The best way to quit a job depends on your circumstances and where you want to go next. Generally speaking, it doesn’t pay in the long run to leave in a negative way.
So you’re trying to figure out how to quit a job in a way that doesn’t hurt you at some point in the future? You’re absolutely not alone. Somewhere between 85% and 90% (depending on who’s research study you read), of employees, say they hate their job.
That’s a LOT of sad, disappointed, discouraged, unsatisfied, unfulfilled, people! While your first reaction may be of disbelief, I believe the truth actually is within this range. If people are being honest, I think we would find that the small percentage who don’t hate their job, don’t exactly love their job either.
Time for A Change?
Knowing how to quit a job the right way is difficult to assess by yourself. Why? Because you’re emotionally charged by your situation. You’re the one that most likely made the decision to quit your job, and it’s most often due to things within the workplace that you don’t like. However there could be many reasons for wanting to put your skills to work somewhere else.
- Your boss is mean.
- The pay is not sufficient.
- You’re moving too far away to commute.
- Work atmosphere is toxic.
- The work is too boring or repetitive.
- You’re tire of working for someone else.
So Many Reasons
No matter the reason, it’s time for a change. However, your reasons for wanting change, will certainly affect how to quit a job. You definitely should get a little trusted feedback/opinion from someone who’s not emotionally affected by your situation.
Let’s say you’ve been working hard for a company for 5 years or so. Always showing up on time. Doing overtime when asked, and always producing good work. But your manager/boss just doesn’t like your personality, or maybe that manager feels threatened by you in some way. So you always draw the worst jobs and hours, and you’re just sick of it.
If you were to take action with this level of frustration, you may quit your job in a way that would make it hard to land the next job. The decision on how to quit a job has to be made from a “view from 10,000 feet”. You need to consider YOUR life plan, and what YOU want. Don’t act from a point of reaction, but rather “planed action”.
Stick It! (Or Thank You)
Unless your plan is to become an entrepreneur, you probably shouldn’t quit in a negative way. Let’s say you were smart and took the time to research and find your next position with a new employer before quitting your current job. Clearly you wouldn’t need a reference from your current/bad employer. But what happens if the new employment doesn’t work out?
In that case you may need to start handing out a resume to potential employers during your next job hunt. Those potential employers may get a very negative response from that previous “bad” employer because of the way you chose to quit the job. That bad boss can still make things difficult for you into the future, so it’s best to minimize that potential backlash.
Employment Is Like Politics
If you choose to continue down the employment road, you need everyone to like you. If they don’t, you’re going to always travel on a rough road. While most people tell you they don’t like politicians, the reality is, at some level they themselves are, or need to be, in politics.
If you want to know how to quit a job, think from a politician’s point of view. What you say and do today, can bite you in the butt tomorrow.
An employee always has someone over them that can help them or hurt them. If you firmly chose employment as your way of supporting yourself, then it will be best to accept this truth, and play politician in the workplace.
Think about it though. Isn’t this a better mindset anyway? If you’re stuck around a designated group of people, day after day, wouldn’t it be better to have them “like” you? It makes no sense to make waves or enemies in a place you have to show up to every day, for years to come.
To Quit, Or Not To Quit
One possibility is that you shouldn’t be looking for the best way on how to quit a job, but rather the best way to improve your job. One thing for sure is, life is too short to be stuck in a job you hate.
Using the same trusted adviser we spoke about above, discuss the various options/possibilities that could make your job better. Can you control any of the issues that make you angry in the workplace? If you can’t change the cause of the problem, maybe you can change the way you view the problem.
I’m definitely not suggesting someone stay employed and learn to deal with poor working conditions, “unless they want to be an employee”.
My Boss Is Unfair
One example may be that your boss treats another employee better. Maybe they go to lunch together, or you found out the other employee does less work and gets paid more because of their relationship. Pay should be based on productivity, not politics, age, gender, or need. But this isn’t always reality.
You have options in this situation. I’m guessing that since you made it to this article, you have let it be known within the workplace that you’re not happy with the situation. You may or may not realize you did this, but people can read others emotions in many ways.
If someone wants to remain an employee, here are some ways people react to these situations:
- Discuss with everyone that the situation is unfair and that something needs to be done.
- Act with disgust when dealing with them face to face. Emotionally letting them know you disapprove.
- Stew on the unfairness of the situation all day, every day, and lose sleep over it.
- Stay calm and realize that your pay is still exactly what you agreed to, and you’re not directly impacted at all.
- Realize that you could also have a good relationship with your boss if you opened yourself up, and also empathize with everything the boss has to deal with.
- Stay positive and join their conversation when appropriate. (If you can’t beat them, then join them)
Don’t Think About How To Quit A Job?
There are way too many situations that can cause someone to want to quit their job. I can’t assume or address them all. However in the above example, which choice or choices would you think are best for you, long term? Not just financially, but emotionally as well.
Most people tend to think in the present and then react immediately. In most cases that isn’t the right decision. Again, it’s best to take a little time and think of the best way to handle a given situation, in a way that best suits you for the Long Term. We can be resilient in the short term, but since you’re in a long term job position, you need to think in terms of your future.
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Hopefully, you find that your biggest problem at work, is more about how you are dealing with it. With a little change in perspective, you find your happy place. When considering how to quit a job, your first thought should be on the potential long term effect on your happiness.
However, if you just can’t find a way to change the situation or your attitude toward it, choosing how to quit a job is very important. Remember, in almost every scenario, it would be bad for you long term, to just walk out. Worse yet, would be to have negative words and then walk out.
Just know that any negative words with your employer, is NOT going to change or affect your employer. You’ll just make them remember you in a very negative way. That will potentially be bad for you in the future as an employee trying to find employment. Besides, you already know that having negative words at any point during the day, can affect the rest of your day!
Just Tell Me How To Quit A Job!
Ok! Ok!
By this point, you should already know the right way. If you already thought about the potential long term affect of leaving your job and still want to quit, then do it in the most positive way you can. Hopefully, you already have another employer lined up before you quit your current job though.
- Make an appointment with the highest level of management you can, if your current manager is the issue. If not speak with your direct manager.
- Be very professional and polite.
- Tell them you appreciate the employment they have provided you, but you’re going to take the next step in your career.
- Be honest about the reasons you are leaving, without having a negative attitude or animosity. These reasons must be the reasons in which you have tried to fix, or that just can’t be fixed. Keep petty crap out of the conversation.
- Let them know that you’re willing to stay on for a couple more weeks to help them transition the work load.
- Ask them if there’s anything you can do to make the transition easier on the company.
- At the end of the meeting, hand them a resignation letter (written with the same professional/polite attitude).
- Thank them again for providing you the employment over the time you were there.
- Work hard during the remaining time you hold this position.
- Say goodbye to everyone on your last day.
That’s How To Quit A Job And Remain Happy
Remember, this is all about you. The reasons for your actions should be about keeping you happy and positive, long term. One of the very best ways to stay happy as an employee, is to fully understand the concept of employment. Sounds simple, but people in general develop an entitlement mentality with any long term situation/relationship.
We all seem to think that someone owes us something (at different levels of course). I would strongly suggest you read Employees Have Owners after this article. It will certainly provide a real life perspective, which once you accept the facts, you’ll absolutely be able to life a happier work life.
Good luck with whatever decision you make regarding how to quit a job. Be happy
