Handing in your resignation

tough talk made easy book cover shot Want to leave, but don't have the guts to? Some of us find it easier to stay in a job we don't want rather than just pack up our pencil case. Discover the painless way of resigning from the book Tough Talk Made Easy by Jenni Trent Hughes. Published by Harper Collins priced £9.99


  • Are you permanently stressed out?
  • Are you being told your work isn't up to standard?
  • Do you have an inordinately high number of 'off-sick' days?
  • Do you spend most of your time sending emails to your friends?
  • If you never had to go back to your job again, would you even care?

Or perhaps you're feeling unfulfilled or bored; maybe the money's not enough. Whatever the reason, you've decided it's time to leave your job. But you don't like confrontation and you just don't know how to say it.

  • Be sure you're not just having a bad day. I have a friend who starts going to job interviews every time she has man trouble. Spend some time making sure that your current dissatisfaction really does stem from your job and is not just dissatisfaction with some other area of your life

  • Don't discuss it with colleagues before you do it. Discuss your plans too freely before making a firm decision, word gets back to the boss and before you know it the decision as to whether or not you leave has been made for you

  • Whenever possible try to line up another job before leaving. Don't tell your colleagues about that either. Current boss hears you're looking around, new job falls through, current boss fires you: satellite and cable get cut off

    Once you've made the decision, then do it quickly. Do not email your resignation, do not text your resignation - a simple letter handed to your boss is easy and totally acceptable.

    'Dear so and so, It is with regret that I inform you of my resignation, effective from 00/00/00. This will give you a two-week period of notice, which I hope is sufficient time for you to find a suitable replacement for my position. I have enjoyed my two years with Quigley Elastics, but now feel (that after repeatedly asking you for more work to do and begging you for more money, which you have totally ignored that I am going to, oops...) it is time to move on. Yours sincerely...'

    Ask your boss if she has a minute, go into the office and close the door:'I've given it some thought and well, here you are' hand her the letter. If possible it is best to do this at the end of the day, after everyone is gone, to prevent it turning into a circus. You are leaving your job because it is no longer where you want to work. You aren't handing in your resignation to get attention or to get back at your boss. It is always best to do this at the end of a pay period, and on a Friday afternoon just in case you're told to pack your things and leave now.

    Chances are they will read your letter, you will shake hands and leave - end of story. Be prepared to be asked: 'is there anything we can do to change your mind?' Give some thought to that before you go in. If there is anything they could do then this is the opportunity to do it. If there isn't, then be gracious: 'Thank you for asking me but: I've given this a lot of thought/discussed it with my partner/been offered another position/ -whatever- and I think this is the best course of action.'

    Then make sure they organise a fabulous leaving do and sail forth into your future!

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