With the Great Resignation upon us, millions of Australians are predicted to leave their jobs over the coming months. If you are one of these people, it is important to remember that it is best to leave your job in a professional manner and on good terms. The world is a small place, and you never want to burn bridges that you may need to cross later. Here are some key tips to help you resign and leave your current employer in the right way.

Know your obligations

Review your employment contract to ensure you are aware of how much notice you need to give upon resignation.

Write resignation letter

A resignation letter is a crucial part of leaving a job. It should be brief, informative, and polite. Include the manager’s name, date, a reason for your resignation, and the date of your final workday (in accordance with your notice period).

Notify your manager

It is important that your manager is the first person to be notified of your resignation. Do it politely and tactfully, and where possible in person (or via a video meeting) rather than over the phone, email, or text. Hand in your resignation letter when you do so, and ensure that you approach your employer in private, and at an appropriate time.

Keep your cool

Avoid airing any resentment towards the company in your final weeks. It will come across as unprofessional and may alienate some of your colleagues.
Continue to meet expectations
Make sure you still work hard during your notice period. Doing that will ensure that your professional esteem remains intact, and it won’t put undue work pressure on your colleague. It will also improve the likelihood of getting a letter of recommendation, or LinkedIn reference.

Help your replacement

Recruiting and training new employees can be a real hassle for business owners, so if you want to leave a great final impression, offer some assistance. Suggestions include screening resumes, sitting in on interviews, training new employees and creating applicable “how-to” guides.

Contact clients

If your job is client facing it’s important to make contact and let them know you’ll be leaving. If applicable, introduce your replacement. Best practice here is to send an email, then call straight away to make it more personable.

Exit interview

If you are required to take part in an exit interview, frame feedback in a way that demonstrates you are considering the company, and your replacement. This way you can have a real influence and leave with positive connections.

Return all company property

Remember to return what is not yours before you leave, such as your phone and laptop. Additionally, you may be in possession of confidential paperwork or files that may have legal implications if they are not returned/destroyed appropriately.

Email colleagues

Customary practice is to send a goodbye email to your colleagues. In the email thank your colleagues (without writing a novel) and include your personal contact details for future reference. Key tip: CC your personal email so you can read any replies when you leave.

Last-day duties

Finally, leave your space clean, inform your manager of any impending matters and update your phone voice message and email out of office. Then you can enjoy your final knock-off drink!
This may all seem like common courtesy, but it is important to remember that someone from your organisation may be the person standing between you and your dream job at a later date.
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