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Resignation

Don’t burn your bridges when you resign

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 09:25

While resigning from your job may be the perfect opportunity to boost your career, it’s not the perfect opportunity to tell your boss, manager or even your colleagues exactly what you think of them, says Niteske Marshall, MD of Network Recruitment.

“It’s never a good idea to burn your bridges, but especially not in South Africa where industries tend to be smaller and people often work within the same sector for many years. The supervisor you sneer at today may well be sitting in front of your interview desk tomorrow,” she explains.

Marshall advises that employees handle their resignations professionally, firstly by checking their employment contracts for details of the notice period and any trade restraints, and then by keeping the news to themselves until they’ve discussed it with their manager.

Once you’ve made your decision to resign, there are generally three steps to the resignation process:

1. Formulating your resignation letter: Leaving the company on a good note can literally mean the difference between a resounding reference and a poor name in the industry. Marshall says employees should invest time in crafting their resignation letters and should express themselves clearly. “This is not a platform for gushing about how your manager changed your life; brevity is best. Simply state your intention to leave within your stipulated notice period, thank the company for the opportunities you’ve been given, and mention that you’ve enjoyed the experience and benefited from it,” she adds.

2. Meeting with your manager: Schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss your resignation. “This should preferably be at a time when they can focus on the news, perhaps later in the day when all the morning meetings are over,” Marshall offers. “And use this opportunity to request a letter of reference; leaving it until the last minute could mean leaving without one at all.”

3. Participating in an exit interview: These are being increasingly employed by companies to assess reasons for resignations and how to improve on perceived problem areas. Again, Marshall advises that employees are honest yet professional in conveying their personal feelings on the company and their reasons for leaving.

It’s natural for the dynamic between you and your employer to change following your resignation. This could even extend to your colleagues, who may feel betrayed or envious of your new opportunity.

Ease the situation by making the transition as smooth as possible – remain an active member of the team and offer to help find and train a replacement for your position. “You may have lost interest in the company because greener pastures are ahead, but it’s vital that you’re seen to be making a contribution and, most importantly, that you complete your tasks and responsibilities before leaving,” Marshall notes.

She adds that while this is the general process a resignation would follow, there are times when this is not the case. “Sometimes employees are asked to leave immediately as opposed to fulfilling their notice periods, a practice especially common with sales positions. Alternatively, the company may present a counter offer. This gives the employee a chance to consider improvements to their current package, although could cause co-workers to feel differently towards them,” she explains.

No matter what the outcome, by maintaining a level of professionalism and respect when resigning from a company, you leave the door open to positive working relationships further down the line.