How to resign from job in a better way?

Financial Planning | admin | March 3, 2011 at 8:31 am

There’s an art to quitting a job, and if you’re smart, you’ll do it right. JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater’s dramatic exit out of an emergency chute — and a job — may be the stuff your fantasies are made of.

But when it comes to the crunch, it’s never a good idea to burn your bridges while resigning. It may well come back to haunt you later.

Let your boss be the first to know

“And do it face-to-face,” advises Sangeeta Lala, VP (sourcing), TeamLease Services.

“The biggest mistake that people can make is to send out a mail saying they are resigning. Nothing ticks the boss off more,” she says.

Remember, your boss is the first point of contact for future references, both formal and discreet.

Give plenty of notice

If your employment contract specifies a notice period, try and abide by it. Plan things out and inform your future employers accordingly. Says GlobalHunt director Sunil Goel: “Your organisation needs time to plan its activities, be it hiring a replacement, knowledge transfer or moving someone else up."

"I’ve seen people saying they can’t serve more than 10 days or try and buy out a notice, and things go into a heated mode. Later, when there’s a background check, it’s like handing out a red card to future employers.”

Don't slack off

Just because you’ve put in your papers, it doesn’t mean you should shrug off all your responsibilities.

Use the time to wrap up all pending assignments and leave things in order. Try and ensure as smooth a transition as possible for others.

Be careful about the exit interview

If you trash the company during an exit interview, it may follow you later.

"You might be tempted to present all your cribs on a platter, but don’t do it," cautions Hitesh Bhagia, currently serving his notice period at a leading MNC bank.

"Highlight your displeasure, if any, in a very reasonable manner."

Stay in touch

Make sure you leave the door open a crack. Give your former colleagues your new contact information and stay in touch. Maintaining these ties may hold you in good stead later.

Says Bimal Rath, founder of HR consulting company Think Talent Services: “Always treat your time with the past employer as a learning experience. Most people tend to look at the past as ‘has been’. That’s appropriate in some context, but the learnings and relationships from the past must be carried forward.”

Source: Economic Times