Ideally, the best time to resign from a job is when another employment situation is firmly waiting in the wings.
Making the decision whether or not to resign from a job can be one of the most difficult things that many people will do during the course of their careers. Employees often feel trapped in unpleasant work situations and may spend much of their time daydreaming about walking off the job on the spur of the moment. This approach is not advised, however, because it can have negative consequences on future job searches. When it becomes obvious that a job is the wrong fit, begin planning your resignation by having an exit plan in place that will minimize the hardships that being unemployed can entail.
Resigning from a job, no matter what the reason, is a process that has to be handled in a professional manner. The employee may not be remembered for the quality of work performed, but he or she will certainly be remembered if the act of resigning involved a loud, unpleasant scene or other display of bad judgement. Retaining a pleasant, professional demeanor while in the process of resigning from a job can help to ensure positive future references. For more resignation tips, read our article on resignation etiquette.
Ideally, the best time to resign from a job is when another employment situation is firmly waiting in the wings. In this circumstance, quitting a job is usually just a matter of giving appropriate notice to the human resources department and undergoing an exit interview. However, the exit interview should never be used as a venue to voice grievances about the company, supervisors or coworkers. Leaving any job, no matter how distasteful, under the best possible circumstances is a wise career move. Smart people try to leave a job with the option of being welcome to return, even if they’ve got no intention of ever doing so.
Resigning without having another job in place is a risky thing to do. However, for those who live in areas where the unemployment rate isn’t severely high, this action can have some benefits. It will free up time during the business day to seek other employment as well as remove the stress of going to an unhappy work situation on a daily basis. This action is not to be done lightly, though, especially if the job seeker has significant family or financial responsibilities.
It isn’t always easy to know for sure if leaving a job is the right decision. Those who find themselves dreading going to work on more than an occasional basis probably need an employment change in their lives, though. They are advised to first ascertain whether it’s the type of work that they are averse to or the company itself and to explore solutions to the problems they are having with their jobs.
Even if a current work situation has become unbearable for the employee and there is little choice beyond resigning as soon as possible, the resignation should still be handled in a professional manner. If the decision to resign has been clearly thought out and no other option seems suitable, the employee should present his or her employer with a written or verbal notice stating when their last day of work will be.
Giving written or verbal notice can be tricky. You should always consider writing a resignation letter and there are many types of resignation letters to choose from. Many lower-level employees are simply let go on the spot the moment they produce notice to resign. Those who are employed in places or in positions where this reaction on the part of the employer is standard should be prepared to be without a job immediately upon giving notice. On the other hand, some employees may want to give a longer-than-usual notice so that they can assist the company in training their replacement. This is often considered a responsible and classy thing to do that may serve the departing employee well in the future.
Unused sick leave and pension are normally given to the employee upon departure, and sometimes they can retain some of their health benefits for a specified period of time. Before making a firm decision to resign, these possibilities need to be investigated. Corporate policy varies, so it’s best not to make any assumptions about what can be expected as far as retaining benefits. Salary is almost never paid to the departing employee after he or she has completed the last day of work.
Although quitting a job can be stressful, it’s usually a necessary part of moving up the professional ladder of most career fields. Proper planning can make it a relatively painless process.