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Expert advice on how to quit your job with or without notice
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Quitting a job is never easy—even if it's a terrible fit for you. And even if you can't stand your employer, you still don't want to burn any bridges on the way out. We talked to certified career coach Meredith Walters to learn good reasons to quit the job you have, as well as how to make the transition as painless as possible. Plus, we'll offer some suggestions you can include in your resignation letter.
Top Reasons for Leaving a Job
- Better pay, benefits, or opportunities for advancement
- Relocation or family circumstances
- To pursue higher education
- Toxic work environment or unsafe working conditions
- Change in company management or organization
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
Excuses to Quit a Job (& What to Say)
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Better opportunities Even if you're doing something you enjoy, you might become aware of other employers with remote work options or a work-life balance that aligns more with your ideal. You might also find somewhere else that will give you more opportunities to work on the specific types of projects that you enjoy the most. Whatever it is, no one can fault you for leaving if you feel that staying would be holding you back. [1] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source
- What to say: "I really value the guidance and mentorship I've had while working at this company, but I've got an offer that's more aligned with my values and lifestyle. I'm flexible and can stay in this position as needed for up to 3 weeks."
- In some situations, you might not be able to give notice—especially if you have an offer that would require relocation or another company that wants you to start right away. As long as that job ends up working out for you, though, that'll usually be okay.
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Education Going back to school is usually considered a totally legitimate reason to quit your job—especially if you're getting a degree or training that will help advance your career. At the same time, if this is your reason for quitting, make sure you give enough notice—you typically know well in advance when a new school term is going to start.
- What to say: "If I want to go any further in my career, I need to get my MBA. I've been accepted to business school and we start in 3 weeks. I'd be happy to help train my replacement and hope I can work with you again in the future."
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Relocation Typically, this involves moving because your partner has to relocate for work, but it could involve a necessary relocation for other reasons. If it's something you don't have a lot of control over, your employer will be more likely to understand—especially if you're not able to give much notice of your departure. [2] X Research source
- What to say: "Unfortunately, we have not been given much time to plan. We'll be moving next week, so I won't have time to work out a full notice. I'd still be more than happy to help however I can with the transition."
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Family circumstances One of the most common reasons people leave a job is to care for a family member who needs assistance. Sometimes these are long-term situations, but often it's simply a matter of needing to help for a few months. While you often can't give the right amount of notice in these situations, people will usually understand why. [3] X Research source
- What to say: "Due to these unprecedented circumstances, my family needs me now. Accordingly, I have no choice but to submit my resignation, effective immediately."
- This applies to you as well. If you're sick, dealing with burnout, or having some other personal issue, put yourself first. Your work is important, but not as important as you are.
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Toxic work environment Unfortunately, you might need to leave a job if you're getting bullied or harassed at work. If the abuse is continual and you aren't being listened to or taken seriously, you might need to leave. Make sure you take copies of any evidence you might need for any ongoing legal disputes before you go. [4] X Research source
- What to say: "Due to the current working conditions, I am no longer able to work for this company. This resignation is effective immediately. Any further questions can be directed to my attorney."
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Unsafe working conditions If you feel as though your health or safety is in danger at your workplace and your employer hasn't done anything about it, quitting your job demonstrates that you won't accept an employer who puts profits over the safety of its employees. [5] X Research source
- What to say: "Despite numerous complaints about respiratory problems, the company still hasn't done anything about the mold issue in the offices. For my health and for the protection of my family I must resign my position effective immediately. I'm willing to help with the transition remotely."
- Quitting your job due to unsafe working conditions can mean that you still qualify for unemployment benefits if you have to leave before you have something else lined up, although this varies greatly depending on where you live.
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Better pay or benefits This is the top reason workers tend to leave a job, regardless of how they feel about the work or the people they work with. Typically, you'll already have your next position lined up when you quit for this reason. [6] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source
- What to say: "While I appreciate the opportunities I've been given here, I've received a very generous offer that also includes unlimited paid vacation time and reimbursed global travel, so I'm moving on. I'll be happy to help find and train my replacement."
- Since you typically already have another job lined up, your new company typically won't have any problem with you working out a notice with your old employer. If they need you to start immediately, just let your old employer know—they'll likely take it out on your new employer and not fault you for it.
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Career change If you're contemplating a career change, you're not alone. Studies show the average person changes careers at least 3 times during their working life. [7] X Research source And since your job is tied up in your career—the one you want to leave—it stands to reason that you have to leave the job, too. Notice is important here because this is a long process that you typically know about for a long time before you actually quit.
- What to say: "While I'm grateful for the time I've spent here as an accountant, I'm refocusing my passion for numbers in a different direction and becoming a professional poker player. My resignation becomes effective 2 weeks from now."
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Recent business acquisition or merger This is something to look out for particularly if you work for a publicly-traded corporation. When companies acquire other companies, one of the first things they typically do is get rid of any redundancies. If you're in a department that has a duplicate in the other company, you might want to start polishing and updating your résumé.
- What to say: "With the change in our company structure, I feel it is time for me to move on. I'm grateful for the opportunity and am available to remain through the end of the month."
- The same thing can happen with smaller companies, even mom-and-pop companies. For example, if you work at a restaurant that gets bought out by a larger local chain, that chain might decide to close your particular location.
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Recent company downturn or restructuring When a company is having cashflow problems, cutting employees is often one of the first things they do. If things have been tight in your company, you might decide you'd rather jump off the sinking ship. How long you have to act depends on your analysis of your employer's situation. [8] X Research source
- What to say: "While I'm grateful for the opportunities I've been offered here, I feel my skills could be put to better use elsewhere. Therefore, I must resign, effective at the end of the month."
- In this situation, if you think it's best to go ahead and quit before you have something else lined up, you might be eligible for unemployment benefits, particularly if your hours have been cut drastically or the same shifts are no longer available.
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Change in management or work environment Often, it's the people you work with who can make or break a job. If a favorite manager leaves or teams get shuffled around, you might find yourself no longer looking forward to work like you used to. That could be a sign that it's time to check out other possibilities. [9] X Research source
- What to say: "I appreciate this opportunity, but there have been a lot of changes since I started and this is no longer the same project it was when I signed on. Accordingly, I think I would be more fulfilled in a different work environment."
- This could also be the case even if you just started the position if you've already determined that you and your direct report or other people you work closely with are going to clash. [10] X Research source
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Lack of opportunity for advancement Next to better pay and benefits, if it's been a while since you were offered any sort of promotion or similar opportunity, it might be time to look elsewhere. While many companies do promote from within, if you've been working for your employer for more than a year or two and are still in the same position, you might have better luck with another company. [11] X Trustworthy Source Pew Research Center Nonpartisan thinktank conducting research and providing information on public opinion, demographic trends, and social trends Go to source
- What to say: "Learning the ropes here has been invaluable, but if I want to reach higher levels I need to move on to a larger company. Accordingly, I've decided to resign, effective two weeks from now."
- Don't be afraid to present your offer to your employer if you really like your job and don't want to quit. They might be able to match it—or at least give you enough of a promotion that you're willing to stay.
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General dissatisfaction Dissatisfaction can be a real problem, even if you actually enjoy the work you're doing and can't put your finger on anything specific that's bothering you. If you just don't feel right about your work for whatever reason, it might be time to start looking for something else that you'll hopefully find more fulfilling.
- What to say: "I greatly appreciate everything everyone here has done for me. I must now pursue a different path, one that requires me to quit this job. I'm happy to include two weeks' notice if you find it appropriate."
- Walters notes that "going after ego wants, like something that offers more money or more status or more power can be very tempting and can feel exciting on some level. But if it doesn't align with the rest of us—power, passion, purpose—or other things that are meaningful to us, then that satisfaction or excitement isn't going to last very long."
- Walters recommends that you look at your strengths and skills, your passion (what you love to do), and your purpose (what's meaningful and important to you), because "knowing, really knowing what's essential to you in those 3 areas and where they overlap gives you really great clues about where to look for fulfilling work."
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Section 2 of 3:
How to Quit Your Job
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Prepare yourself personally to quit. This might mean getting another job lined up before you put in your notice, or it might simply mean taking a look at your finances and shuffling some things around. Either way, you want to make sure the whole process is as low-stress as it can possibly be. [12] X Research source
- If you don't already have another job, take a look at your finances and figure out how you're going to make ends meet until you do find something else.
- For example, you might decide that you're going to move back in with your parents to save money on living expenses until you find something more suitable, or while you go back to school to get another degree.
- Walters notes that this is a very personal thing that depends a lot on your personality, risk tolerance, and financial situation.
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Read through your contract or employee handbook. The last time you read those things was probably when you started your job—and you probably weren't worried about what you'd need to do if you wanted to quit. Take some time to look at any documents you have that are binding on your employee relationship so you're not caught unawares by some technical requirement. [13] X Research source
- For example, your company might require you to return any company electronic devices when you collect your final paycheck.
- Some companies require you to sign non-disclosure or non-compete agreements that might affect the types of work you can do or companies you can work for after you leave.
- If you have any questions about your contract or anything in the employee handbook, ask before you put your notice in. After that, you'll be something of an outsider and you might find that people are more reluctant to give you answers.
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Tell your direct report first. Telling your direct report that you plan to leave before you put in your official notice is a really respectful thing to do. Take them aside at some point when they're not super distracted and tell them in person. If you know, you might also give them a timeline for when you're planning on leaving. [14] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
- For example, you might say, "Hey, I haven't submitted my official resignation yet, but I wanted to let you know that I accepted that offer from Other Great Company. Onboarding starts next month."
- Use your best judgment with this. If you don't get along with your direct report or if you're leaving because of them, you probably don't want to tell them first, and that's totally understandable.
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Put your resignation in writing. Even if your employer doesn't technically require it, writing a formal resignation letter signals respect and professionalism. It doesn't have to be extremely long. Just thank your employer for the opportunity, provide a brief explanation as to why you're leaving, and then let them know when your final day will be. [15] X Research source
- A written resignation letter also serves as a record of your official reasons for leaving. If you're dealing with any sort of ongoing legal or regulatory issues with your employer, you might need this later on to show why you left.
- Make sure to tell your coworkers you're leaving as well! They'll appreciate it a lot more if it comes directly from you, rather than hearing it second- or third-hand.
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Give as much notice as possible. Two week's notice is pretty much the standard across industries, although some positions really do require a longer transition time. If you had one of those positions and you're capable of giving your company more advance notice, it shows them a lot of respect for you to do so. [16] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
- At the same time, after you give notice, there's a good chance that a lot of people at work will start to view you as a sort of outsider or a sitting duck. Depending on your position, you might want to limit the amount of time that people might think that way about you.
- If it's not possible to give 2 weeks' notice, it helps if the reason you need to quit is outside of your control. For example, if you have a family emergency and have to spend an extended period of time back home as a result, your boss will likely understand that you wouldn't have known about the emergency in advance and couldn't have given notice.
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Offer to help with the transition. This is especially valuable if you have a pretty niche job or if there's no one else at your company that does exactly what you do. It also shows that you harbor no resentment or ill will toward your employer, regardless of the reason you're quitting. [17] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
- If you don't have time to give much notice, you can still help in small ways. For example, you might write up a little step-by-step guide on how to handle certain types of emails.
- Just making the offer, even if you aren't actually able to do very much, at least sends your employer the message that you don't want to burn any bridges by leaving.
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Show your gratitude to those who've helped you professionally. As you leave, take the time to personally thank anybody you worked with who mentored you or helped you along the way. If they don't have non-work contact information for you, share that with them so that you can stay in each other's networks after you leave. [18] X Trustworthy Source Harvard Business Review Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices Go to source
- Let people know how much you appreciate everything they've done for you. It might also be appropriate to extend an offer to help them in the future, particularly if you're making a step up in your career.
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References
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/
- ↑ https://study.uq.edu.au/stories/how-many-career-changes-lifetime
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://www.nelp.org/insights-research/good-cause-quits/
- ↑ https://online.usc.edu/news/how-to-quit-job-just-started-without-burning-bridges/
- ↑ https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/
- ↑ https://online.usc.edu/news/how-to-quit-job-just-started-without-burning-bridges/
- ↑ https://online.usc.edu/news/how-to-quit-job-just-started-without-burning-bridges/
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-to-quit-your-job-without-burning-bridges
- ↑ https://www.fastcompany.com/91126285/how-do-i-quit-my-job-without-burning-bridges
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-to-quit-your-job-without-burning-bridges
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2009/06/how-to-quit-your-job-with-styl
- ↑ https://hbr.org/2014/12/how-to-quit-your-job-without-burning-bridges
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