If you have decided to quit, then please do it with decency and grace, instead of being uncourteous and unprofessional. In case you are wondering how to ensure a dignified exit from your job, here are some tips that you can follow, says Shital Kakkar Mehra, business etiquette and international protocol consultant.
Of course, if the decision to quit has more to do with bitterness, frustration or other considerations rather than other reasons, it's that much more difficult to resist the temptation of seeing the resignation letter to vent one's feelings.
However, an impulsive act of unprofessionalism can harm your career prospects, especially if you are seeking job opportunities in the same industry, for instance journalism. Prospective bosses or employers tend to cross check the antecedents of a candidate with his former employer, complicating matters for you.
So, how does one go about ensuring a cordial exit? Mehra explains it you:
Step 1
Discuss with your boss (superior, supervisor, manager) and explain the reasons for your deciding to quit. "Never resign via email or worse, by leaving a voice mail message — always resign in person," writes Mehra.
Step 2
This is easy, keep the letter polite as far as possible. "Draft a formal letter, thanking your employer for the opportunity to learn new skills and requesting them to relieve you as you would like to move on."
What follows next is very important.
"No matter you hated your job or boss, ensure that your letter is neither controversial nor does it appear like an attempt to negotiate a better salary with your current employer. Remember, this letter will remain on the company's records, years after your anger has subsided," says the consultant who has written many columns for newspapers on office manners.
Step 3
Your colleagues also need to know that you have resigned. "The worst way to announce your departure is through the grapevine. Inform your co-workers, but resist to urge the boast about your 'dream job', making them feel terrible about being stuck in the same place," says Mehra.
Step 4
The notice period is the time when your help the new person who has replaced you, to enable him to settle down. "If asked to participate in an exit interview, be honest, but state your reasons for quitting, in a business-like manner," writes the author of the book Business Etiquette: A Guide for the Indian Professional.
Step 5
Please try your best not to create a ruckus. "Leave gracefully, ensuring that your boss and colleagues give you a good reference in the future. It's a wired world, and senior people are connected. Also, do consider the possibility that in today's evolving business world, your current boss may become your employer again in a few years," says Mehra, who has delivered many lectures at business schools like the IIM-Bangalore and IIM-Lucknow.
