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How to Leave a Job on Good Terms [7-Step Infographic]

How to Leave a Job on Good Terms
[7-Step Infographic]

Home  –  Blog  –  How to Leave a Job on Good Terms [7-Step Infographic]

There comes a time in your career when you feel it is time to move on from your current job role, and that’s perfectly normal.      

You’re definitely not alone. In fact, research done by Manila Recruitment has found that 50% of employees voluntarily leave in the first two years of employment. 

A pretty big number, right? 

When that moment does come for you to move on to new adventures, make sure you learn to do it the right way!   

By the time you finish this blog, you will be an expert on how to leave your current job successfully and on great terms with your employer. (without burning any bridges that might come back to bite you in the future.)

Step 1 :

Give Your Manager Suitable Notice

Letting your manager be the first to know is a must.

Hearing of your resignation from someone else might cause some unnecessary friction that you definitely want to avoid in your last few weeks!

Furthermore, you don’t want to be the talk of the office and get bombarded with questions without first discussing a proper exit strategy with your manager and team.

While it may not be necessary to give a reason as to why you’re leaving, giving a brief explanation is always good. Be clear and concise but don’t go into too much detail.

For example :

Instead of “I don’t like the company” or “this job doesn’t excite me anymore”

Try to focus on the positives. 

“I have learned a lot in my role at this company but I am now looking for other opportunities that provides new challenges to develop my skills”

Step 2:
Honor Your Contract’s Notice Period

Depending on what your contract states, you should honor this. A contract is in place for a reason.

If the employer has stuck to their side of the contract, as a responsible employee you should do the same. 

By giving your manager proper notice ahead of time allows them to find your replacement and proves that you are a responsible individual who respects the workflow of the company. Click here to download the Notice Letter Draft.

Step 3:
Organize Your Desk

There’s nothing worse than for your replacement to find disorganized and scattered files that only you would understand.

You may understand how your desk and files are organized, but this doesn’t necessarily mean your replacement will.

Make sure to organize all your files ahead of your departure (this also means tying up loose ends and completing projects) to avoid any bad blood and unnecessary stress for your replacement, manager, and your team!

Step 4:
Finish as if it Were Your First Day on the Job

It’s natural to want to slack off during your last few days knowing that you would be leaving your current job.

But maintaining your productivity and eagerness to work as if it were your first day will leave a great impression on your employer and let them know that you are reliable.

This will also come in handy if your future employers need a past employer’s reference, a LinkedIn recommendation, or you never know who your future employers will speak to or know.

Step 5:
Train your Replacement

Your manager may already have a hefty workload so to make things easier and leave on a good note, offer to train the person who will be replacing you. 

While it’s not a step you necessarily need to take, it is a great opportunity to show your gratitude towards your employer. 

This generosity will be highly appreciated by your manager and colleagues.

Step 6:
Write a Goodbye Email to Your Colleagues

While your colleagues may have already heard of your resignation, it is always nice to send an email regarding your departure and thank them for the time you have spent with them in the office. 

There are a number of ways to do this, but if you don’t feel like having one-on-one chats with each person, sending a broadcast email is the way to go.

It doesn’t have to be long and personal, either! It can go a little something like this :

Dear ….,

As some of you may know, I will be leaving (company) on (date)

I wanted to write this email to thank you all for being a part of my journey at (company) It has been an absolute pleasure working with you.

(Use this time to discuss positive moments or memories you have had together with your colleagues)

(You may also add a personal contact number to keep in touch!)

Best regards,

(Name)

Step 7 :
Keep a Professional Relationship

While it may be tempting to go on a long rant on social media about all the negative things you experienced at your workplace, remember that social media is a public platform and you wouldn’t want to post anything your potential new employer might see!

Instead, take your last day as an initiative to have a calm discussion on what you believe could be improved in the company. Be honest about your experience – but keep it professional.

—-

So there you have it, the 7 vital steps on how to leave a job on good terms. 

While all these steps may seem daunting, remember that you’re not the first person to ever leave their job and certainly won’t be the last. 

With that in mind, making sure to do it correctly is vital to your career progression. 

Keep it professional, you never know who you may need down the line. 😉

Searching for a new job but don’t know where to start?

Take a look at our blog “A 5-step guide to getting a job” and receive a FREE CV template to get you started.

Contact us at [email protected] for further assistance on landing your dream job.

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