Leaving your current employer without burning bridges or causing uproar are the hallmarks of a professional. Saying goodbye to friends and colleagues without causing upset are personal matters requiring some tact on your part.

Resigning is a three-part process…

First, you draft your resignation letter. Your letter should be extremely short; simply stating you are leaving your present employment and provide a date that your resignation is effective.

Secondly, you meet with your supervisor to deliver the letter.

• Your letter should be neatly folded in an envelope.
• You must meet with your supervisor in person, preferably in their office.
• The most appropriate time to deliver the letter is early in the week so that your company can have some time to plan for your remaining term and subsequent absence. If you resign on a Friday, you may force your company to make some unnecessary moves like cut off your access to the computer or take away security codes. By resigning early in the week you provide some breathing room for each party.
• Your announcement is short and sweet and not open to debate. Offer to surrender your keys or security pass. Under no circumstances be drawn into a long discussion about the rationale for your decision or even who your new employer will be. Your demeanor should be bright and upbeat and you should express your happiness with your time there and gratitude for the opportunity.
• Eventually the company you are going to will become known. If you are going to a direct competitor be prepared for non-disclosure agreements and to be paid in lieu of your notice. Don’t take such actions personally they are pretty much standard business practice. Under no circumstances become negative about anyone or anything.
• Do not take anything from your current employer that will impact on your integrity or honor. Do not so much as take a pencil or pad of paper let alone confidential information, client lists or copies of anything that even might be remotely construed as proprietary information. You will remember your key contacts or clients and it is often the case they move with you anyway.
• Remember, your single most valuable asset is your reputation.

Finally, after the initial resignation phase (24 hours), you must be helpful and considerate when transferring your duties and responsibilities to someone else.

Some thoughts on counter offers. Occasionally employees will receive a counter offer from their current employer as an inducement to remain. While this action is very flattering, the track record of those who accept such offers is extremely poor (such as in un-kept commitments) and it is not in your best interests to consider them. Virtually all who accept a counteroffer resign within six months to a year after accepting them.

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