How to Resign With Dignity

By eHow Careers & Work Editor

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Anyone can quit a job, but there are steps you can take to ensure that you'll resign with your dignity intact.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Printers
Bonded Paper
Computers
Word-processing Software

Step1

Decide when it's time for you to move on. Reasons could include that there's no room for your advancement, or that you don't like the direction your company is taking.

Step2

Get your affairs in order. Whether you will be leaving in two weeks or two months, you want to make certain you are leaving all projects up-to-date, all notes in order and all work possible completed.

Step3

Write a letter of resignation, address it to your immediate superior and carbon copy your boss's direct superior. State clearly your reasons for leaving; be diplomatic and avoid airing any dirty laundry in this format.

Step4

Give the letter to your boss personally and ask for a personal exit interview to iron out any existing issues.

Step5

Ask your employer how much notice the company would like you to give, if you have the time to spare. As a general rule, more notice is better, but if you're leaving for another position, two weeks is usually considered polite.

Step6

Work until the end. You want your employer to respect the work you do even after you're gone, so don't spend your last days goofing off.

Step7

Leave an address and phone number where your former employer can contact you if anyone needs to ask you any follow-up questions.

Tips & Warnings

Offer to train someone to do your job. The effort can help maintain good will between you and your soon-to-be former employer, and it can also help ensure that you'll get a favorable recommendation from this company.
Tell your former employer the truth. If your tenure has not been a happy one, your employer needs to know, but be impersonal and professional about stating the reasons behind it.

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Comments

DemiNor said

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on 7/28/2008 What you are saying is not necessarily true diegodog about the 2 weeks notice. It depends on your job. If you are in a position that you are not easily replaced or you have duties that cannot be delegated to someone else immediately, it is a courtesy to give your company notice. Certain jobs will need notice to beging to find someone to replace you. Especially in a hospital. You shouldn't just leave the day you give notice. That's bad, if not a horrible practice. If they have no inkling that you are leaving, it may not be a good thing to say bye and walk out the door. That's called quitting, not resigning.

diegodog said

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on 9/2/2007 The advice to take vacation that you've earned prior to terminating from work is good, but I'd add the following. Use this time to make a final determination if you are really going to quit. The time away from the workplace will give you a little clarity, and help you clear any heated emotions that may have brought you to this situation. Discreetly determine how many vacation days you have earned (the last thing you want to do is tell anyone at the office of your intention to quit – you may get a permanent vacation with no pay or benefits when you announce your intention to take time off). If you’ve decided to indeed terminate the organization, do your best to consume all of your vacation time you’ve earned. Otherwise, you may have tax consequences to deal with if you have any vacation remaining when you get your final paycheck when after you quit (your vacation time / sick days may

diegodog said

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on 1/4/2007 The two week notice is a thing of the nostalgic past. The moment you give your notice to quit, it should be the moment you are ready to walk out the door. Companies have taken the view that when you given your notice, you have officially terminated your relationship with the company, and are now a security risk to company proprietary information. Discretely clear your office space out a day or two before turning in your resignation. Hand your notice, keys, ID cards, company credit cards, and all other company assets to your manager on the afternoon you give your resignation.

Anonymous said

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on 8/8/2006 If you have vacation time accrued, it is perfectly acceptable to use this time during the customary 2 week notice period, especially if you are resigning from the company because of unpleasant circumstances.

Anonymous said

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on 2/12/2007 When unhappy with the direction your present company is going in, instead of stating why you're leaving, give the positive aspects of your new job or company.

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