It can be emotional quitting your job, and the feeling can be like breaking up with your partner since you are letting go of a company where you have spent time and created connections with colleagues. As for the manager, having an employee quit on you can generate a lot of negative emotions. Which is why it is important for you as an employee, to keep your professional relationship intact and focus on the best way to quit your job.
Talk to your boss
The first thing you must do when focusing on the best way to quit your job, is to schedule a meeting with your manager and let them know your plans. Make sure to give your manager a few weeks’ notice depending on your contract. In this way you avoid surprising your boss and it gives the company time to find another employee to fill the role and offload your work.
If you are not comfortable telling your manager where you are going to work, you can let your manager know that you have not figured out all the details yet, but once everything is in place and set you will be happy to chat about the role. If you are taking some time off, you can mention that you want to take some time to reset before figuring out your next step, but you will be sure to tell more once you know what is coming. After your meeting make sure to send a resignation email, to resign in a formal way.
Have an attitude of gratitude
Perhaps you might be struggling with a negative attitude towards your manager, but always remember to show an attitude of gratitude, even if this is the last thing you feel like doing. Think back to when you had the first interview for this job and how much you wanted your manager to hire you. Think about the connections you have built with your colleagues or some of your great achievements, to change the negativity with thankfulness.
The reason for this is that managers tend to respond more positively to resignations when the employee expresses gratitude in their resignation meeting or email. Make sure to keep the meeting or email to the point mentioning your leave date and then express some gratitude for all the experiences you had in your role. In this way you ensure to be on the best possible terms with your manager which is the best way to quit your job.
Create a transition plan
The last couple of weeks in your job is your last chance to leave a positive impression both in regards to your work and your colleagues. Perhaps you already started thinking about your next job and you are getting tempted to reduce the amount of workload. But keep in mind that you leaving your role affects several individuals and it most likely takes time for your manager to find and onboard a new employee to take your role.
Therefore, the best way to quit your job is to be more engaged and helpful to set the next person up for success. You can give your manager a concrete suggestion when having the resignation meeting, that you are open to a flexible notice period or to train a replacement for your role. In this way you can put your managers mind at ease and you ensure the best way to quit your job.
