When You Need to Tell Your Boss It’s Over

Your exit from the employ of a country should be as professional as your entry. So, you must resign with dignity and professionalism. This is often easier said than done, although you should strive to make sure you go about it the right way.

Preparation for the Meeting

Don’t be too quick to ask your boss for a meeting so you can tell them. He or she might say they’re available right there and then, leaving you to give an impromptu speech.

Before you even request a meeting with your boss, do some preparation. Make sure you think carefully about what you want to say. If necessary, write a list of salient points to take with you to the meeting.

Think About the Tone you Want to Set

Even though you may be totally fed up and ready to tell your boss what you really think about him/her, the job and the organisation in general, think before you speak. Keep the tone of what you say as positive and professional as possible. 

If you’re struggling to find a reason to do this, remember that when companies do background checks, they may go further back into your career history than you’d think. The last thing you want is to miss out on your dream job because of a bad reference from a former boss dating back to a time when you came across as very negative.

Go To The Meeting Prepared for Any Reaction

When you start your meeting with your boss, get to the point. Inform them of your resignation. And follow that statement with a word of thanks to your boss for the opportunities granted to you for your growth and development during your employment. Offer to help with the transition if it’s appropriate to the context.

The first question your boss will ask is why you are resigning. Be honest, direct, and brief without being negative or derogatory. Following that, your boss will want to discuss your notice period and when exactly you intend to leave.

You may be given the opportunity to skip your notice period or work a shortened notice period, but your boss could also ask you to work the full notice period. In most jobs, two weeks’ notice is the generally accepted timeframe.

The Aftermath

Sometimes, bosses take a resignation as a personal affront or a reflection of themselves as managers. Your boss may try to guilt trip you into changing your mind or offer you more money to stay.

If you are 100% sure resigning is the right thing to do, don’t be swayed by such attempts. If you are having second thoughts, ask for a set time to think things over after which you will give a final answer. But remember, you’ll be labelled as the one who resigned and then changed their mind, which may cause the impression that you are indecisive. This can affect your future prospects.