Resigning – the hardest part of landing a new role. It can feel like a relationship breakup, especially if you like the people you work with. I remember waiting for the right time to tell my boss, watching the clock tick over another hour, riddled with anxiety. It’s never a comfortable feeling and that’s why we’re here to support you in doing it the right way!
Key steps we’ll guide you through:
1 - Have a role lined up, contract countersigned and start date locked in.
2 - Working with a recruiter and how we support you.
3 - Drafting a physical letter of resignation and email draft ready to send.
4 - Practicing your resignation conversation.
5 - Leaving on a positive note.
1. I’ve been verbally offered a new role, what next?
Congratulations! You’ve been through tough interviews, impressed your new employer and now the recruiter or employer has called to offer you the role. Whether you’re in negotiations for a higher salary or have verbally accepted, you will need the contract in front of you before making any further steps. The contract should outline the position description, salary, company policies, leave entitlements/company benefits, and a start date. The contract needs to be signed and sent back to the employer. Sometimes it will be countersigned and sent back, other times it will be pre-signed. Regardless, take your time in reading the fine print, noting all that was promised to you in your interviews and verbal offer, and make sure they’re in there before the final signature.
Have security before leaving!
2. How a Recruiter can support you
We’re your right-hand person, advocating for you on your behalf to our client. We often give a deeper insight into the role, the company, and prepare you for the interview, offer, and resignation stages. A good recruiter will have your best interests at heart and will be in your corner when you need them throughout these stages. I personally have a resignation template for you to fill out, print, and sign, and resignation practice tips! If your nerves get the best of you, give us a call before you have the daunting resignation conversation, and we can walk through it.
3. Your letter of resignation
A letter of resignation always needs to include;
- Your full name and position within the business
- Date (the day you’ve resigned)
- Managers' name and title
- Acknowledgement of your notice period as stated in your employee contract
- Date you will be finishing with the company
- A brief thanks to the manager and company
- Your signature
It’s important to remember that you will need to have a physical letter of resignation to hand in as well as an email copy ready to send to your manager after the resignation conversation to cover all bases. If you need help with resignation letters, you can find them online or through your recruiter.
4. Practicing your resignation conversation
Now here’s for the hard part – the conversation with your manager about you leaving the business. An important thing to remember about the initial resignation is that you are just notifying the business of your departure. Here’s how it should be worded:
“Hi (manager’s name), thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I have made the leap to further my career and will be handing in my formal resignation as of today. I want to thank you for everything you’ve done in supporting me, and to the business for seeing my potential. Whilst this is a decision I don’t take lightly, it’s purely a decision made for my own career growth. I will be happy to answer any further questions in an exit interview on my last day, but for now, I would like to keep my opportunity confidential. As stated in my contract, I wish to serve XYZ weeks/months’ notice and my last day with XYZ company will be XYZ date. Thank you again.”
You will be asked what, where, and why. It’s human to want to reply to these questions, however, the business will be in a better position to take on your feedback in an exit interview.
A simple answer is all that’s needed, such as “I don’t make this decision lightly, it’s purely for my professional growth and I’m happy to give further information at my exit interview on my last day.”
Remember, this is a notification of your resignation to the business so that they can start recruiting for your role, it’s not an exit interview.
5. Leaving on a positive note
The construction industry is smaller than we think, and you could most likely be working with a previous colleague or manager in the future. It’s best to leave on a high note and to tick all the right boxes until the very end of your employment.
• This starts with giving your employer ample notice (as stated in your contract). Sometimes a new company will want you to start sooner, you can attempt to negotiate your leave date but respect the contractual notice.
• Continue working to a high standard throughout your notice period. People will remember where you left off, so it’s important to leave behind quality work.
• Keep the company in a good name! It’s easy to speak about the things you don’t like about the company, however, word gets around. Throughout your notice, avoid speaking to colleagues or stakeholders about your reasons for leaving. This can bite you later on!
• Don’t forget to send your thanks to the business. End on a positive note and send an email to each key person in the business who has supported you! This can also be done on LinkedIn, sharing photos and memories in a post.
At the end of the day, relationships and forming strong connections in any industry are important. By following these steps, you will feel proud to be leaving the business in a better place. Feel happy about the opportunity they gave you, and the lessons you’ve learned, and be excited to take on your next challenge.
