How to Explain to My Boss That I Quit
Whether you are leaving for a better opportunity or leaving because you hate your job, it can be hard to explain to your boss that you are quitting. The key is to remember never to burn your bridges and to always be professional. You never know when you may need a reference, or who your boss may know within your industry, so tact and politeness is always key to quitting properly.
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Instructions
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Give sufficient notice. You do not want your boss to be left holding the bag or with work that can't be done because you are gone. At least two weeks is appropriate, but if you are in a position that will require a lot of training for your replacement, you may want to let your boss know even earlier than that. You may also want to offer to train a replacement so your boss knows you care about the continued success of the office.
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Remain positive. Your boss will likely want to know why you quit, but now is not the time to start making negative comments about him or about your co-workers or the job. You should try to cloak any criticisms in a positive light and never make openly hostile or derogatory comments. If you are leaving because you hate your co-workers for example, you might want to phrase that as "I really enjoyed working here, but I have found a job where I think the corporate culture fits my personality a little better."
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Be honest. While you don't want to be overtly negative, you also do not want to lie about why you are leaving. In addition, if there are serious problems, such as a backstabbing co-worker who made it difficult for you to do your job, your boss might need to know that so that he doesn't lose future employees the same way. Just make sure that you have evidence or support to back up any examples of problems that you give to your boss to explain your departure.
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Stress that it is about you. Your boss may feel a bit rejected, especially if he has been training you or if you have developed a friendship. You want to make sure you make it clear that you are leaving to accomplish your own personal goals or dreams, not to get away from him or the job.
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Suggest a continued relationship. If you want to keep working together on some level, or even just maintain him as a contact, suggest that you will keep in touch via e-mail or that your replacement can contact you with any questions. Your boss will experience your professionalism and you can keep a good contact in case you ever need his support with any future work endeavors.
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