Best Ways to Quit Your Job and Leave Without Burning Bridges

There’s not one person who works a corporate job that doesn’t deal with things that make them dislike their position. Think about it. It could be a lack of teamwork, a nitpick boss, or even feeling undervalued and underpaid.

These are all things that make you feel like no one deserves to know and be a part of your transition to a better opportunity. Thoughts of wanting to quit your job are more often and commonplace. However, it is crucial not to burn bridges in your current position.

Watch this “How To” video: Top 9 Ways to Quit Your Job and Leave Gracefully + Samples:

Quitting Your Job Gracefully

Gracefully quitting your job will make things easy for you and your team. When you decide to leave, your boss has to prepare to fill your position and make up for your work. Until a new person catches onto the duties you once owned, the team will have to help them.

Giving your team time to prepare for this is a good sign of self-respect and respect for your team. Another reason you shouldn’t burn any bridges at your current position, no matter how much you hate walking across them, is opportunity.

When your new boss contacts your current boss to discuss your work ethic, you want them to sing your praises, not how you randomly quit without notice, leaving a lot of work undone.

Since we live in a world where individuals are always looking to better themselves mentally, physically, and financially, you may just run across your old boss in a new company or position and need their help getting another job.

If they know you and know that you did a good job as a member of their team, they will more than likely be willing to help you get into that new opportunity you fancy.

Here are some easy ways to resign from a job and not burn bridges along the way.

Have a Conversation With Your Boss

Having a conversation with your boss is an excellent start to keeping your bridges intact. You should talk to your boss before putting in your notice. It doesn’t matter how you feel about them or whether you feel they deserve to know. Do this before putting in your statement.

You work for them, and communicating this change with them first gives them the time to prepare a new job listing and the next steps for making sure business goes as it should. It’s also just effective communication and collaboration.

Give Notice

Giving a resignation letter is the most critical thing you can do to assure your team that they deserve to know and be a part of your decision to quit your job. The amount of notice you give will depend on your employment contract.

It could be one week for some positions, and for others, it could be 60 days. Apart from giving your company the head start in preparing for your departure, you also keep yourself in “eligible for rehire” status, meaning you can apply for another position later.

Know How to Answer Questions Regarding Your Resignation

Once the news breaks, everyone will be coming up to you wondering why you are leaving and where you are going. This occurrence is more normal than you can imagine. It is recommended to prepare for the answer you will give to avoid burning any bridges.

First, be positive in your response. Let the person on the other end of the question know that you are leaving because you have an excellent opportunity to better yourself long-term. You don’t have to lie, but you don’t have to tell them everything either. Just be positive.

Remain Confident in Your Decision

It’s easy to lose confidence in your decision. Coworkers are going to tell you they miss you. Your boss may offer you a better position or an increase in pay to stay. However, if you know that this is the best thing for you, it’s essential to communicate with them.

Stand firm on the decision you have made unless the offer you are getting is better than the one you are leaving for. This is a surefire way to drive your self-worth through the roof and increase your worth in the eyes of your team.

Remain Grateful for the Opportunity

It can be tempting to be too excited to leave a job you’ve loathed for a long time. Try not to become bitter and lose all motivation to get your work done. While you are still at your soon-to-be former position, continue to show up on time and do your best work.

Also, avoid talking about the negative reasons you are leaving. It will only disappoint your team and your boss. As much as those reasons may be valid, it’s essential to be grateful for the fact that you had a job that paid you and helped you have a better quality of life.

The Sweet Farewell Email

Changing a job for a better opportunity that will build your career is a good feeling. It’s okay to feel good about the change you are making. It’s okay to include your team and boss in the process. The best way to do this is with a farewell email.

A farewell email lets everyone know that you are leaving and how you feel about it. It also allows everyone to celebrate with you. Also, it lets them know that there are no hard feelings and that you are grateful for the opportunity to have collaborated with them.

Wrapping Up

Doing all these things will keep you from burning bridges at your current job.  You are essentially creating a positive and understanding atmosphere around your transition while staying true to what you believe is best for you. How you do each of these things will differ.

You are keeping the right lines open in the case that they should cross again in the future. For example, suppose you suddenly become unemployed. In that case, you could contact your old boss and get a position to help you recover.