Best Ways to Tell your Boss ‘I Quit’
The pandemic forced a lot of people to reevaluate their lives, particularly their work lives. This led to a string of resignations, a flurry of job applications, and a surge of women following their dream job or looking to become successful entrepreneurs. This also led us to produce this article, ‘Best Ways to Tell Your Boss ‘I Quit!’
As you seek new challenges and opportunities, it’s vital that you remain in good faith with old bosses and colleagues. You never know who will serve as a reference in the future or lead you down the path of another lucrative career opportunity.
At the Million Dollar Mama Club, we believe relationships are critical building blocks in your journey towards success. That said, taking steps to maintain positive relationships (even with former employers and bosses you might loathe, is key).
Here are the 6 steps to take when telling you boss “I Quit!”
1.) Request to meet in person: It’s ideal to setup a meeting with your employer, where you can discuss the resignation in person. Meeting in person is far more professional than sending your resignation via email or over the phone. While meeting in person is the best etiquette, we do understand that the pandemic has altered certain things – so if you’re still not going into the office and looking to resign, you can schedule a meeting via Zoom instead.
Scheduling an in-person meeting allows for a productive exchange where you can discuss your reasons for resigning, as well as your plans in facilitating a smooth transition as your company looks to fill your position. As all successful women in business know – taking the time to meet in-person/via Zoom with your employer shows that you value your employer’s time and you also value your experience at the company!
2.) Provide a thank-you for the opportunity: It’s incredibly important to showcase your gratitude for the opportunity given by your employer when they first hired you. When conducting your in-person meeting and letting your employer know that you’ll be leaving, be sure to thank them for the knowledge and skills they helped you achieve during your time with the company.
You can even go into a brief story or reference a specific skill they taught you. Expressing gratitude at this level ensures that you leave the company with your image intact! This way, if you ever need help in the future your employer will be more than happy to provide it. The best way to expand your women’s entrepreneurial network is by making deep and impactful connections grounded in good faith!
3.) Outline your reasons for resigning: Your boss will most likely ask why you’re choosing to leave, this is why it’s critical that you outline (either on paper or in your head) a list of reasons you can provide to your boss. There are a myriad of reasons you may be leaving your current company, such as relocating to a different city or looking for professional growth elsewhere. Whatever your reasons may be, when you’re resigning from a position, you should be sure to pinpoint the exact reasons you’re leaving so that you can talk to your employer with confidence and poise. Giving them a thoughtful explanation will lead to a much more peaceful and easy conversation!
Before your in-person meeting, be sure to think about the reasons you are leaving. While you’re thinking of these reasons, you may come up with reasonable opportunities to improve your current position enough to stay! For example, if you’re leaving to improve your work-life balance, you might be able to discuss altering your work schedule or moving to a remote-work schedule. Think about all of this before your in-person meeting, so that when you approach the conversation you know exactly what you’re going to say and what you’re hoping to achieve at the end.
4.) Have a resignation letter ready, if applicable: Some companies and some higher-level positions may require a resignation letter in addition to your in-person conversation. If this is the case, be sure to have a copy of your resignation letter ready to provide to your boss during your in-person/ Zoom meeting. This letter should include your last day of work and any other relevant information related to your departure. The letter will serve as your official notice of departure.
If for some unforeseen reason, you’re not able to meet with your boss either in person or via Zoom and you have to resign via email then you can include the details of your resignation in the email.
5.) Give a minimum of two week’s notice: Providing two weeks notice is the standard courtesy accepted in most workplaces. By giving your boss at least two weeks’ notice, you’re giving them ample time to hire and train your replacement. If you’d prefer to give more than 2 weeks’ notice, that’s totally fine too! It just depends on what your specific situation looks like.
If you have a new job opportunity waiting on the other end, then you can even let your boss know that you have to leave on this specific date in order to start your new position at your new company. You should schedule your in-person meeting with your boss for at least 2 weeks before you’re actually leaving! As all women in the business network know – the 2 week strategy showcases your dedication to supporting the smoothest transition possible, and it shows your boss how much you care!
6.) Provide useful feedback: You can help your employer improve the company and overall culture of the workplace by giving them useful and constructive feedback during your in-person meeting. If your company conducts “exit interviews” then you could also provide your feedback at this time.
Based on your experience at the company, you can discuss a variety of things – from your job responsibilities to the training you received to the culture and policies of your company to the relationships you fostered with managers and colleagues. You can be as specific or as vague as you’d like! The important thing here is to say as much as you’re comfortable saying and do so in a way that’s useful or constructive – not just plain negative! If your resignation is in any way related to the experience you had at your company, then feel free to explain that to your boss. The feedback you choose to give can help make the position more positive and stimulating for the next person who’ll fill your role!
Thank you for reading lady! We are so excited that you found MDMC and are excited to support your journey towards success. Be it in following your dreams to build your business OR just following your dreams to quit that job and move on to greener pastures. The world is full of opportunity and needs your unique skills…we believe you were #Made For More.
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