How To Respectfully Resign From Your Job

It’s rare for workers to stay with one organization through their entire career in the modern job climate, especially in the wake of the pandemic. The Great Resignation is still ongoing as new opportunities evolve and employees seek value from their employers. Regardless of the reason, at some point, it’s likely that you’ll resign from your current job.

Even if you’re choosing to leave because your boss or your current job is a nightmare, you’ll still want to follow the proper etiquette when quitting. You don’t want to burn any bridges you may need down the road or provide your new employer with any red flags! Leave on the best possible terms by embracing these guidelines.

Gather anything you may need

Before you set things in motion, make sure you have everything you need from your current job before resigning. Once things are set in motion, you’ll never know how things could play out. Even when giving advanced notice, you may be asked to leave or be terminated before that final proposed date.

Alison Doyle suggests saving any files you may need access to on a flash drive, the cloud, or through an email copy. You may have lists of contacts or projects you have the rights to that you could lose access to. You’ll also want to clear out any personal details or emails on any work-owned devices.

While doing this, don’t give any indication otherwise you’ll be quitting, such as taking down personal photos.

Don’t tell your coworkers first

You don’t want anyone to know you’re quitting before you’re able to give the official notice to your boss, which is why you keep your personal photos and such up. Even if your trust your coworkers, there’s a high chance the information will get leaked.

If your boss hears you’re quitting from a third party, it can sour their mood and have the exit process take a turn for the worse. They may not respect how they heard this and take it personally, and you’ll lose them as a reference in the future. In fact, you might turn them into an obstacle down the road.

Give advanced notice (in person if possible)

Not only should you let your boss be the first to know you’re leaving, but the notice should be delivered in a formal resignation letter.

“If you hate your job, you likely want to get out as soon as possible. However, leaving before giving two weeks’ notice could potentially hurt your reputation and your chances of getting hired in the future. Plus, during that time, your employer will need at least two weeks to ensure that your duties get distributed to other employees until they hire a replacement.” –Dillon Price, Monster.com

A short but detailed letter is the way to go, according to Ian Taylor. It doesn’t need to be a novella, but it should be more formal and explanatory than “smell ya later.” Ian says to clearly state your boss’s name, your position, and your expected final day. Take him to thank them for the opportunities you were granted, and try to list some positives and things you’ve learned. Finally, end by offering to make the transition as smooth as possible. For more details and examples, check out Ladders’ Ashley Jones’ excellent guide.

If you’re able to deliver this in person, do so, recommends Allison Doyle. Set up a formal meeting time to deliver your resignation and discuss related manners in a distraction-free setting. They may try to talk you out of it, but if your mind is made up, stay strong but polite.

Be careful with your wording

Even if you’re leaving because of a toxic environment, you’ll want to stay professional. Don’t mention the toxicity or things you hate about your job in your resignation letter or exit conversations, even if your internal voice is screaming for it.

Forbes’ Jennifer Landis-Santos says to consider your legacy. What words do you want to define your tenure with the organization? Not only will this be good for your future endeavors, but it will help you keep perspective when choosing your words. You want to stay classy and take the high road! You may still get mixed reactions, but that’s business.

“Focus on the skills you have learned, the friendships you have made and the positive experiences you have had when talking to people in your current and new place of employment.” –Indeed

Say goodbye

Even if you’re leaving the job behind, you probably won’t want to cut ties with every relationship you made.

Forbes’ Julia Wuench says to send a goodbye email to your team on your last day to bid your good wishes and thank those that have assisted you. You’ll likely want to stay in touch with some coworkers as friends or as networking partners, and this act shows that you view your colleagues as fellow people.

Keep communication open with your valued colleagues, and, if possible, be there for your replacement during the transition phase. These small acts of kindness could pay off in the long run, even if you hated your job.

Wrap up

Even if you’ve already got an amazing offer lined up, don’t leave your previous job on negative terms. Be respectful, be direct, give notice, and be prepared for extra complications like being asked to leave before your final date happens or being asked to complete an exit interview. If nothing else, you’ll leave on terms you can feel good about, and you may have valuable contacts down the road!

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Conducting A SWOT Analysis To Find The Right Career

Only you can decide the right career path for yourself, but there are a myriad of tools available to help you self-evaluate and guide yourself to the best decision. Whether you’re a fresh graduate, a former athlete entering the workforce, or an experienced professional seeking a new path, there are tools to help you find the right path.

One of these valuable tools is the SWOT analysis. This strategic planning technique is used to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. SWOT is used in many industries to make important decisions, and you can adapt it to your personal needs to paint the path to a truly rewarding career! We’ll analyze each letter and how you can conduct a rewarding analysis for yourself!

Strengths

Strength is what it sounds like on the tin—what are you good at? This is where you can kick modesty to the curb and really hype yourself up. What sets you apart from others? If you do have trouble celebrating your own accomplishments, don’t hesitate to ask for feedback. Your inner circle might see things in a different light.

Job Hunt’s Don Goodman suggests the start with the strengths you have, especially ones you particularly enjoy, and then relating them to demand in the marketplace. Modern job descriptions commonly list the skills needed to thrive in that position, giving you an easy way to see what is in demand.

Look at the experiences you’ve had and categorize your skills into hard and soft categories. Many of these skills will be transferable in many industries, but this should overall position you towards finding industries suited to your personal strengths.

Weaknesses

While it’s easier to hype ourselves up, it can be challenging to name our weaknesses. But knowing what your weaknesses are is crucial in learning to overcome them or to know what career paths you may not be suited to. Again, be honest with yourself!

Comparison is the thief of joy, but Forbes’ Trinity Aikens believes comparing yourself to your peers in this case can answer some tough questions. What do you struggle with compared to your peers, or what takes you much longer than your peers is a good way to gauge if something is a weakness.

“Do other people see weaknesses that you don’t see? Do co-workers consistently outperform you in key areas? Be realistic – it’s best to face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.” –Mind Tools

Opportunities

When you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can apply them to the grand scheme of things. What opportunities are out there for someone with your strengths and weaknesses? Indeed views opportunities as the external options available to you.

When you look at the things you excel at, what career opportunities come to mind? Is there a niche that you can fill? Because you took the time to list out your skills, new ideas you hadn’t considered previously may manifest.

Consider how technology keeps evolving and creating new opportunities. My position writing weekly blog posts catering to job seekers wouldn’t have been something fathomable in my childhood. Always be willing to reevaluate the current market to look for new and emerging trends.

“Like the people, mostly women, who were excellent typists in the 1990s saw the need for typing skills disappear as computers and word processing software became much more common and reliable, look at where the demand for your strengths may be increasing.” –Don Goodman

Threats

The inverse to opportunities, what outside circumstances could hamper your ability to seek out these new opportunities? The nagging voice in your head telling you what could go wrong is annoying, but in this case, hear it out and write what comes to mind.

Is there anything that could keep this potential career path from being viable in the near future? Look at things like the strength of the market, the amount of competition, and the necessity of the niche. Monster’s Dawn Papandrea suggests researching potential threats or trends you may need to contend with so you can start countering them.

“Moving outside your comfort zone will keep you from simply reinforcing your existing beliefs. Be unflinching in revealing faults and weaknesses, but also in celebrating your personal strengths.” –Marci Martin

Wrap up

With the list done, you can create a plan of action based on your data and begin the journey to career happiness. Remember to be honest with yourself during this process. The personal SWOT analysis is meant to answer questions about yourself and guide you to a promised career. You aren’t trying to impress anyone, and you won’t get the results you seek unless you’re truly introspective. Don’t be afraid to get feedback if necessary. With luck, the results of this analysis will paint a clearer picture and steer you toward the career you deserve.

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Five Signs Your Interview Is Going Well

As a job seeker, you’ll spend a lot of time preparing for interviews (hopefully using some of our helpful resources!). There’s a lot to cover when preparing for interviews, as you want to do the necessary research, practice accordingly, and stand out (in a good way). We’ve often covered the pitfalls you can fall into during interviews, so let’s try the opposite approach. How can you know that your interview is going well?

If you’ve done the proper work beforehand and know the signs to look for, there are clear signals things are going your way. Watch for these green flags at your next interview, and that coveted job may soon be yours!

The interview ran long

Interviewers set a certain amount of time aside for each interview for a reason. If things aren’t going well, you likely won’t use the allotted time. But if the interviewer keeps chatting and asking you questions and there’s a delightful back and forth, it shows a clear interest in you as a candidate.

Time is money, friend, and recruiters don’t want to squander it. Career coach Emily Liou says that recruiters don’t want to waste either party’s time if it’s not a good match. “But when we found a stellar candidate, we would try to spend additional time to flush out what we needed to know to make an informed decision,” Liou said.

Just like when on a date, if you find yourself talking long after expecting to go home, things are going well. You may even get offered a second interview right away to continue the conversation!

You meet other team members

Depending on the position, relevant staff members you’d potentially work with may sit in on the interview. But if your interviewers take you on a tour of the office and introduce you to potential coworkers, that’s a very good sign.

According to Indeed, this is because they think you’re a good fit for the company’s environment and are excited to introduce you to the team. Remember, companies aren’t just looking for skills but for someone that aligns with their corporate culture and chemistry.

“If you got to meet some management or upper-management staff, take it as a good sign that you’re being seriously considered for the role.” –Alison Doyle

The interviewer sells you on the company

In any interview, you’re interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. You’re choosing to work there just as much as they’re choosing to hire you.

Zippia’s Sky Ariella says there will be a subtle shift from the interviewer learning about your skills and experiences to giving you the hard sell on the company. This includes discussing the culture, the company perks, exciting landmarks, and your day-to-day duties. If they want you to like the company, it’s a good sign they want you at the company. And seeing their excitement is a valuable window into the corporate culture. If they seem to genuinely be excited about what they are offering and it doesn’t feel like a canned pitch, that’s a green flag.

It’s even better if it seems to take a tangible turn. If they say “This is where you’ll be working,” or “You’ll work with these team members,” they may already be thinking of you as a team member.

The conversation turns casual

Again, organizations want to hire people they think will be a good fit for their team. No one is going to hire someone they don’t want to work with no matter how qualified you are. It’s always good to find a way to connect with your interviewer on a more personal level to build rapport and stand out.

Forbes’ Jack Kelly points to the subtle moment when the conversation turns from prepared questions to genuine personal conversation. If they start pointing out things in common and looking for shared personal experiences, they’re likely viewing you as a person they could work with.

“The interviewer stops with the standard corporate, cold and clinical facade that human resource professionals and hiring managers put on to show that they are serious and mean business, and starts smiling and laughing.” -Jack Kelly

The body language is positive

Perhaps the easiest way to tell if you’re nailing the interview is by judging the body language of your interviewer. We can learn to control our physical and verbal ticks, but some behaviors still shine through.

James Hawley writes that an engaged interviewer will nod, smile, and argue with things you say while opening the floor for you to elaborate. The more engaged they seem and the more they invite you to say, the better you’re doing.

“Does the recruiter seem engaged with what you’re saying? Are they leaning forward when you say something particularly incisive? Smiling? Do their eyes have some spark in them?” –Elliot Kaplan

Wrap up

You won’t get every interview you feel good about, but these examples are clear indicators you’re doing well. An interview has just as much to do with your personality and culture fit as it does your skills, and if you find the conversation flowing and the vibe to your liking, that’s an excellent sign the job may be yours.

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Job Search Behaviors To Avoid

A job search can be challenging in today’s climate. You need to commit time to do the proper research, prepare your resume and cover letters carefully in a way that makes them readable by both humans and tracking systems, and learn the best networking practices in order to find the job of your dreams. This is difficult enough, but it can be even worse if don’t mind your behavior during the process!

Even if everything else is going well, certain behaviors can harm your chances of getting the job before you even sit down for an interview. While some practices like watching the language you use or not being rude should be obvious, not every faux pas is intuitive or obvious to a job seeker.

During your next job search, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by making these common behavioral mistakes:

Being unprofessional

Obviously, you shouldn’t be swearing at or insulting hiring managers. I highly doubt any of you are engaging in knowingly rude behaviors during your job search, but this does need to be said. But being unprofessional comes down to more than just obvious rudeness.

One of the easiest ways to get rejected is to appear unprofessional before even speaking with a recruiter or very early in the process. If your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, or email are riddled with typos, you’ll already appear to be massively unprepared for the job. This can quickly turn the hiring manager against you, even if you’re otherwise an ideal candidate. Make sure to proofread carefully and use tools like Grammarly to assist.

“Almost every job description includes “excellent communication skills” as a requirement. If your communications with the HR manager include spelling or grammatical errors, you’re shooting yourself in the foot.” -Recruiter.com

Recruiter.com also says to make sure your social media posts are up to par. Remove any unflattering photos, edgy posts, controversial opinions, and even negative posts about your current/old position. Refer to our social media guide for further details.

Finally, LinkedIn says not to beg for a job or expect others to help you for free. Not only will you appear unprofessional, but you’ll reek of desperation, another trait recruiters detest.

Being insincere

Even the most professional-looking recruits can still annoy hiring managers with their bad behaviors. Employers are seeking someone that adds value to their organization, and it’s hard to look valuable if you’re insincere or disinterested.

If it sounds like you’ll take the first job you’re offered, it’s going to be hard for a company to be excited about hiring you. Judith Humphrey lists authenticity as the most important quality a job seeker can possess. Recruiters don’t want canned responses or to be pandered to.

“I want to find out more about the candidate personally, and I find there is often this wall, and people are not letting me see who they really are.” –Amanda Luthra, recruiter

One of the quickest ways to appear insincere is by embracing the common “spray-and-pray” technique used by many inexperienced job seekers. Forbes’ Jack Kelly writes that while job seekers think a numbers approach will work in their favor, it does the opposite. Your generic resume will make you appear insincere.

Fight this by tailoring your approach to each specific job. Find a reason why you’d be excited to work for the company. Otherwise, you’re wasting their time and yours.

Being arrogant

Employers want an employee who wants to work for them and is confident about their skills, but don’t let that confidence become arrogance!

Reporter Morgan Smith cites Microsoft head of global talent acquisition Lauren Gardner, who said the number one red flag she looks out for on resumes is being a know-it-all. “We’re looking for folks that are motivated to constantly learn and grow.”

It’s good to demonstrate knowledge, but how you communicate is crucial. A candidate who talks down to others or acts pretentious is likely to be looking for a job elsewhere. Often this type of behavior shows a lack of confidence in your abilities and that you need to be pretentious to appear more successful than you actually are.

“No one wants to subject their staff to having to deal with an arrogant, self-aggrandizing windbag.” –Jack Kelly

Passion and humility are two traits hiring managers want to see, so express your desire to learn and grow and acknowledge that the people in the room can assist in that growth. Be confident while showing respect, and you’ll stand a much better chance of getting the job.

Wrap up

Self-awareness is one of the most valuable qualities a job seeker can possess. Some of these poor behaviors may seem like no-brainers. But sometimes we might not realize our small actions may be unprofessional, insincere, or arrogant. Take some time to really reflect on how hiring managers will see your communications, and it will go a long way towards finding a job you can be excited about.

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How To Answer “Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?”

Today’s career paths are much more nonlinear than they were years ago. There’s a high chance you won’t stay with the same organization throughout your entire career. Even if you like your job, outside circumstances may change things, including layoffs, the need to relocate, or something unexpected like the pandemic.

Hopefully, you can leave the organization on good terms and have a valuable reference down the road. Whether on good terms or bad, you’ll need to be prepared for interviewers to ask, “Why did you leave your last job?”

Why do employers ask this? According to Job Search Strategist Hannah Morgan, it’s because future employers genuinely want to know, and they learn a lot about you based on your response.

Make sure not to alienate yourself with your new employer with a bad answer on why you left your previous one. Take time to prepare, and embrace these philosophies before you answer why you left your last job.

“Asking you why you left your last job helps the employer understand you – your motivation, how you handle challenging situations, and your goals. They are looking for any red flags that may eliminate you such as reoccurring issues with bosses.” -Hannah Morgan

Be honest

The first unmistakable tip is to be as honest as you can with the interviewer. You might not have left your last organization on the best terms, and it happens. But it’s easy for employers to find out the truth. The new organization may contact your old one, and you don’t want to put your references in an awkward position by lying to them and forcing them to perpetuate your lie. If you lie, it will come back to bite, and you’ll look even worse.

“If you have to spill the beans, be sure to stay unemotional, calm, and even-toned in your responses. Try to take the spotlight off the negative and focus on what you’re hoping to be involved with in your potential new role.” -Jennifer Parris

If you were fired or laid off, you need to be honest about it, but these aren’t necessarily deal-breakers for a new company. Natalia Autenrieth says to own your part in whatever may have happened and find a positive that came from the experience. Be truthful, but focus only on the facts and what you bring to the organization.

Indeed reminds us that that doesn’t mean you have to reveal every detail though. Stick to the relevant facts and move on quickly. You can answer the question honestly without making negative remarks about your previous employer.

Be positive

Your previous job might actually deserve potential negative remarks. There are many organizations with outdated practices that contribute to a toxic environment. No need to sugarcoat it—many jobs suck!

But this isn’t what your potential employer wants to hear. Just as you wouldn’t want to talk about your ex on a date, badmouthing your “ex” in an interview makes you look petty and as though you focus on the negative. There are two sides to every story, and your side may not appear as clear-cut to an outsider. And the new employer might wonder how you’ll speak about them in the future.

Instead, learn how to spin things in a positive direction. Lily Zhang suggests always including a positive about the last organization while still being honest. If you want to advance your career, you can talk about the need to find growth and a challenge. If the leadership is bad, you can talk about how you love the mission of your last company but think you need a different sort of environment to succeed.

Focus on the future

Your potential employer has a genuine interest in why you left your last job because it provides them clues on what type of person you are. You aren’t in taking a meeting to go over old news—you’re there to provide value to a new organization. So while answering this question in as honest and as positive a manner as you possibly can, make sure to tie things into what you offer the new company.

If you weren’t happy with the work you were doing or the growth opportunities your old job provided, you can turn this into a positive for your new employer, Hannah Morgan writes. It shows that you’re taking charge and looking for a change, and it paints you as someone who is proactive in dealing with an issue.

FlexJobs’ Jennifer Parris says to be confident when answering this question. Almost everyone leaves a job at some point in their lives. Answering with confidence while being truthful and positive shows that you’ve left that position behind you and that you’re looking forward and ready for new challenges in a new role.

Wrap up

Don’t bring the baggage of a discarded job with you to a new one. Employers want to know why you left your last job so that they can get a sense of what type of employee you’ll be for them. Be honest and positive, even if you didn’t love your last job. Keep things focused on the future and what you bring to the table. Practice your responses, and you’ll position yourself as the ideal candidate!

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