How to Quit Professionally
We spend a lot of time learning how to get a job, do the job, and keep the job. But as with most things in life, there will probably come a point when that job ends.
People leave jobs for all kinds of reasons. You may have accepted another position, decided to change careers, gone back to school, relocated, or realized that the position is no longer a good fit. Sometimes the decision is planned months in advance. Other times, circumstances change and you need to leave sooner than expected.
Whatever the reason, there are a few things you should think through before handing in your resignation. Your finances, your next step, your notice period, and what happens during your final days at the company can all affect how smoothly the transition goes.
Know When It Is Time to Leave
Deciding to leave a job is a personal decision, and there is no single reason that applies to everyone. Limited opportunities for advancement, compensation, changes in your personal circumstances, a different career goal, or an increasingly difficult work environment can all play a role.
Before resigning, consider whether the problem can realistically be addressed. A conversation with your manager, additional training, a schedule change, or a move to another position within the company may solve the issue. That does not mean every problem can or should be fixed. Some situations are not going to change, and continuing to stay may not make sense.
Try to make the decision based on the overall situation rather than one particularly bad day. If you are angry after an argument with your manager or frustrated about something that happened that morning, give yourself some time before making a decision that affects your income.
If you already know you want to leave, start thinking about what comes next.
Plan Your Next Step
If you are leaving voluntarily, consider your financial situation before submitting your resignation. If you have another job lined up, make sure the offer is confirmed before announcing that you are leaving. A verbal conversation about a potential job is not the same thing as having a finalized offer.
If you do not have another position, think about how you will handle the gap in income. Look at your current expenses, available savings, health insurance, and other benefits that may be affected when your employment ends.
You should also check your current employer's policies before resigning. Your employee handbook or HR department may explain notice requirements, final pay, benefits, company property, and other steps you will need to complete before leaving.
Planning ahead does not guarantee that everything will go smoothly, but it can prevent you from discovering important details after you have already resigned. Additionally, don't assume you will qualify for unemployment income. Unemployment is not automatic, and eligibility generally depends on why you became unemployed and the rules in your state. In many states, voluntarily quitting without what the state considers good cause can affect eligibility, while certain circumstances may still allow benefits. Before resigning, check your state's unemployment agency for the current eligibility requirements and consider how you will cover your expenses if you do not qualify.
Give Notice and Resign Directly
Two weeks is a common amount of notice, but it is not a universal rule. Your employer may have different expectations based on your position, industry, or employment agreement. Check your workplace policies before deciding how much notice you will give.
Also, in many cases, a notice is a professional courtesy not a requirement.
Often, giving notice is considered a courtesy to give the employer time to find a replacement, or plan for the change. It also allows you to leave on a good note, especially if you ever end up applying again or need to use this job as a reference.
When possible, tell your supervisor directly before announcing your departure to coworkers. Your resignation conversation does not need to be long or dramatic. You can simply explain that you are resigning and provide your expected final working date.
You do not have to give your manager details about why you are leaving. If you accepted another job, you can say that. If you are changing careers, going back to school, or relocating, you can share that if you are comfortable doing so. You are not required to provide a detailed explanation of your personal circumstances.
There are situations where giving notice may not be possible. Safety concerns, emergencies, or other serious circumstances may require someone to leave immediately. If that applies to you, focus on communicating what you can and protecting yourself rather than worrying about following a standard two-week timeline.
Put It in Writing
After speaking with your supervisor, provide a written resignation. This gives both you and your employer a record of your decision and your final working date.
Your resignation letter can be short. You generally need to include your intention to resign, your expected last day, and a brief statement of appreciation or willingness to assist with the transition.
A resignation letter should explain your date of final employment. If you have serious concerns about discrimination, harassment, safety, policy violations, or other workplace issues, use the appropriate reporting process rather than putting everything into your resignation letter.
If your employer conducts an exit interview (an interview discussing why you are leaving), that can be a more appropriate place to provide feedback. Stick to specific situations and explain what happened rather than turning the conversation into personal attacks.
Finish Strong
Once you submit your resignation, you still have a job to do.
Continue showing up on time, completing your responsibilities, communicating with your coworkers, and handling your work as you normally would. It can be tempting to mentally check out once you know you are leaving, especially if you are excited about your next opportunity. Your final days are still part of your employment record.
You may also be asked to help with the transition. Depending on your job, that could mean documenting ongoing work, organizing files, explaining a process to another employee, giving someone an update on a project, or helping train the person taking over some of your responsibilities.
You should not take on an unreasonable amount of work simply because you are resigning. Focus on making the handoff as clear as reasonably possible.
Before your final day, also make sure you know what happens with your final paycheck, benefits, retirement accounts, company property, and any remaining balances or paperwork. If you have personal information stored on a work device, follow your employer's policies rather than simply copying or removing company information.
What Happens After You Leave?
Leaving a job does not mean you have to leave every professional relationship behind. Coworkers may move to other companies, managers may be asked to provide references, and you may work with some of the same people again later in your career.
That does not mean you have to pretend you enjoyed a job that you did not enjoy or stay connected with everyone after you leave. It simply means there is usually little to gain from creating unnecessary conflict on your way out.
You may also be asked why you left during a future job interview. You can be honest without turning the conversation into a list of complaints about your former employer. For example, if you left because there were limited opportunities for advancement, you could explain that you were looking for a position with more responsibility and room to grow.
Your reasons for leaving are your own, but how you communicate them can affect how others view your professionalism. Leaving a job is part of your career, and handling the transition well can help you move forward without creating problems you have to deal with later.
Final Thoughts
There is no single “right” way to leave a job. Sometimes you will have another position waiting, sometimes you will need time to figure out what comes next, and sometimes circumstances will force you to leave sooner than you planned.
What you can control is how prepared you are and how you handle the transition. Know what you are walking away from, understand what you may be giving up, make sure you have a plan for what comes next, and leave with the information and documents you need. A resignation may close one chapter of your career, but it does not have to close the door on what comes after it.
Up Next: Getting a job and learning how to succeed in it are only the beginning. As your experience grows, you may start thinking about what you want to do next, whether that means taking on more responsibility, pursuing a promotion, learning new skills, or changing direction. The next part of the series looks at building your career beyond your current position.
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