How To Quit a Job – Use These HR Tips to Ensure Future Success

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No one should endure a job that they despise. There’s too much at stake! Your life is worth more than that! If you want to quit your job there’s a right way to do it and a very, very wrong way.

How to quit a job isn’t a mystery with HR on your side

Use these tips to ensure a smooth transition to your next big opportunity, maintain your reputation, and come out smelling like a rose.

Remember, a bad job can create a negative ripple effect that will influence your health and family. Don’t discredit your emotions, forty hours of misery will have consequences.

Change is hard and we feel obligated to the job and coworkers, but sometimes you have to put yourself first. 

You’ve made an investment in yourself and the company. When you consider walking away from a job, complete all the necessary steps to take advantage of the situation you are in, and set yourself up for the future. Here’s what to do when you absolutely hate what you’re doing.

1. Brush Up on Your Skills

I know it’s hard when you hate your job, but try to think about anything other than your job. Adding more to your plate at this time might seem like the opposite of what you want to do, but it sets you up for the future. It could take 3 months to find another job wouldn’t it be great to add a credential to your name while you wait?

Check to see if your company offers any discounts for advancing your education? If the deal is sweet enough, consider sticking out a crappy job (for instance the company is paying for your Master’s degree). Companies are known to pay for degree advancement or even certification. You can take that degree anywhere once it’s completed in most cases.

Turn to your Human Resources homepage and see what kind of educational/ career growth opportunities you can take advantage of. You can add a certificate to your credentials cost-free, in the time it would take you to find a new job, you might take an extra bump in pay and get a better position that suits you better.

If you decide to leave, you’ll have your new set of credentials in your back pocket as you walk out the door. Look to your company for seminars on public speaking, resume writing, health, and wellness as well as investing. Take advantage of what you can while you’re there.

2. Get a Recommendation

Before you are at your wit’s end try to gather recommendations so you can shine in the future. Maybe you have great coworkers, but you just can’t get a raise or maybe you’ve peaked at your company? Before you leave, you need a recommendation in hand. If you aren’t in the place to ask your manager for one, your coworkers and other department managers are excellent sources of praise.

The great thing about a coworker’s recommendation is that they are familiar with the job you are doing. Be honest with your coworker, let your coworker know that you want to go into management, for instance, hopefully, they will highlight your ability to lead in your current role. Always be gracious and never talk bad about the company when you are asking for a recommendation. Your coworkers are staying behind and may not have the same perception.

Don’t forget to be nice! When you are unhappy at work, it’s so tempting to spout off, but keep quiet. The last thing that you want to do is create drama. It’s healthy to talk about job concerns with your coworkers, but don’t say anything that could put your head on the chopping block.

Situations change, don’t say anything that could be held against you later. Who knows…maybe you will be promoted to manager at some point. Stay professional at all times and you will never have anything to regret.

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3. Update Your Linkedin

Linkedin is a social media network for professionals. Make sure that your Linkedin profile is up to date. Your job description abilities tend to get better when you are sick of your job. Suddenly your language becomes more vivid and passionate.

Do yourself a favor and rewrite your job description on your social profiles. Don’t publish anything if you are overly riled, you don’t want to appear cocky or condescending in your own job description. Have you volunteered? Think outside the box when you are adding to the list of your skills.

4. Plan Your Exit

Check a calendar before you make an exit. Are your benefits paid out at the beginning of the month? Is your commission paid out on the 15th? Huge bonuses paid out on a certain month? If you quit today are you losing out on a chunk of potential money?

Make sure that you line yourself up so that you gain everything that is owed to you. Working one day into a new month oftentimes means insurance coverage is extended to the end of the month. These things are incredibly important to keep in mind.

5. Have a Heartfelt Conversation with your Manager Before you Quit a Job and Walk Out the Door

I hope you have an amazing manager that takes your work ethic to heart, is rooting for you along the way, and is aware of the efforts you have put forth to advance your career. If that’s not your experience and you are at your wit’s end, ready to scream that you NEED a raise…. please…calm down before you talk to anyone with authority. You might shoot yourself in the foot in a fit of passion and dismay.

Write down what you want to say before you go in and make sure you have thought about it for at least a few days beforehand. Remember no matter how emotional you may get, you still need to put in your 2 weeks notice. Keep that in mind! You still will have to see that person for another 2 weeks in the best-case scenario.

This situation might mark a point of no return in the relationship with your employer. That’s ok, but own it and remember that management wants you to be constructive. The door will always get slammed in your face if you have complaints without suggestions.

Your job is your power and your leverage, but you can’t talk to someone who isn’t listening. If you don’t get the reaction you hoped for, that’s a good indication that you need to start taking the steps to move on.

6. Start Saving Your Money Now Incase You Need to Leave a Bad Situation

My savings are my emergency ‘quit’ fund. Knowing you have the ability to walk away from something can make you feel powerful. Extra savings will always give you that confidence. I try to spend modestly, always bring my lunch and brew my own bring along coffee.

You can also take steps to start saving through companies like Rakuten (get $10 dollars just for using my link) or Swagbucks (get $5 dollars just for using my link)to save on everyday purchases.

There are tons of ways you can save money on everyday items. Check out my post 100 Ways to Keep the Jingle in Your Pocket for actionable suggestions to save even more! Savings is an incredible power to wield.

7. Start a Craft / Hobby or Blog