ‘this has been the worst job ever’ will do you no good at all.  Deciding to move on is a great way of positioning your discussion.
• Remember you are more than likely going to need a reference so, thank your boss for all the opportunities, advancements and training.  Be positive about the role, the company, your colleagues and even your boss.
• If your boss decides to push you for another or additional reasons for leaving, stay strong. Do not divulge any other reasons for leaving.  Stick to your guns and keep the story straight.
• Consider how you will respond and react if your boss actually asks you to reconsider and stay.  Will the temptation of more money, less hours, changed role make any difference to your decision to leave?

Write a formal resignation letter

• All you need to include is the date, your name, your boss’s name, your notice of termination of employment, when this will be effective from, details of your notice period, and your signature.
• If it’s appropriate [and I mean genuine here] add some brief pertinent and relevant comments.
• Reassure your boss that you would like the hand-over to be as smooth as possible and that you are committed to completing any outstanding work.
• Print the letter in duplicate, one for your boss and one for you.

Exit interview

• If you feel it is important, and exit interviews are not a matter of policy, you are within your rights to ask for an exit interview at which time you might want to express your views openly.
• You do not have to disclose your reasons for leaving at this time unless you want to.  The exit interview is all about constructive and useful information that the employer can use and learn from.  Feedback in fact about them as employers and the way they do things.  Some employers change their policies after analysing exit interview feedback.
• Prepare and plan for the interview, you will be asked for example of your experiences and if they have been disappointing or bad, in particular you will need to give more information.  Suggestions on alternative ways of working or dealing with issues may well be welcomed.  Your employer should make notes at the interview for their records.

And that’s it – you’re almost free to go

You just need to tie up all the lose ends and work your notice. Whilst doing that remember to check:

• Is your salary settlement correct?
• Have you finished all the outstanding projects you can?
• Did you hand over any unfinished business to your colleagues?
• Are there any surprises that could catch anyone out and might alter their opinion of you?
• Will you take time to say goodbye to colleagues, contractors and customers?
• Do you need to organise a leaving ‘do’?
• Have you got the contact details of all and sundry who might be useful to you in the future?

Here’s an interesting old article about ‘How to leave a job with dignity”

Make sure that you know what you are doing, be prepared, be positive and good luck!

When did you leave with dignity? come and tell us about it

Lynn
http://assessment4potential.tel/

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About Lynn Tulip
Lynn Tulip is a career management and HR professional running her own HR consultancy. Her passion is working with individuals, helping them rekindle their work passion. Read the newly published Get That Job, the art of successful job hunting.. Apart from loving food and fitness, she enjoys her ever growing family. Find her online or follow her @LynnTulip and @A4P_HR
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