The market for work It’s dynamic: all the time, either someone is being fired, or someone is quitting. The reasons may vary, but it’s important to understand how to resign in a professional manner to maintain a good working relationship with your employer.
How a person resigns can have a significant impact on their career and future opportunities, says Madalina Secareanu, senior manager of Corporate Communications at Indeed, a job search site.
“Considering a letter of recommendation or even another vacancy in the same company in the future, the professional must be prepared to ensure that the doors remain open”, says the manager.
The resignation must follow some formalities that prevent your image from being damaged. There are important points to pay attention to during the exit process.
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1. Prepare for the conversation
When announcing your departure, the first essential step is to prepare.
It’s important to plan your speech to take control of the conversation in a professional, clear, and respectful manner.
“The gentler and more professional the conversation, the better. A smooth transition is important to protect your professional reputation. Therefore, inform your supervisor of your decision as far in advance as possible”, advises Secareanu.
2. Analyze the situation
Preparing for this conversation means taking some precautions, such as choosing the ideal time to speak to the manager, taking into account a series of factors.
Reflect: Is it the right time to resign?
Having the sensitivity to observe whether this is a period of work overload or the delivery of a specific and complex project that the company is experiencing can be advantageous for the professional image.
“Having this care and empathy to look at the moment you leave, to make sure you are not in the middle of the storm and put yourself in the manager’s shoes, puts you in a more professional condition”, says Lincoln Augusto, speaker and mentor of careers.
Also, schedule a meeting at the right time. Instead of doing this in the middle of a busy day, try to choose a quieter time in your leader’s schedule.
3. Inform your superior first
The direct boss must always be the first person to be informed about the dismissal.
According to Augusto, this is a point where professionals fail: talking about their intention to resign with co-workers before discussing it with their superior.
“What happens is that in the corporate environment, often, everyone knows that you are going to leave, but the manager doesn’t, and this ends up creating discomfort in the relationship”, he says.
If this news reaches the boss before the initial conversation, it could give a bad impression. Therefore, restrain yourself and avoid revealing your decision, even to your closest colleagues.
4. Formally notify the company
Writing a formal resignation email is part of corporate protocol and demonstrates responsibility to the company you are leaving.
The email must contain some important points:
- The dismissal itself
- Closing date: how long you will remain with the company, whether you will serve prior notice or not
- Feedback: it is important to be honest without criticizing the company, giving constructive feedback. Use the tactic of saying the positive points first and then addressing the areas for improvement
- Express gratitude: an essential point is to finish by thanking the company for the time you were working, for the teachings and opportunities that the company offered, highlighting that you will take some luggage with you and that you hope to have contributed. According to Augusto, this demonstrates corporate etiquette at the time of the dismissal process
5. Offer help during the transition
During this exit process, as far as possible, make yourself available, offering support in the role transition or helping to train other employees, in addition to not leaving tasks unfinished.
Secareanu explains that the secret is not to leave the institution helpless. “Offering assistance to the team and training employees will help ensure that their dismissal has the least possible impact on the company,” he says.
6. Prepare for a counteroffer
It is possible that the manager will offer a counter-offer, so think carefully about whether you would be willing to continue with the company for a higher salary or a promotion, for example, or whether the decision is really definitive.
Augusto explains that there is an appropriate way to deal with the employer’s counter-offer, and it is important not to use it as a bargain.
“In most layoffs, the employee uses this as a bargaining power, and it is not recommended”, he states.
- If the employer offers an alternative plan and you are willing to evaluate the conditions, negotiate the most suitable scenario
- If you have decided to move on and accept a new opportunity, it is important to remain firm in your decision. In this case, gently explain the reasons why you decided to move forward and show gratitude for the possibilities offered.
7. Maintain a network of professional contacts
Considering that, in the future, you may need professional references when looking for better opportunities, it is a good idea to maintain a solid network of contacts with people from your previous job and preserve your professional reputation.
If you resigned with no other job lined up, let your network know that you are open and actively looking for new opportunities.
“Developing a strong presence on social media and creating an online network is also an important step”, reinforces Secareanu.
