Resigning
There are various different ways of approaching the resignation process – some right and some wrong. You might be leaving your current employer but it never hurts to leave them with a positive impression of you.
There are only two points you really have to get across when resigning.
- The fact that you’re resigning.
- Your acceptance that you are (probably) bound by a notice period.
Anything else is just a nicety.
But it’s well worth being as nice as possible about the matter.
Harsh words in a letter of resignation could easily come back to haunt you in the future, not least if you ever need a reference from this employer.
Why are you leaving?
Your employer is going to be wondering why you’re leaving. The important thing is to realise that you’re under no obligation to go into any details. In fact, you’re under no obligation to give any reason at all. You could simply say that you’ve decided the time is right to ‘move on to a new challenge’. Whilst they might be curious to know more, discretion will prevent many employers from prying any further.
Don’t burn your bridges
Make the effort to thank your employer for the opportunity they have given you and wish them the best for the future. Keep it very simple and business like, whilst at the same time avoiding being cold and distant. There is nothing to be gained by burning bridges. You certainly shouldn’t make any derogatory or disparaging comments about the organisation or any other employee of the organisation.
You may find it hard to resist voicing particular concerns. However, using your letter of resignation to launch a personal attack or to attempt to score points is highly ill-advised, even if your comments are justified. Your intention may simply be to make your employer aware of a particular problem, but such a letter can nonetheless end up sounding vindictive and is unlikely to ever do you any good.
Notice periods
In most jobs you will be bound by a period of notice, stipulated in your contract of employment. You should study your contract carefully so you are aware of precisely what this period of notice is.
You should also identify how many leave days you remain entitled to since these could reduce your notice period.
You are not under any legal obligation to give more than the statutory period of notice; however, in certain circumstances you may wish to do so. If this is the case then this should be made clear in your letter with a statement indicating precisely when it is you wish to leave.
Don’t delay!
Resignation letters should generally be sent as soon as possible after you have reached a firm decision to leave. Your decision only becomes legally binding on delivery of your letter of resignation. It should be noted that you don’t need to post your letter; email is also legally binding.
Exit interviews
Upon receipt of an employee’s resignation, many employers will wish to conduct what is known as an ‘exit interview’ where they may try to probe your reasons for leaving in greater detail, ostensibly to identify improvements they might be able to make to the working environment or to specific practices and procedures.
TOP TIP
As with your original letter, keep your comments at an exit interview professional, not personal. Remember that an employer can’t force you to disclose your reasons. Don’t let yourself be talked into a corner. Whilst you may have kept your cool in your letter, it can be harder to do so face to face.
Counter-offers
Your employer may try to encourage you to stay with them, so you need to be prepared to face the possibility that you may be offered an improvement to the salary package you currently receive.
You might be very tempted to accept such an offer, so it is important to remember your specific reasons for wanting to resign in the first place. Was money really your main motivator?
You may even be offered a promotion or a move to a different branch or department. This sort of counter-offer will take more serious thought on your part. How does the new job you’ve been offered compare with the one you are planning to go to?
I’m not saying you shouldn’t give serious consideration to counter-offers. I would say that you should proceed with caution.
Rejecting other offers
Besides resigning from your current position, it is also very important to write to politely decline any other job offers you may have received.
This is more than a common courtesy; it is yet another step in building a strong reputation as a serious and professional individual.
Clearly the organisation you’re turning down has invested a lot of time and effort in dealing with you. It’s going to expect some sort of reason from you for rejecting the offer and you’re going to have to give one.
You might have felt your prospective future line manager was cold and distant when you met at interview. You might have felt the salary offer was a joke. You might feel that your future career prospects would be limited within this particular organisation. But is it really going to be to your advantage to tell them any of that? It might make you feel better but it isn’t going to do anything to increase your standing in their eyes. You should always be very careful of projecting any negative emotion into a letter.
You should always bear in mind that you might end up dealing with this same organisation again at some stage. If they have made you an offer, then they obviously have a positive impression of you and you want them to maintain that.