Moving? How to Leave Your Job in Style
When you move to a new city, you leave your old city and, often, your old job behind. While a residential move is exciting, the relocation stress and resigning from your current position might be overwhelming.
Here are some ways to make sure you leave your job professionally.
Give Adequate Notice
Quitting a job without adequate notice burns bridges. If you’ve signed a contract with your employer, then the agreement will specify how much notice you should give. Otherwise, two weeks is standard. If you are a manager, consider providing three weeks, and, if you’re an executive, four weeks.
Be Clear The Decision Is About You
Articulate your reasons for leaving and make clear that the decision to leave is about what is best for you at this point in your life. You are moving to a new city and a new job. Talk about the opportunities this brings.
Your resignation announcement is not the time to talk about all the things you dislike about the company, your boss, or your co-workers. Even if adverse events occurred in this job that led you to start looking for a new job, make your resignation letter and announcement positive.
Give Your Boss a Heads-Up
Telling your boss privately before you write your resignation letter is courteous. It also often makes your transition easier because most bosses appreciate a few minutes to adjust before seeing the news in black and white. Also, be sure to tell your boss before telling your co-workers.
Write a Gracious Resignation Letter
The odds are you will encounter someone from your old job at another point in your career, especially if your new job is in the same industry. A gracious letter helps solidify positive relationships and neutralize negative ones.
Find something to be grateful for and include this in your letter. If you loved your job but need to relocate for personal reasons, showing gratitude will be easy. If you’re relocating because you want to leave the company, something good has probably resulted from your time there. After all, the company provided you with employment for a time and was a stepping-stone to something better.
Be Prepared To Leave Immediately
Some companies will ask you to leave immediately when you announced your resignation. This isn’t personal. Companies have various good reasons for this policy.
With this in mind, start gathering your personal items before you write your resignation letter. Save performance appraisals, recognition letters, and other similar documents on a thumb drive, for example.
Offer to Help With the Transition
If possible, set things up so that your successor can be up and running quickly. Offer to be available for a few weeks after your resignation, even if just by phone. Finish up work on significant projects and leave a “how-to” resource explaining the job and listing those you interact with daily.
Set Up An Exit Interview
While some human resources departments set up exit interviews promptly and automatically, others are less conscientious. Be proactive in arranging for your own exit interview.
During the interview, express appreciation for the benefits you’ve received from your employment there. Suggest constructive changes that will improve employee morale or retention, or productivity. If dissatisfaction led you to seek a new job, and you feel you must vent, do so with a trusted friend before the interview.
Moving On
As you prepare to move on to bigger and better opportunities, let us help. As a pro moving company with the know-how plus experience to handle all the moving pieces, we can help with your relocation. Contact us for a free quote.
