How to resign from a job?

Once it’s clear you’re going to resign from a job, the question of how exactly to do it arises. It’s one thing to think about it, but it’s a whole other story when you actually need to do it.

It’s not an easy decision and well done to you for doing it. Regardless of your situation, whether you have a new job lined up or not, it’s not an easy step. Therefore, first take a moment to acknowledge the seriousness of what you’re about to do. And then…just go for it!

Steps to take when resigning from a job

Surely, to some, this article will not be needed. It could be that they just had it with their employer or they’re too exhausted to follow anyone’s advice. That’s quite alright. Whatever works for you and whatever makes you happy is the way to go.

However, if you want to be sure you’re doing everything alright, take the following steps.

1. Advise your manager

When you decide to resign from a job, your manager should be the first person to know. This goes without saying. No matter how long you’ve been with a company or what your relationship is, this is absolutely crucial. It’s pretty much common sense.

Either send them an email or talk to them in person. If you’re working remotely, set up a meeting.

It is completely up to you how detailed you want to be. After all, you are resigning from a job so you get to choose how you want to end it. You can discover the real reason behind your resignation or you can simply say when you’ll be wrapping up.

2. Make it official

When you decide to resign from a job, it has to be official. Even after talking to your manager, you need to write a proper resignation letter. It usually goes to the HR team with your manager in the cc.

In your resignation letter, make sure to state the date and to sign it.

The date is particularly important because you need to keep in mind your notice period.

3. Advise your colleagues

Lastly, make sure whoever you work with is aware of the fact you handed in your resignation. Truth be told, your colleagues will in most cases be the ones who know it first. Even before the manager. Still, don’t forget to notify people you regularly communicate with that you have resigned from your job.

4. Collect all personal belongings & clear your emails

When you resign from your job, you need to take care of your personal belongings at the office/site. Similarly, you should go through your work emails and see if you need anything from it. Forward important emails or perhaps remove the personal stuff from your work email account.

After the last day

Following the resignation, don’t forget to check your revenue status and handle all the paperwork. If you’re switching companies, most probably they’ll do it for you. Still, it is something to keep in mind!

We’d always recommend staying in touch with your former colleagues and managers because you never know when you might need them. It can be as a reference, or maybe it’ll be something else down the line, you never know!

So, even after you resign from your job, keep them in your life because you shared the ups & downs of your daily work.

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