How to Quit Your Job on Good Terms

Quitting a job can bring on all the feels: excitement about a new opportunity, nervousness about leaving the security of your current job, uncertainty about how to act with your soon-to-be ex-coworkers. We’ve gathered some good advice to help you manage the stew of emotions and make a graceful exit.

Give Notice

This one’s a no-brainer. Of course, you don’t Irish goodbye your employer. What may not be as obvious is that although a two-week notice is customary, depending on your position, you might be expected to give up to a month. If your position is going to be hard to fill, it would go a long way with you supervisor to give a longer notice. You’ll want to negotiate the duration of the notice you plan to give as part of your acceptance with your new employer. Most won’t expect you to start in fewer than two weeks, but if you plan to give a longer notice, you’ll want to make sure you’re clear on when you will be available to start your new job. And, most importantly, make sure your resignation is communicated to your boss first!

Tie Up Loose Ends

It’s terrible to have to work with someone who has short-timer syndrome, so don’t do that to your peers. Focus on wrapping things up to stay engaged for your remaining time. Make a list of all special tasks or work you do and document the how-to’s for whomever will pick it up later. Complete any projects you are working on and communicate status and details of any work-in-progress. If you work with vendors, other departments, or partner entities, notify your contacts of your upcoming departure and make an introduction to your replacement, if possible.

Work With Your Replacement

It would be helpful to your supervisor to identify someone (or someones) to assume responsibility for your tasks when a replacement isn’t immediately available. You could even help your supervisor find a replacement. Once a successor, temporary or permanent, is selected, volunteer to get them up to speed on the regular job responsibilities and any special ongoing work. Your replacement might be curious about why they should want the job you are leaving and probe for the scoop. Resist the urge to dish and present the particulars in a positive light.

Mind the Chatter

You will be excited about your new job, and since you spend much of your life at work, your coworkers are probably your friends, to some degree. Coworker-friends will want to hear about your new job and you’re going to want to talk about it. It’s okay to share what you’ll be doing and where, but don’t go over the top about why your new employer is better or highlight the perks you’ll be getting. You may not realize how a benign comment about how you are “looking forward to a stress-free job” can come across as a dig at your employer.

Even if your motivation for leaving rests more in avoiding the negatives of the current job than in seizing the positives of your new job, you do not want to talk about those. Prepare your “safe” statements about why you are leaving that will not hurt anyone’s feelings or make you seem ungrateful, bitter, or disparaging. Have these ready for when you are asked to avoid the slip of speaking your mind. Trash talking will always come back to bite you, so just don’t do it with the people at the job or on any social media. Bad-mouthing an employer will undoubtedly leave a bad taste in their mouth.

Be Available After You Leave

Despite dogged efforts, not every loose end will be wrapped up before you leave. Offer your contact information for any questions that might arise. This will be especially helpful if you are the keeper of some specific knowledge or an expert in some area, as questions are sure to present after you leave. Set the boundaries for how much and when you’ll be available to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your new employment.

It really is true what they say about not burning any bridges; you never know when you’re going to need someone to provide a reference or give you a job. Keep your head in the game, maintain your positive outlook, and make sure you leave everyone with a last impression as great as your first.