How to Resign This Holiday Season Without Landing on the Naughty List

How to Resign This Holiday Season Without Landing on the Naughty List

The jingles tell us it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but if the present you most wanted to find under your perfectly dressed tree is a fresh start in a new job, it probably means you’re about to hand in a proverbial lump of coal to your boss. 

While it feels like the whole world is gearing up for #NewYearNewYou, and teams transition to skeleton-crew coverage or even full office shutdowns during the holiday season, turning in notice at your current job might feel… not so nice. But, even if it doesn’t feel like a Nice List move, the good news is that you can resign without ending up on Santa’s Naughty list – or worse still, burning a bridge in your career. 

Be direct and timely.

Don’t wait until your manager is on her way out the door to kick off her holidays to deliver your news. Set up a short meeting and meet with her directly and ensure that you have enough time to talk through any imminent issues that need to be addressed before your official last day. There’s no need to wrap it up in a bow. 

If you can, come prepared with a plan.

Just like Santa and his elves, our managers like a well-thought out plan. While this might not always be feasible, bringing forward a list of projects currently in progress and including a status report on where they are in terms of completion will help your manager prepare for your departure. 

Don’t spread your cheer just yet.

It might be your news (and you’re probably excited!) but it’s best to keep it to yourself until the appropriate steps have been taken with your existing company. Sharing your news publicly before relevant parties have been informed can create chaos and it can also come across as unprofessional. This is further exacerbated by PTO schedules which can make it even more challenging to inform team members! 

Remember to be courteous, considerate and professional.

Even if you’re feeling Scrooge-like in your current role, a little courtesy and professionalism goes a long way. Be sure to turn in your notice within the required timeline outlined in your contract (it’s usually two weeks) keep it polite and professional. Prepare your email or resignation letter in advance of your discussion. Many companies cannot act without written notice and, in the holiday chaos and excitement, not having written notice can create a real mess. By having your letter ready, you can simply provide it following your chat and things will move much more smoothly and professionally.

But, remember this, too: you don’t need to apologize for turning in your notice. 

______________

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone turn in their notice just ahead of - or even during! - the holiday shutdown. As a manager, it can feel a little bit like having the carpet pulled out from under you as it makes it difficult to enjoy the festivities of the season. And, when done incorrectly, it looks unprofessional and can make it difficult for a manager to be enthusiastic about providing referrals down the road. 

But, when new opportunities arise or you need to make a change for your own wellbeing or career success, timing doesn’t always make considerations. That’s why you must. The important thing to remember is that every relationship we make in our careers should be protected and that includes times when we’re ending a working relationship with both our manager and a company as a whole. Make sure to demonstrate that you’ve considered the best interests of your team and the company when you’re on your way out to protect relationships and develop a reference for future opportunities.

Ashley MacInnis

You have a story. I can help you sell it. Entrepreneur | Grammar Enthusiast | Mom | Wannabe Greenthumb

2y

"Timing doesn't make considerations," -- so true! And let's be real, there is never a good time to burn a bridge.

Like
Reply
Derek Hall

Co-Founder, VP Engineering and Product at Uvaro

2y

Following these tips is a great way to ensure you're leaving on good terms and setting yourself up for success in the new year.

Like
Reply
Sam Haffar

Partner at Real Ventures

2y

Great post! Such a relevant topic. Don't burn bridges :)

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by Joseph Fung

  • Better Decisions: 5 Simple Frameworks for Busy People

    Better Decisions: 5 Simple Frameworks for Busy People

    Making decisions with intent is a critical component of feeling fulfilled and satisfied with our work and life choices.…

    9 Comments
  • Shopify is canceling meetings; Here's why we won't.

    Shopify is canceling meetings; Here's why we won't.

    Shopify is a remarkable company with leaders I know and respect. The company is a darling of Canadian tech for good…

    6 Comments
  • Why Mandatory Work From Home?

    Why Mandatory Work From Home?

    Today, our leadership team made the decision to implement a work from home policy for all employees. While we’ve always…

    26 Comments
  • Introducing Uvaro: Accelerating Tech Sales Careers

    Introducing Uvaro: Accelerating Tech Sales Careers

    “Knowledge isn’t power until it is applied.” ~Dale Carnegie When we founded Kiite, we did so with the vision of helping…

    55 Comments
  • AI Ethics and Bias

    AI Ethics and Bias

    Google recently released the set of AI ethics principles that they will be using to guide their AI work going forward…

    12 Comments
  • It's not enough to do no harm - we need to do more good

    It's not enough to do no harm - we need to do more good

    This post started off as a speech delivered at Capacity Canada's 2018 AGM. Capacity Canada works to bring together the…

    8 Comments
  • One Person's Revitalization is Another's Gentrification

    One Person's Revitalization is Another's Gentrification

    I’m thrilled with the growth of the NetSuite office in downtown Kitchener – seeded with the TribeHR team as part of an…

    22 Comments

Insights from the community

Others also viewed

Explore topics