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Take a step back

The first thing to ask yourself is: are you making the right decision? It sounds fairly obvious, but it's not uncommon for an isolated incident or a couple of bad weeks to spiral into a snap decision to look for a new job, without thinking through all the implications. Write down your reasons for leaving and, next to them, any reasons you can think of for staying. Have you explored all of the opportunities in your current organisation? Is there another department that you would consider moving to? If you feel confident about wanting to leave after this exercise, you are almost definitely making the right decision. Once your mind is made up, you need to give the process of resigning some thought.

It's not unusual for unhappy employees to relish the prospect of resigning. And while an imagined outburst at your manager listing all your grievances can be therapeutic, it should absolutely stay in your imagination. You may feel aggrieved and angry at your workplace or colleagues, but always keep in mind that you may well bump into them again and that encounter could influence future career steps. The way you behave and the things you say during your resignation and notice periods could have an impact on your future achievement, and you should keep reminding yourself of this.

The written resignation

If you are resigning from your current organisation on a less than amicable note, a letter is often the best approach. You have two options in this instance. The first, and most advisable, is simply to keep your letter as short as possible, confirming your wish to resign and drawing your employer's attention to your notice period. Your lack of comment about your role, manager or the organisation will speak for itself, but you will have avoided provocation and bad feeling. If you do feel compelled to outline some of your reasons for leaving, your letter should again be kept as short as possible and you should avoid personal recriminations of any kind. If you are in a position where you wish to make positive remarks about your manager and organisation then by all means do so.

The verbal resignation

If you decide to give your manager a verbal resignation, make sure you have given the content of your resignation some thought in advance. If you make a snap decision or try to do it off the cuff, you may come across as unconvincing or run the risk of being over-emotional. If you have been unhappy in recent weeks or months, try to articulate your reasons for this in a calm and controlled manner, drawing on examples wherever possible. Always be clear about your motivations for moving on and write down a list of points you want to cover beforehand so that you feel comfortable with what you are saying.

Dos and Don'ts for leaving your current role

• Do give as much notice as possible to your employer - they will need time to find a replacement and, failing that, a suitable interim solution and they will definitely thank you for your support in doing so.
• Do complete as much of your outstanding work as possible. Your Manager should outline his or her expectations in terms of the tasks they need to be completed before you leave.
• Do retain a proactive and helpful approach throughout your notice period - you never know when you will bump into your manager or colleagues again.
• Don't get into heated discussions about outstanding commission payments or holiday. Check your facts before any conversations of this type. If in doubt, seek independent advice.
• Don't treat your resignation date as your leave date. In most cases employees will need to serve a minimum of a month's notice period and the best way you can manage this time is to be as co-operative and constructive as possible - it could pay off more than you expect in the long run.

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