How to fade away from your current company

It’s peak season of the year again for job hunters.

It would be a delight to get a good offer: charming boss, larger job scope, a developing platform, exciting team culture, etc, but there still would be many issues to be considered and taken care of in your last period of time with your current company, resigning is one of the most important last things you will do in your current company.

A decent and professional resignation would create a good image to those around you, such as your colleagues, subordinates, your line supervisor, even the senior management team. Maintaining a good relationship with them is critical and sometimes helpful to your future career in the sector or field you are living in; it would be somehow awkward, that you had a serious conflict with someone, but now you need that person to work with you.

There is some advice that might be useful during your resignation process.

Resign to your line supervisor

No leapfrog resignation, no resignation to boss’s boss, or even to HR department only.  If your boss is not the first one who knows you are going to leave, you might get into trouble, as your line supervisor deserves the respect of control or getting involved in this.

Face to face conversation

The timing of resignation is important, as a boss, nobody wants to get handle another problem when he or she is busy and there is never a good time for a resignation. I would recommend you keep an eye out on your boss and schedule an appointment with the boss when his/her schedule is relatively light. A formal email eventually is going to be necessary, but sending it out after the conversation would be so much better. Never make a call to resign, or simply give a short notice, which is not respectful and professional.

Give a simple reason

Express your firm attitude to leave, and there is no need to be too specific unless you really want to share. Career development is a good reason; sometimes family consideration is good as well. Sometimes people just need a reason, but they don’t need a real reason. For instance, you resign because you are not happy with your boss, but there is no need he/she knows that; if compensation is the reason that you quit, it is better not to mention that as well. Having said this, it is important to stress that these issues should have been discussed before with your boss in order to resolve so you do not have to resign.

Don’t accept or commit to any loose promises

Sometimes the company would try everything to retain people, commit to some promises; it would not be smart to accept them without considering whether they are sincere and realistic. Please remember that you have already taken another offer and if you choose to stay, it means you break your promise which can be damaging to your reputation. According to research done, most people would still quit within half a year after they decided to stay in their current company because fundamentally the trust is gone.

Stay low

Don’t get involved in long term projects or plans; try not to discuss your resignation with other people in the office and also we would not advice you to discuss your current job offer.  A company would never a soon to be ex employee telling colleagues about all these details and create a negative atmosphere.

Make a detailed hand-over list

Make sure all the documents and work issues are handed over to the person who would replace you or your current manager. Brief the person about your job scope, responsibilities, project status, current challenges, etc, mark those important items where necessary.

Clear your computer and leave nothing personal

Delete all personal information and e-mails and keep all work related documents and e-mails for your replacement. Please do remember to return all company items, clear all reimbursements and outstanding issues. After all no one wants to get another call from their previous company and nobody wants to deal with old issues from the past.