If you are leaving your current job, there are several factors to consider to ensure that you leave your position gracefully.

Giving Notice and Leaving Your Current Position

• Schedule an appointment with your manager to "discuss your career decisions".
• Bring a professional and well-written resignation letter to the appointment.
• After informing your supervisor, tell colleges and other staff.
• Maintain your professionalism.
• Plan to stay in your current role for at least two to four weeks in order to allow for some time to transition your role and/or begin finding a replacement. Try to work with your current and future employers to determine a respective end date and start date that best meet the needs of all parties involved. Document as much information as possible to ease the transition for your coworkers and replacement.
• Avoid burning bridges, especially during exit interviews. Remain positive and professional throughout your final days on the job.
• Delete personal emails and documents.
• If you are asked to leave immediately, maintain your professionalism. Immediate removal from the office is most often a matter of security, so don’t take it personally.

Resignation Letters

When resigning from a position, a professional and well-written resignation letter should always be presented to your employer.

Structure of Your Resignation Letter

• Introduction - Should indicate that you are resigning and provide your last day of employment.
• Body - Mention your reasons for leaving and your appreciation for the experience you've gained. State that you will remain a professional and diligent employee and that you will do whatever you can to ease the transition.
• Conclusion - Express kind wishes, your gratitude and/or your desire to keep in touch.

Click here to view a sample resignation letter.

Follow Up

• Contact companies with which you have been interviewing to respectfully withdraw from the interview process.
• Contact your network. Thank those in your network for their help. Let them know where you will be working, what you will be doing there and how they can reach you.  Although your job search has come to an end, remain in touch with your network and maintain your database of contacts.

Termination

Severance Issues  

Transitioning Resources