The Right Way to Hand in Your Resignation

Job Seekers > Job Seeker Resources > How to Resign from Your Current Job

How to Resign from Your Current Job

Resigning can be a nerve-racking and stressful experience and also a crucial moment in your career. Any of your colleagues could be your boss later down the line or vice-versa. With that in mind, it’s vital to treat every resignation with respect and professionalism. Here is our best practice advice to ensure you have a smooth exit.

Express Appreciation

Gratitude can go a long way. Expressing appreciation for the opportunities, training, and lessons you’ve learned during your employment is a great way to ensure you keep a good relationship with your Manager after you leave.

Clearly State Your Reasons for Leaving

To ensure you avoid any complications throughout your notice period, clearly state your reasons for leaving in your resignation letter. Should your employer provide a counter-offer, stating your reasons can help you prepare a response. A counter-offer rarely addresses your motives for moving on, so highlighting your reasons in writing can help you to stand your ground when politely declining.

Give Enough Notice

It’s a good idea to refresh your memory and review your employment contract before resigning so that you can include the correct amount of notice in your resignation letter. Notice periods can commonly range between four to eight weeks in New Zealand, but this can depend on your role and seniority. If you handle business-sensitive information, you may be expected to go on ‘garden leave’ during your notice period.

Offer Assistance During Your Transition

Providing support to your Manager and employer during your transition can help to cement a positive and lasting impression. It’s always best to ask your manager how you can help first, but one option may be to help source and train your replacement.

It is worth remembering that often an employee who is leaving an organisation will not be remembered for how they joined, but how they left.

Avoid Any Form of Negativity

It can take years to build strong relationships and networks but it can take minutes to destroy them. It’s best to avoid negativity to circumvent any potential misunderstandings or conflict that could damage your reputation or standing during your resignation. For example, whilst you may have constructive criticism that could help develop the team, don’t mention anything that could berate a colleague or Manager. If you have any feedback or recommendations for improvement, you should avoid mentioning them in your resignation letter, as this can wait until your formal exit interview. 

Print Off Your Resignation Letter & Hand it to Your Manager

To avoid any early complications, print out your resignation letter and hand it directly to your Manager. It’s also a great idea to follow this up with an email attachment so that it can be recorded by any other relevant department, such as Human Resources.

Say Your Goodbyes

After going through every step of your resignation, the last thing you want to do is burn your bridges on the final day. Whether you know your colleagues well or not, it’s always a good idea to say goodbye to everyone and keep in touch with as many people as you can. You’ll never know when your paths may cross again!

SEARCH JOBS   SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Previous Resource

Assessing a Job Offer

Next Resource

Making a Great First Impression in a New Job​