Almost all of us are career oriented individuals who strive at all costs to work hard and gain success in our respective field. As everyone knows, it is hardly ever possible that you will remain from the start to the end of your career at the same office and that having been said you need to know the art of telling your boss about your plans to resign. For those who are in a soup about breaking the news to your senior at work, given here is a list to help you on how to talk to your boss or how to talk to your manager about resignation. Follow these steps and you will not face any problems.
Nervous about Resigning? Proper Ways to Resign:
1. Ensure that you are sure about the decision which you have made:
Having, ‘the talk ‘about resigning is no easy one at all, so you should ensure that you are absolutely sure about the decision which you have made. Just because you have been called for an interview at another company it does not mean you have bagged the job.
There is some truth in the common saying that ‘a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ so ensure that you have made up your mind and are sure to not regret your decision at a future point in time. Taking any career related decision is a big deal, so be sure to take your time and come to a conclusion.
2. Plan ahead of time what all you are going to say:
Chances are that when you enter your boss’s office to have the talk, you are going to be really nervous, so the best thing to do is have all the points which you are going to touch upon ready in your mind.
Do not assume that just because you are a good speaker, everything is going to come to you on the spot. So do spend some quiet moments alone thinking of what you would like to say so that you do not end up saying anything unsavory or something which you ought not to have said as that is sure to create a very bad impression indeed.
3. Practice speaking in front of your friends:
Talking to your boss about resigning is rather daunting so you ought to practice your speech before hand. You can practice your words in front of our friends and listen to all the valuable feedback which they are giving you.
Paying attention to your body language is vital indeed. You should not give the impression that you are regretful or even apologetic about what you are doing, because at the end of the day this is your career and you can never be bound to work in any company against your will. You should never put the needs of others before your very own.
4. Do not beat around the bush at all:
When you are talking to your boss about resigning you have to maintain a professional distance and speak in a convincing manner. If you do something as silly as beat around the bush, then chances are that your boss will probably not even understand what it is you are trying to say.
You should state in no uncertain terms that you are planning to resign because you believe that this is something which you need to do. Talking to your boss about resigning isn’t a one way conversation; you have to be prepared to listen carefully to the response being given to you as well.
5. Begin by saying what a pleasure it was to have worked in the company:
You could think about getting the ball rolling by saying, what a pleasure it has been working for that company. You certainly would not want to leave the company on a sour note, so keeping this in mind you have to be polite till the very end.
If the case is such, then you should say that your decision has nothing to do with the company, you just want to spread your wings and try your hand at something new as you have been with this company long enough. Do not forget to mention that in time to come, if things don’t work out you would love to join the company once again.
6. Mention all the things which you have learnt:
In the midst of your conversation be sure to categorically mention all the things which you have been able to learn on the job. You boss is sure to be pleased with how very humble as well as thankful you are for having been given this opportunity.
However this certainly doesn’t mean that you go and on about what all you have learnt because mostly bosses are very busy people with a lot to do. So be sure to decide to talk at such a point in time when you know your boss is not busy such that you get his undivided attention and you are able to speak your heart out.
7. Touch upon your best experience at the office:
A bitter sweet way of having this talk is by recollecting all your pleasant experiences at the office because it has been moments like this which have really made working in the organization a treat for you.
If your boss is also a talker then he will appreciate all that you have to say and he will understand that it is up to you to take your own decisions even if he will miss having a competent worker like you around. He too can also give you feed back about the kind of employee you have been and where your strengths and even your weaknesses lie.
8. Be honest at all times:
There is some truth in the common saying that honest is the best policy so you should be honest at all times when having the talk about your plans to resign.
The business world is a cut throat one indeed and you should always put your own needs before anything else, just remember that legally no one can force you to work in a company that is why you have nothing to hide or be ashamed of.
So once you have made your plan of action do not let anything rain on your parade, just follow your goals without holding back at all.
9. Mention why you won’t be able to continue:
Obviously you would not be resigning without a reason so do mention why you will be unable to continue from a certain date onwards. There are a number of different reasons why people choose to retire and you need not go into the tiniest details of what lead you to take this decision.
The reasons could be personal, like due to an illness you are having, the distance of the office from your home or on the other hand they could be owing to professional reasons. Long drawn out explanations are not necessary, yet ensure that you are not being too terse in your answers as well.
10. You may mention what your next step is going to be:
Naturally you will have some idea about what your next step is going to be, but it is up to you about whether or not you would like to disclose it to your boss in the midst of you conversation. You could always say that you are ‘trying to figure things out ‘rather than being rude and saying prefer not to say’.
If you have received a better job offer from another company, then it is really up to you about whether you could like to talk about it or not, most employees prefer not to do this. But you never know your boss might actually give you some useful advice which you can carry forward with you.
11. Do not get swayed no matter what:
Chances are that while having this talk your boss is going to try his very best to get you to stay on at any cost. However this having been said you should ensure that you are going to stand firm with what you want and not be swayed with whatever he is saying, Naturally no company will ever want to lose an employee who is an asset to the company.
So be polite enough to thank him for wanting you to continue and you are very flattered indeed but it will just not be possible.
12. Ensure that you are not swayed by promises of a promotion:
As mentioned above your boss will try his level best to sway you, but do not let these things get to you, even if there is talk of a bonus, do not be swayed by the prospect of getting more money.
After all there are certainly things in life way more important that money. The prospect of doing something new and trying new things is what should excite you. Money is a mere material object which can bring you no lasting joy at all.
13. Do not stand bad mouthing the company:
When having this talk about your plans to resign, you should ensure that at no point in time are you coming across as rude, now that you are sure that you are leaving this company.
Keep in mind that gossip travels quickly in the business world and once your reputation has been tarnished it will be tough for you to attempt to get back on your feet again.
So no matter what you have felt or been feeling you ought to keep it to yourself and conduct yourself with grace and dignity so that if conditions are conducive, you do leave scope to come back at a future time.
14. Do not speak ill of other co workers:
In addition to not bad mouthing the company, you should also make it a point to not decide to score some brownie points by speaking ill of co workers as well as disclosing something which a co worker has told you in private.
One of the worst things which you can do is try to get ahead in the business world by bad mouthing or trampling on others. Your aim in life should be to make it big as well as get ahead by virtue of your own hard work as well as dedication. Do your best and you are sure to climb the ladder of success.
15. Be extremely positive:
One chief thing which needs to be said is that ensure that you are leaving on a positive note as well as do not forget to mention that you are extremely excited about embarking on this new phase of your life. If you yourself are actually not excited about what you are going to do then maybe you should re consider your decision entirely.
16. Mention that you will not leave till a replacement has been found:
Last but certainly not the least is that you should mention categorically that you will not leave until a proper replacement has been found and you will take some personal time out to ensure that the new employee knows exactly what is expected of him or her.
When you are willing to go the extra mile and do this, then you silently communicate to the boss that you are someone who has valued the job very much and you truly do care for the company’s well being.
Conclusion:
So these are some of the simple steps as well as tips which you ought to keep in mind when you are breaking the news to your boss at work. Though there are no hard and fast rules about going about it, yet there are things which you have to keep in mind so that you do not come across as rude or as if you are disrespecting the company. If you are bold and keep your head held high you will be respected for your decision.
