Five Easy Ways to Quit Your Job
Leaving a job voluntarily is a major life decision with personal and financial consequences. Just as each worker's position with an employer is different, so too are the options for quitting. Depending on your own situation and your reasons for leaving, you may be able to choose from several options as you seek the easiest way to quit.
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Walking Away
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One of the easiest ways to quit a job is by simply walking away and giving no notice to your employer. A worker may choose not to return from a leave of absence or to just stop coming to the workplace. This option is easiest for workers who won't need to use the former employer as a reference when seeking a new job, since it creates confusion for the employer.
Giving Notice
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Giving notice to an employer is another easy way to leave a position. This eliminates the possibility that the employer will make repeated phone calls and other efforts to contact an employee who quits without giving notice. Employees can submit notice at the time of resignation or in advance, with two weeks serving as a traditional, though usually optional, time frame. Notice can occur in person, over the phone or in writing.
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New Employment Status
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If you are a worker who has not signed an employment contract and who has special skills that are underutilized, you may find it easiest to quit a job to become an independent contractor in the same line of work. Since some employers are more willing to hire contract workers than full-time employees, you can perform contract work to avoid the gap in income that would come with quitting your job and seeking a full-time position in a competitive labor market. You may even be able to take contract work in a different department within the same company where you resigned, giving yourself more schedule flexibility and new opportunities to advance on a different career path.
Planned Retirement
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For some workers, a planned retirement is the easiest way to resign from a job without disrupting income, benefits or lifestyle. If you choose to quit prior to retirement, you may face the stress of needing to quickly find a new job or secure an alternative source of income and health insurance. Though it requires planning and paperwork, retirement may be the easiest overall option if you're in the late stages of a career and are eligible for retirement benefits through your employer or Social Security.
Through an Attorney
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While involving an attorney in the process of quitting may seem like an unnecessary complication, it can actually be the easiest way of quitting for certain workers. These include employees who have employment contracts that they must break in order to quit. Walking away from a job when an employment contract is still valid can mean loss of employer-paid insurance, a loss of stock options and a legal requirement not to go to work for a competitor. An employment attorney can negotiate an agreement that includes a severance package and prevents future legal battles.
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