The Proven Strategy for an Early Exit from Your Employment Contract

For executives and professionals (especially in the EU), long notice periods can delay starting a new role. At Loidold & Partners, we’ve identified a proven strategy through empirical research and real-world experience across 200 successful executive search mandates. Our data shows that by following specific steps, employees can negotiate an early exit, reducing their notice period in 80% of the cases, to an empirical average of 8 weeks.

While this is a multifaceted process, here we present the three key steps from this approach that consistently lead to success.

Step 1: Keep It Short

When you resign, always keep it short and simple. Don’t overwhelm your employer with too much detail or reasoning. Schedule a follow-up meeting instead. This gives your employer time to process the news and avoids rushing the conversation. Your resignation will come by surprise, you are in different state, mentally and emotionally.

Step 2: Present a Clear Plan For Your Succession (But Stay Flexible)

In the follow-up meeting, let your employer speak first. Listen carefully to their thoughts and ideas for the transition. However, definitely be prepared with your own, well-thought-out plan. It’s especially important when the conversation shifts to succession planning. Have your plan ready to present, but remain adaptable to the discussion and respond to their suggestions. For your plan, consider to provide potential solutions for all aspects: responsibilities, people and projects. Here, you also hold the advantage of having more time to prepare and can present a plan that is, ideally, ready for acceptance.

Step 3: Negotiate the Exit

Once your employer sees that the transition is under control, the need to hold you for the full notice period weakens rapdibly. This is the best moment to negotiate an early release, as the employer is now more open to the idea.

Key Research Findings

Our studies confirm that following these steps leads to an early release in the majority of cases. While exceptions exist—fewer than 1% involve more complex conditions—the strategy consistently delivers results across all industries. As for the remaining 19%, they typically fall into the category of human unpredictability and sensitivities—factors impossible to control.

You can therefore never promise an early exit, but you can significantly optimize your chances.

Conclusion: Patience, Precision, and Nuance

This proven approach works, but it requires patience and consistency. There are many nuances and layers in real-life situations that build upon this concept. By carefully following each step and remaining focused, you increase your chances of achieving a mutually beneficial early release. At Loidold & Partners, "exit management" is an integral part of our holistic Executive Search process, ensuring optimized value for both clients and candidates.