How to Resign from a Job

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Check your finances.

   Though you may have a lot of great reasons to quit your job, make sure you are going to be on firm financial footing before you make your decisions final.
   
   If you don't have a new job lined up, be prepared to have enough savings to last at least six months—or some other financial resources to ease your period of unemployment.
   
   Make a plan of how you are going to budget your savings and any ways you might have to make money until you find another job.
   
   Remember that if you quit voluntarily, you are unlikely to receive any unemployment benefits. , If you can, wait until you have a new, better job lined up before you resign from your current one.
   
   This way you won't risk getting stuck in a long period of unemployment when your job search doesn't work out as you hoped.
   
   If you can't wait, at least begin looking to see what jobs are out there and how competitive they are going to be.
   
   As you start your job hunt, be careful not to let your current job find out you are looking and planning to quit.
   
   You will want to have your network put out feelers to help you find a new gig, but only disclose your plans to coworkers you trust to be discreet. , Think about why you want to resign and what the pros and cons are.
   
   Are there things you can do to eliminate or ameliorate the aspects of the job that bug you? If you are quitting because of money, can you ask for a raise? If you are quitting because of a troublesome coworker, can you ask to be transferred? Consider letting your superiors know how you feel, and give them a chance to improve the situation before you quit. , Revisit any legal documents you signed when joining or working at your current jobs, from non-compete agreements to contracts requiring a certain period of employment from you.
   
   Breaking a contract can sometimes have troubling legal and financial consequences.
   
   Also check to see how much notice your company requires. , If you have a rolodex or list of contacts that is useful and essential to your line of work, be sure to make a copy of it before you give notice.
   
   If it is on company equipment, you may not get a chance once you quit.
   
   Just make sure you aren't actually stealing what might be considered trade secrets!
2. 2

   Step 2: Start your job hunt.

3. 3

   Step 3: Evaluate your current job.

4. 4

   Step 4: Check your contracts.

5. 5

   Step 5: Copy over information you don't want to lose.

Detailed Guide

About the Author