Are you looking forward to entering the boss’s office with firm steps, a smile on your face and a straight back, and then do what you have wanted for a long time: Slap your resignation on the table? So read the following 10 Tips on how to resign in a good way. It can actually make a big difference how you check out from your workplace.

The summer – and not least the coming holiday period – is starting to get many of us thinking, Isn’t it time to look for new pastures? Shouldn’t it be now that you say goodbye to boring tasks or to the boss you have never quite gotten on wavelength with?

If you succeed in landing a new job, you should be careful, both when you quit your old job and when you say goodbye to your colleagues. Maybe you meet your old boss or colleague at a new workplace later, or you need him/her as a reference – formally or informally.

Here are 10 Tips on how to resign in a good way that can hopefully inspire you to quit in a way so that you stand stronger in the job market in the future and do not get stuck.

1. Wait until you have a new contract

Finally, do not resign until you are absolutely sure of having the new job in-house. Nothing about relying on a verbal commitment or just an email or text message from your new employer. Especially in the private sector, it is important to have a signed employment contract before you resign – and not just a written confirmation. Otherwise, there may be doubts about the terms, eg in connection with maternity leave and various clauses. And the salary must be negotiated completely in place. There must be no reservation at all in the employment contract before you quit your old job. you can simply follow these 10 Tips on how to resign in a good way.

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2. Adhere to deadlines and formalities

If you are employed as a salaried employee, your notice of termination will usually be one month + one month, but a longer notice may have been agreed upon. Therefore, check your employment contract so that you are completely sure of the length of the notice of termination. You can choose to resign orally first if, for example, you want to justify the termination to your boss. Then send an e-mail in which you terminate your position in writing – no later than before the end of working hours on the last day before the deadline expires. You do not have to write anything other than that you terminate your position today, the date of resignation with the end of month xx. It is a good idea to ask for confirmation of receipt of the termination. 

3. What you say to the boss

Maybe you want to give the boss a proper fucking ball and tell him / her very directly about everything that is wrong in the workplace. But do not! Once you have decided to change jobs, there is no reason to accompany the termination with anything other than a friendly “Thank you for this time” and perhaps say a little about the benefits of your new job. If the boss – or perhaps an HR employee – tries to fret you about the real reason for your dismissal, you can simply respond in friendly, diplomatic and not necessarily very informative terms. Incidentally, it is considered good style to hand over his resignation in person to the boss. you can simply follow these 10 Tips on how to resign in a good way.

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4. Write a reason

It is always best to resign in writing, as there is then documentation that you have resigned in due time. It may also be wise to get a manager to acknowledge receipt of the notice so that there is no discussion about whether the notice period has been met. So while it is not very appropriate to shout about how miserable the old workplace has been, it is recommended to write a personal resignation in a friendly, grateful and honest tone. This reduces the risk of acid mines, and in some companies a very brief and formal termination will be considered rude. 

5. If the boss is trying to hold on to you

Maybe the boss will try to ‘turn you in the door’ and thus try to hold you, maybe by putting a proper chunk extra on your salary. Or by offering more freedom or extra flexible working hours and increased opportunity for homework. But is it then the right thing to say yes thank you? If you have the feeling that your termination can be met with various retention initiatives, then finally think through the scenario in advance. Because instead of being surprised and perhaps half-heartedly saying yes, it is better to have considered in advance whether you are in favor of an improved offer or whether you are 100% sure that the new job is the right one. 

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6. Remember to bring your bonus

If you have a bonus scheme in connection with your job, you are entitled to a proportionate share of it when you resign. However, it requires that the bonus is based on a fixed agreement and has been a regular part of your salary. You are entitled to a bonus, regardless of whether you resign or are fired. It is an advantage if the agreed criteria for bonus are precise, not least in a situation where you resign. In addition, the bonus is also included in the calculation of your holiday allowance. 

7. Finish your work

It can be tempting to let go of the accelerator and start relaxing at work once you quit. But it’s a really bad idea, and by the way, you’re actually required to work as before until the last day of work. If you sit back and only order a minimum, it will hurt your colleagues, and if the boss notices it, you risk having your legacy tarnished in the workplace. So rather make an effort that ensures that you maintain a good relationship with colleagues and boss. Thus, they will probably also be more likely to give you a recommendation along the way, and you can better use the boss as a reference in the future.

8. Remember your duty of loyalty

Even when you have resigned and after you have resigned, you have a duty to be loyal to the employer. It is a so-called labor law principle. For example, you must not try to get former colleagues to resign in order to perhaps drag them over to your new workplace. And it is also not allowed to mention your previous workplace negatively or to bring down the management. If you are disloyal while still employed, you risk expulsion, and both during the notice period and later, you may ultimately be met with claims for compensation. You also have a duty of confidentiality with regard to trade secrets such as customer lists and price calculations. 

9. Remember to get references

It is a good idea to ask your boss and colleagues if you can use them as references in the future. Perhaps the boss is also willing to give you a written recommendation. It is significantly easier to obtain the recommendations before you leave the workplace, and managers and employees still have a clear picture of how you are doing your job. Incidentally, it is not unlikely that the boss and colleagues will be happy that you ask them for a recommendation, as it is an expression that you respect them and trust their judgment. 

10. Say thank you to colleagues and contacts

Make sure to finish properly in your old job. Send a nice email around to colleagues with a “Thank you for this time”. So you also reach those who are not just present on your last day of work. Also tell about your job change on LinkedIn and possibly other social media, and take the opportunity to thank your former employer and your colleagues for the cooperation – preferably in laudatory terms, if there is evidence for it. Most likely, your paths will cross again at a later date, eg at other workplaces, as customers or suppliers or as references for each other in connection with a later job change. Follow these 10 Tips on how to resign in a good way.

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