Holy moly I got the job! How to resign and avoid career suicide

Holy moly I got the job! How to resign and avoid career suicide

So you got the new job or perhaps you are just about putting pen to paper on a new employment contract. Congratulations on your appointment. You are probably dancing around, you are excited about the new challenges, already thinking about what is waiting, what you will be doing, and how your new colleagues will be to work with.

But if you are like most people, you may be a little frightened by the idea of telling the current boss that you are leaving. Butterflies in the stomach, I imagine? It's the brain-gut axis that lets your stomach know that you are freaking out about something.

It gets even worse when your immediate boss was the person who actually hired you or perhaps promoted you into the current position.

You may have been together for a while, done some great work together, and you are one of the super performers. But the thought of giving notice is causing you to have second thoughts. On the other hand, you really like the new opportunity and know this is the right thing for your career. I can reassure you that we all have these thoughts when we are in the process of moving on.

I have also experienced that even top executives go through a period of doubt shortly after accepting a new job. You may be asking if this is really the right job for you, will you able to deliver, will you be accepted by the new colleagues and superiors? Let me tell you, this is normal, so don't panic.

Remember that this is a part of the process to get ready and is just a momentary doubt. Stop doubting yourself and don't let that get in the way of enjoying the proud moment and success.

Best day and time to give notice

Do you say Friday? Wrong! Even though most people give their notice on a Friday afternoon, contrary to popular opinion that afternoon is not the best day to do it. Actually, the best day and time of the week to give notice is Monday or Tuesday. The later in the day, the better.

You can give notice and get out of the office. This strategy helps to avoid the time you have to spend answering annoying questions from the boss and co-workers about why you are leaving and where you are going. Your boss will not have the whole weekend to consult with the regional office or headquarters how to come up with a plan. Instead the boss is kept busy with work and late evening phone calls with little time to think of a way to stop you or come up with a counter offer.

The counter offer is career suicide

Today's corporate environment has made the counter offer an important weapon in the war for talent. In fact, the counter offer has become part of many companies' strategy to keep salary costs down until they absolutely have to pay their best talent.

But ask yourself why it is that on the day you give notice suddenly your opinions are so important to the boss. Why have the boss and company only now become concerned about your future? Why is the company only now ready to talk about compensation when they are face to face with losing you?

The best way to prevent you being pushed hard by the boss to accept a counter offer of a higher salary or title is to ensure that the boss does not make one.

Use this script when resigning

Enter your boss's office with the resignation letter in hand and say: “I have committed myself to join another company. I will start working there in four weeks. Please accept this as my resignation (hand over the letter). Could you please take a moment to read it? Then we can discuss how to work together to make a smooth transition."

The best tactic is the direct-to-the-point approach. Don't beat around the bush and do not start small talk first. Make it clear to your boss that you are not planning on talking about your decision to leave, but rather to focus on how to make the last weeks a good transition for both of you.

It is critical that the resignation letter and meeting make no reference to where you are going, what you will be doing there, or how much you will be making.

Your answer to the question where you are going, say this: I'm sorry, boss. Can I tell you next week? I have been asked to keep it confidential for a little while until the announcement has come out. It would be best internally but also for those candidates who were not selected."

What do you do when your boss is asking how much you are paid in the new job, and then saying he may be able to counter that offer? Look the boss straight in the eyes, to the point of staring, then say: “Thank you, I appreciate that. But I have to say no thank you. It's too late. I have already signed and committed myself. Anyway, I'm not doing this because of compensation but for a new career opportunity."

The art of deflection

How to avoid unnecessary questions from the boss? It is natural for the boss and co-workers to ask the what, where, and how questions. The key is to avoid answering these questions with anything but the fact that the decision is made, that you should be talking about how you can assist during the last period of your employment there. Nothing else really matters and should be avoided at all costs. Here is another option for you. Good luck. You could say something like this:

"I know everybody wants to know where I am going and why, but it is my intention to follow through on the commitment I have made to the new company. My new employer has asked that I keep this information confidential. Can I suggest that we talk in a month's time or so. Then I don't mind to say where and why. Today I really prefer to talk about how we can work together to make a smooth transition."


Author: Tom Sorensen is a Partner at Boyden Thailand, a global Top 10 executive search firm. Contact tsorensen@boyden.com and learn more on www.boyden.co.th

Series Editor: Christopher F. Bruton is Executive Director of Dataconsult Ltd, chris@dataconsult.co.th. Dataconsult's Thailand Regional Forum provides seminars and extensive documentation to update business on future trends in Thailand and in the Mekong Region.

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