This Is the 1 Word You Need to Remember When You're Quitting a Job Remember, the best people handle breakups with integrity and class. You have to remain calm during the breakup storm.
By Mark Klekas Edited by Mark Klekas
When you leave a company that you genuinely enjoyed and cared for, it can start to hurt more than your worst romantic breakup.
You will date and "break up" with many jobs throughout your career. Sometimes saying goodbye is hard but necessary for self-advancement. With all the recent trends of quiet quitting and the Great Resignation, it's time to learn the secret to exiting a company.
There's one word to remember, according to author Kanika Tolver. In her book, Career Rehab, she describes the key to leaving a job as being "fearless."
If you are going to leave a position, Tolver says it's important to be firm and confident in your decision to leave. It's a difficult position to be in, but in the end, it's better to be fearless during this process.
The fearless approach is all about taking control of your career happiness. The lack of resignation hesitation keeps your focus on moving forward. So often, we let the idea of resigning hold us back from doing what we should have done years ago. Over time, breaking up with jobs becomes a lot easier, and it will free you of those career burdens, according to Tolver.
Related: "Quitting Is A Virtue": Why This Decision-Making Expert Says That Quitting Can Be A Growth Strategy
Why our default is not to be fearless when leaving a job
It's because you cared. When you like your coworkers, align with a company's core values and feel a sense of belonging, it can be hard to do. You've probably spent hours calculating the pros and cons of leaving the position. And in the end, you may not know if this was the right decision until after it was done.
By being fearless, you remove all your hesitations in this long process. It's better to understand that leaving to find more opportunities that align with your goals is better than staying in a position that can hold you back in the long run.
Why being fearless is critical to push back
The reality of the situation is that not everyone will be happy that you are leaving. Some of your coworkers and people above you may disagree with your decision. And that's when being fearless is the best approach.
It would be best if you always resigned respectfully and professionally, but your company may not be happy about the breakup. When good employees decide they are ready to leave, some leaders don't know how to handle the idea of you going. The first thing they think about is who will do your work. It's the same concept when we break up with someone: There could have been signs for months that the relationship was not working, but the other person is still afraid of being alone.
If colleagues make comments or try to dissuade you from leaving, remember to stay fearless in the process; do not cave your ambitions for the short-term needs of a company.
Related: 5 Strategies for Quitting Your Job… as an Entrepreneur
Fearless doesn't mean heartless
We all know it's better to leave on good terms with a company. A part of being fearless is also being strategic about your breakup. If you go into it being heartless, you might ruin some relationships that could be beneficial down the road. It also speaks volumes about your personal brand: Do you want to be the type of person who leaves things worse than how you found them?
It's important to have a pre-breakup conversation with your manager. Once you have accepted a job offer, go into their office and tell your manager that you have a new job. Don't just email your resignation letter without warning. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you are leaving on good terms:
- Conduct a proper knowledge transfer with your team.
- Communicate to your customers, clients and stakeholders what to expect as you transition your work to the new person.
- Effectively communicate in writing and in person the status of your projects before you leave.
- Leave the team all required documentation, artifacts and standard operating procedures to ensure their future success.
Related: Nearly 50% of Workers Plan to Quit Their Jobs in 2023, According to a New Report
When a job breakup goes bad
If you work long enough, you will experience a bad job breakup — even if you've done everything possible to help with the transition. Not everyone will be happy for you when you are taking your personal brand to the next level. This can make your last two to three weeks at your old job hell because before your move-out date arrives, you will have to transition your tasks or projects to someone else.
You may feel awkward through this process, but that is OK, too. When an organization or your peers treat you poorly after you resign, it's confirmation you picked the right path. And that's why being fearless is a good mentality to adopt, whether it's a good breakup or not.
It's also good to note: Some coworkers may be happy for you but struggle to express it. Everyone is concerned with their own problems and life goals, and seeing you leave may have triggered something inside them.
Remember, the best people handle breakups with integrity and class. You have to remain calm during the breakup storm. Thinking about your new career journey as you work your last two weeks is a good idea. Look to your future, smile and be grateful for the new opportunity that lies ahead.
This story was excerpted from Kanika Tolver's book Career Rehab. Buy it now from Entrepreneur Bookstore | Amazon | Apple
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