4 Things Not to Do When Quitting Your Job

by Kali Hawlk on JUNE 4, 2014

One of the trickiest career milestones to navigate is quitting your job.

In many cases, multiple parties can have negative feelings in circumstances where an employee is leaving. Supervisors can be stressed at the thought of replacing a valuable employee, or that employee can be fed up with the job and ready to leave immediately.

Even if you have another job lined up and waiting for you, or you cannot wait to run out the office door on the last day and never look back, you need to tread carefully when quitting your job. Your professional reputation is valuable.

Don’t make a silly mistake in your last two weeks as you’re leaving that could create lasting repercussions.

Avoid doing any of these 4 things when quitting your job:

Getting Involved in a Confrontation

It can be hard to remain civil and polite when leaving a terrible job that you hate – especially if a particular coworker or boss was the cause of the misery. Even if you’re leaving on bad terms, try to keep your emotions in check.

If you have nothing good to say, keep your comments to a minimum. If you’re required to give an exit interview or are asked by future employers why you quit, remain neutral and focus on the aspects of the job that were positive or great learning experiences.

Acting on Impulse

We’ve all fantasized about it: storming out in dramatic fashion after a particularly bad day on the job, never to return. As satisfying as that might be in the moment, it’s going to leave your coworkers and employer in a bind as they scramble to find a replacement.

Act with class and be deliberate. Schedule a private meeting with your boss to discuss the fact that you’re quitting your job. Give at least two weeks notice – and if you have a lot of responsibility within your position, consider giving more notice as appropriate to help the company ensure a smooth transition to a new employee to take your job.

And don’t even think about putting in your two week’s notice, and then requesting vacation days.

Leaving Piles of Unfinished Work

When you put in your notice and the office knows you’re quitting your job, it can hard to avoid the adult version of senioritis. You’re leaving in a few weeks, so why bother completing the work?

Because, again, your professional reputation is valuable and it’s a small world. And although you may be acting out in an attempt to stick it to your boss, the reality is all that work is likely going to fall to an innocent bystander in this situation (like a coworker or the new hire).

Failing to Clean Up After Yourself

Your work shouldn’t be the only thing that you should avoid leaving behind in a messy pile. Ensure you collect all personal items from your work space and avoid leaving behind anything that will actively remind people of your role in the office after you’re gone.

Remember, even though you’re quitting your job and stepping into a new chapter of your career, you want to try and leave on the best terms possible. Doing so will benefit you in the long run, when your professional reputation is stellar and without fault.