Leaving Well – 4 Important Steps Before You Step Out the Door (For Good)

In my previous article, I discussed three signs to look for when deciding whether it is time to change course in your career.?When you have nothing left to prove to yourself, believe that you are moving toward something better, and it feels right in your spirit, then the time may be now. ?

While this can be an exciting time in your life as you look toward a new future (and it should be!), breaking the news to your current employer can be awkward. And so, in this article, I want to walk you through how to “leave well.” ?Admittedly as I reflect on my own past, I can look back at a time when I was not so successful in this area.?However, I have learned from my experience and want to help you to do it the right way. ?So, how do you leave your job well? Follow these steps to help you walk out the door confident that you did it right - with your head held high.

1. Deliver a clear and concise resignation letter.

The most widely accepted method of resigning is through a resignation letter, which is the official notice to your employer of your intention to leave the firm. This document will end up in your personnel file as it gets passed from your manager to HR (and possibly a few extra hands as well), so it should be carefully drafted. It should be both concise and clear in your intention. A resignation letter has no room for extra fluff or rambling of how you were mistreated, taken advantage of, or set up for failure. This is not your platform to complain; it’s only to initiate termination of the relationship.

I have found that a good format for your resignation includes four paragraphs. The first paragraph is a statement informing management of your intention to leave the company at a specified date. Having the date included is important so that your departure is not open ended. Clearly define your last day. The second paragraph includes a very brief reason as to why you are leaving. For example, you have accepted a position with another firm, or you are pursuing a career change. Understand that you are under no obligation to tell them where you are going; however, ultimately that’s your choice. If there is no benefit to telling them, then leaving this information out is probably best. In the third paragraph, you can thank your employer for the opportunity to have worked with them over your tenure there. Let them know that you will work hard to transition your projects to the appropriate staff during your final weeks there. The final paragraph is a brief closing where you can wish the company success in the future.

If the letter is more than half a page (approximately 150–200 words), then it’s too long. Date the letter the day of your resignation, address the letter to your immediate manager, and sign it at the bottom. There are many templates available online that you can reference, or you can create your own. Whatever you decide, remember to keep it clear, concise, and professional. Remember, your purpose here is to notify them of your intention to leave, not to complain.

2. Provide sufficient notice.

In your resignation letter, you will provide your manager a specific end date for your working relationship. Although the industry standard is two weeks’ notice, consider this as the minimum notification period. Depending on your specific role in the company or your workload, realistically, two weeks may not be enough time to transition your projects effectively. You are under no obligation to stay longer than the two weeks (assuming you are an at-will employee and have not signed a contract with them with a specific tenure of employment). But consider staying an extra one or two weeks if you don’t think you’ll be able to leave your projects in a good place. Of course, you will also need to consider your obligations to your future employer and meet your commitment with them by honoring your start date.

3. Work hard and be prepared.

During your final weeks at your company, continue to work hard (as you always have!) at wrapping up your projects. Now is not the time to cut corners or kick your feet up on your desk. Leaving well means continuing to be a person of integrity and keeping your signature of excellence on everything that you touch. If this means staying late a few nights to get a coworker up to speed on your projects or to meet a deadline, then do it. If it means spending extra hours putting a project-status summary spreadsheet together for your boss (whether they asked for it or not), then do it. By doing so, you remind them that you were a valuable employee and you also keep yourself in peak shape as you prepare for your future place of work.?

In your last days at the company, be prepared for a call from your manager or perhaps someone higher up the ladder to try and convince you to stay. Nobody likes to see a talented person like you walk out the door. After management has fully processed the impacts of your resignation, they may give one last push to try to change your mind. So, you need to be prepared for this moment. Unless management can say something or commit to doing something that changes your circumstances and restores your faith (and you haven’t committed to another company), you need to hold firm to your decision and remember your reasons for leaving. Thank them for their interest, and keep your compass positioned forward.

4. The exit interview—keep it professional.

One of the final steps you will need to take as you wind down your tenure at the company is to complete an exit interview. The exit interview can be conducted by your HR department (which is typically the case) or through a third-party firm that your company contracts with. Companies may opt for a third-party firm as a way of allowing you more freedom or security to speak what may otherwise go unspoken. Employees may feel more at ease speaking with a third party and open up more about their frustrations with the company culture, their direct manager, their team, or other points of contention based on their experience.

When the time comes for your personal exit interview, remember to keep it professional. Be open and honest about your experience there, and provide information that may help them. A good company wants to hear this so that they can learn from it, identify any recurring patterns (perhaps others are leaving for similar reasons), and make necessary internal improvements to ensure staff retention. If you need to get anything off your chest, this will be your final opportunity to do so. Now is not the time, however, to work through any issues you have. That should have happened already through previous discussions with your manager or HR personnel, and in your mind, you should have complete certainty that this is the end.

After you thank them verbally for giving you an opportunity to work at their company, remember to thank them silently as well. By this, I mean thank them within yourself. Thank them for making you a stronger person. Thank them for making you more assertive. Thank them for helping you to step into your authentic self. And on your final day, walk away with your head held high and an extra bounce in your step. Let them see the new and improved version of you as you move on to the next chapter of your life!

Author: Ryan Walter, ACC, PE

Follow me @ Rethinkwildly.com

I am a certified professional life coach and help engineers and other professionals navigate the human challenges of work. If there is any area of work or life that I can assist you with, please schedule a discovery call with me on my booking calendar.?Free Consultation Call - ReThink Wildly