Are you ready to quit your full-time job? Perhaps you’ve gotten a stellar offer from another company or you’re finally ready to take the plunge into self-employment. Whatever the reason, there is a proper etiquette for job resignation. While you may never expect to go back, burning bridges is not a very professional exit strategy.
Here we provide 5 tips in gracefully quitting your job:
1. Give proper notice. Depending on your contract, you may be required to provide more than the standard two-weeks’ notice. If no other policy exists, plan on working for two weeks after you resign.
2. Write a resignation letter. The formal process for resigning requires proper documentation which comes in the form of a resignation letter. This letter should include your intent to resign and the final date of your employment, the reason for your resignation (avoid negative rants), appreciative statements regarding your employer and any offers to assist in hiring and training your replacement.
3. Request a letter of recommendation. While you can always plan your future, there’s no guarantee that life will adhere to your plan. That’s why it’s good to leave this employer with a letter of recommendation in hand. That way you have proper documentation of work history and performance of your employment.
4. Offer to help with the transition. It’s just good manners to offer your help in hiring and training a replacement. Whether or not your supervisor accepts this offer is another matter. In this case, it’s the thought that counts.
5. Work until the end. It’s natural to get antsy when moving from one job to another. It may be difficult to focus those last couple weeks as you wrap up loose ends and complete important tasks. Make a concerted effort to be present, both physically and mentally. It will leave a good impression with the employer, something you will never regret.
6. Collect contact information. From colleagues to supervisors, the landscape of this company is likely to change significantly over time. If you don’t collect contact information now, you may be hard-pressed to secure it later when you need it.
7. Say goodbye. And we don’t mean a nasty “good riddance” on your way out the door. Take the time to say goodbye to everyone you worked with and, if possible, express gratitude for the opportunity to work with them. An office lunch is often an effective way to wish everyone well at the same time, generating positive and casual conversation in a professional context.
Regardless of your experience with this employer, it’s important that you exit the job with dignity and grace. Taking the time to applythese 7 simple suggestions will ensure that you accomplish that, behaving as a professional until the very end.
Create a Customized Professional Website
If you’re thinking about launching your own practice, a professional website is the perfect way to promote it!
Universal Accounting Center (UAC) offers you Accountweb, a website development tool, available exclusively for financial professionals. Within a number of business days you can create a personalized professional website.
To see a sample website developed from the Universal Accountweb platform, go to http://www.accountableaccountingfirm.com/.
Whether you run a full-time practice or perform financial services on the side, you need a website that tells prospective clients about your business even when you are unable to. If you haven’t yet developed a website for your business, or if your current site is in need of reform, today is the day! Order your subscription now—your website will be up and running by the following business week. And if you are a Universal Accounting student you will receive a free six-month trial!
