Try to keep a professional relationship with your employer until the end. You may want them to give you a reference later on, or you may want to come back and work for them again in the future. Or you might find yourself working with your supervisor or colleagues again, in a different workplace.
Resign from your job as professionally and diplomatically as you can. If you want to leave on good terms with your employer:
- Tell your supervisor well ahead of time that you're resigning, so that they can arrange for you to hand over any work in progress to your replacement. Your employment contract, award or the company handbook will tell you how much notice to give.
- Tell your supervisor in person first. Then follow up with a letter of resignation.
- In your resignation letter, thank the company for its support and the opportunities you have had to learn and gain valuable skills. Do this no matter what your reasons are for leaving.
- Next, if you supervise others, tell your staff as a group, explaining directly and factually why you are resigning. Thank them for their efforts and support.
- Then let other co-workers know of your decision, keeping your announcement as low key as possible.
- In your resignation letter, when you're telling people of your decision to leave, and at any farewell functions that are held for you, resist the temptation to say negative things about your current job or company.
Create a good last impression
Last impressions count as much as first ones. People remember whether a person left work on good terms with everyone, or 'under a cloud'. To enhance other people's opinion of you:
- Focus on the future rather than the past when explaining why you're leaving. This will appear more positive and your co-workers will respect your decision and actions.
- Make sure you complete all projects and outstanding tasks you're responsible for, before you leave. If you're leaving work in progress, do all you can to hand it over to your replacement. If a replacement hasn't been found for you by the time you leave, hand the work to your supervisor with a written explanation of what stage it is at and what needs to be done.
- Leave your office or work area tidy, and leave clear instructions on any work in progress, to make it easier for your replacement to take over.
- Stay in contact with your previous co-workers and business contacts. They may be able to help you in your career later, or offer services that your new company can use.