Not every job is going to last forever. There may be dozens of reasons, if not more, that someone may want to leave a job. You may be dissatisfied with the working conditions or the job you’re doing, you may have an opportunity come up that you weren’t expecting, or you may be moving to another place all together. When you’re leaving your job what is the best way to quit? Here is some information on the most tactful way to put in your two weeks or leave on short notice.

1. Talk to your boss first. Telling anyone else in the office that you are quitting is asking for the rumor mill to immediately launch into production. Write a professional resignation letter and ask your boss for a meeting. Give them the letter and discuss with your plans to leave the job.
2. Prepare for a counter offer. Unless you are moving to another location, your boss may determine that they need to provide a counter offer to prevent you from leaving the company. Think about all of the reasons you want to leave this company or why you want to try the new opportunity before deciding to accept it or decline.
3. Give the proper notice. 2 weeks’ notice is considered standards for most industries. However, you may choose to give more so you can help them find a replacement or finish up any specific projects. Do not leave the same day or not work out your 2 weeks unless the company requests that you do not return.
4. Return company owned equipment. If you have a computer or a phone provided by the company, return them. You may have some other equipment or office supplies that were given to you to use by the company. It is a good gesture to return anything you’ve taken from the office even if it seems unimportant.
5. Don’t slack off on the job. While you’re working out your notice be sure maintain your normal level of production. You may be asked to finish certain projects or help in other areas of the business as well. You may also need to train your replacement which is something you need to take seriously.
6. Don’t talk poorly about your boss or coworkers. After you’ve given your notice, and even after you leave the job, don’t talk about your manager or coworkers behind their back. Anything you say about them can turn around on you in the long term.
7. Politely decline the exit interview. Exit interviews were designed for companies to gain useful information about their own processes and procedures. They are supposed to be anonymous but this isn’t always the case. You are not required to provide any information for an exit interview so it may be best to simply decline it all together.

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