How to.... Resign & what to expect!

The big day has finally come. You've been through a gruelling interview process with your new prospective company and have your verbal offer (either direct from the employer or through your agency).

What do you need to do next? It's a difficult part of the process for many reasons so you need to understand how to handle everyone who's involved in the process. It's now important you check your contract of employment to find out your employer’s policy on handing in notice as the rules about: "giving your notice" will vary from employee to employee/company to company.

DO YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO LEAVE?

This is important because once you've handed your notice in, you'll lose some loyalty/credibility points with your employer. Personally, I believe that once you've started looking, you know the time is right to move so you should already be 99% sure.

RESPECT

You could be leaving for career progression and have great relationships with your current employer which is superb because however sad they'll be to see you go, they'll hopefully understand your reasons for making the move.

If you have a rocky relationship with your current employer, it's important you remain positive, gracious, courteous and professional at all times as the worst thing you can do is burn any bridges. You never know what's around the corner and your paths may cross again... PLUS, it's the professional thing to do!

OFFER LETTER & RESIGNATION

Do not hand your notice in without a written confirmation from your new employer. Although it's only a "piece of paper", this "piece of paper" confirms the offer and their terms and gives you the substance to take it to the next level.

Before handing in your resignation letter, it’s important to get together with your Line Manager and let them know, face-to-face, that you are leaving as this is a sign of respect. This will also give you the opportunity to talk through your reasons and remove any tension and awkwardness for the last few days/weeks of your employment.

RESIGNATION LETTER TEMPLATE

Here is an example of a resignation letter you could use....

[Today's date]

Dear [name of manager],

Please accept this as notice of my resignation from the position of [your job title] at [Business or organisation name].

[Optional] Since my notice period is [X weeks/months], I believe my last day will be [date] which hopefully you can confirm to me.

[Optional – adapt this for your personal circumstances and relationship] Thank you for the support you've given me during my time at [Business or organisation name]. Please let me know if there's anything you need from me before I leave.

Yours sincerely/faithfully,

[Your name]

[Signature]

COUNTER OFFERS

If you're a good employee, chances are they won't want to see you leave and it's highly likely you'll get a counteroffer. You have to seriously think about the reasons why you were looking in the first place. Does a few more pennies in your bank make it better? What about a new line manager? Will your current manager really change their ways? It's a harsh reality. You may have heard the phrase "you can't polish a turd, but you can roll it in glitter...".

Counteroffers can include;

• More money
• A promotion or more responsibility
• A modified reporting structure/line manager
• More flexibility (remote working or change in hours)
• Shares or equity in the business
• A “sales pitch" on the “exciting new developments happening in the next 12 months or so”
• Promises of promotions in the future reward schemes
• Disparaging remarks about your new employer or role
• Guilt-tripping dialogue in reference to “abandoning” your colleagues

WORKING YOUR NOTICE PERIOD

Depending on the company and their policies, your role and sensitivity of data you work with, and generally the manager you work with, each person's notice period will be different. It could range from 1 week to 12 months but the most common is 1-3 months for Area Sales Managers and 3-6 months for Sales Directors. Some businesses will even waive it. For more info, please check your individual contracts.

Some companies will allow/make you to work your notice period, and although you're leaving it's important to continue working hard and representing the company who gave you the opportunity you've been working in. Leaving on good terms (as said previous) us paramount as you still have a professional reputation to maintain.

GARDEN LEAVE

It's not uncommon in our market due to the sensitive nature of the information you're working with, for a business to put you on garden leave which again can be 1-3months on average, more if in a senior position.

What is gardening leave? Garden leave (also known as gardening leave) is the practice whereby an employee leaving a job – having resigned or otherwise had their employment terminated – is instructed to stay away from work during the notice period, while still remaining on the payroll. This practice is often used to prevent an employee from taking with them up-to-date (and perhaps sensitive) information when they leave their current employer, especially when they are very likely leaving to join a competitor

NEW BEGINNINGS

Starting a new job is a very exciting time, but it can also bring on a whole host of unwelcome feelings that can somewhat ruin the experience. The high you got from creating a superb CV which has got you noticed, to being offered the job and accepting it has subsided and you’re left with extreme nerves. However, in reality, you’re very likely to feel out of sorts for a while.

As well as happy and excited, it's okay to feel anxious, nervous, apprehensive, scared, confused, stressed and exhausted. Just remember why you decided to make this move and stay focussed on the positives this change will bring to your life. Here are five really helpful tips and advice from www.indeed.com.

1. Talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust

Speaking a trusted friend or family member about your new job nerves and any worries you have can help calm your anxiety. Talking about them to someone you trust can help to unburden your mind and ease some of your nerves. Explaining why you feel nervous allows you to identify specific areas to focus your positivity on. The person you speak with may also be able to offer helpful insight to handle your first day and cope with any nervousness.

2. Take time to prepare as much as possible for your new job

Feeling prepared when starting a new job can help to ease tension and anxiety and increase your confidence. Choose what you plan to wear the first day in advance, research your new organization and test the best routes to get to work. You can also reach out to your new manager and inquire about anything you could do to prepare before your first day. They may ask you to refresh certain skills or fill out new hire paperwork so you can focus on orientation and training on your first day.

3. Control your expectations

It's important to remind yourself that starting a new job means you'll have to learn new things and get familiar with a new culture and method of working. You need more than one day to master your new job and feel comfortable with your co-orkers and environment. Keep reasonable expectations by remembering that you are new to the job and you need time to learn.

4. Make a good first impression but don't over think the situation

Starting a new job means meeting new peers. While it's important to make a good first impression, don't try too hard to impress your co-workers. Instead, take the time to get to know your team members by asking plenty of questions and offer to help however you can. Showing enthusiasm for learning about your co-workers and job makes a positive first impression and helps build excellent working relationships.

5. Approach the new position with a positive attitude

Your new job is a positive experience and an opportunity to learn and grow in your professional life. If you make mistakes, learn how to fix them and ask how to avoid them in the future. Acknowledging the possibility of making mistakes can improve your mood and give you a more productive mindset when starting your new job.

SUMMARY

Starting a new job can be hard, as leaving the comfort of your current role and jumping into the unknown is scary. It can however, be the opportunity that set's you on the right life path both mentally and physically. Just don't forget that you're not alone.

If you ever need any help, advice or support please get in touch on 01480 391136.

About the author.

With over 27,000 LinkedIn followers and 10,000+ views on many individual LinkedIn posts, Adam Paine is the Managing Director of Evolution Sales Recruitment and has helped business leaders across the Building Product Sector, deliver significant sales growth by sourcing the very best Managing Directors, Sales Directors, National Sales Managers, Regional Sales Managers and Area Sales Managers.

#recruitment #jobs #hiring #jobsearch #job #recruiting #career #hr #employment #recruiter #work #humanresources #careers #recruitmentagency #business #nowhiring #resume #vacancy #staffing #jobseekers #newjob #jobhunt #jobinterview #interview #training #cv #jobvacancy #recruit #motivation #jobvacancies #marketing #recruiterlife #recruiters #jobshiring #jobopening #jobsearching #jobhunting #leadership #recruitmentconsultant #success #talent #careergoals #education #sales #talentacquisition #jobalert #hiringnow #dreamjob #jobopportunity