Please advise me on how to resign from my job - first time ever resigning and nervous!

[timetoresignn]

I work from home 3 days a week, in the office 2 days a week.

In an ideal world, I'd do it on Friday over a call with my current manager (who is leaving soon, I'm in the process of transitioning to my new manager). This would be easiest as it's with the manager I find easiest to talk to, and on Teams and on a Friday feels less stressful.

Alternatively, I'm in the office tomorrow, as are my current manager and future manager. I could ask them for a quick chat, but they are both quite busy so might be hard to fit in and I would find it quite awkward talking about it in person... Also it's likely we would be overheard, and I know once I hand in my notice it will be like a ripple, with senior management wanting to talk to me. If I'm in the office they will just come over and ask for a quiet word, whereas when working from home I'd be able to prepare more for a call.

I have my yearly review very soon, and I'd like to resign before then as I'd feel uncomfortable talking about my goals for the year and then resigning the next day...

Another question is that I don't have another job lined up, can I just lie about this and make something up? I'm leaving because I'm unhappy there, but they've done their best to support me. There's no feedback I could give that would help future employees out, and I don't want my manager to take it personally, as they have bent over backwards to help me.

They usually like it writing/email. You don’t even need to give a reason or say what you are going on to do.

just write

dear x
please accept this as my one month (week -whatever) notice to terminate my contract, my last working day will be x

yours sincerely
timetoresign.

You don’t need to give a reason.

Your workplace sounds like mine, management too busy to talk to through the day, but as soon as it’s something that effects them it’s a huge if activity and they want to talk 🙄

Let us know how you get on. I’m close to handing my notice in too.

I would do it preferably face to face. So maybe ask your mgr for a meeting in the morning. Just say I need to catch up with you it will only take 5mins but it's important. Write out simple resignation stating when ur last day will be and hand it over. Just say look I've got a new job here's my notice (u cld also say job is not for u if u want to be honest).

Can you not book a meeting room or manage to find a quiet place to chat? I've ended up resigning on the fire exit stairs 😆 at one place where there were no mtg rooms. I just said can I get a quick chat in private and we went out there. It was awkward 🙈but lasted 2mins lol.

It’s OK, you;re not divorcing them, it’s business. If you’re unhappy they probably won’t be surprised. I would do it in writing first (email or letter) and wait for them to follow up. They may ask if there is anything they can do to make you stay, so have a nice version of “thank you, but no, leaving is the right thing for me” and that’s it.

I’ve always just don’t it with a formal letter attached to an email.

In your situation I’d do it that way. Also, do it from home and then you can have the discussion over the phone if that’s what makes you more comfortable. If you are in an unpleasant workplace you don’t owe them more than that.

Will you be ok financially?

Yes do this

Don’t ever feel guilty about resigning from a job.
Believe me, I’m old and wise and an expert at resigning from jobs I don’t like, life is too short.
By the time you’ve got down the road you won’t mean diddly squat to them.

Dont feel guilty, we are all dispensable.
Just tell them you need to resign. If they push for a reason, say you need a mental health break.

Do it in writing , you don't need to give a reason.

You should have a written letter ready, but it is polite to provide notice verbally and then hand over or email the letter afterwards. At any point in time, you have a manager, so you should hand your notice in to whomever is your manager at that moment, not a future manager or a past manager - current manager.

It is very unlikely that a stream of senior management will want to speak to you on the same day. Managers are used to resignations.

I second comments about being dispensable and disposable. Do what's correct by your contract though.

I was absolutely gutted to resign from a job once. But in time I realised that I was just a number. Our department lost so many staff in a short space of time, you'd think the CEO would sit up and take notice, but it was just that sort of place. The cost of employee churn was baked into their business strategy, it seemed like. It took them 7 months to fill my role and by that time the department head had quit as well.

Never feel bad about quitting, you must look out for yourself first. My next job was a massive boost to my career and I don't regret the move for a second.

Take your hand out of a bucket of water. The hole it leaves is the hole anyone leaves when they quit a job.

i.e. no hole at all.

So don't feel bad. Send an email before your annual review and be prepared to be asked why you're going in that review. It's OK to say you can see they've done everything they can for you but you are still unhappy and so are leaving.

Personally I wouldn;t lie about a job lined up (though you can if you want). I'd just say I was going to take some time to find the right job for me.

As others have said, a simple factual letter is best. (BTW it's ALWAYS best to keep things simple in writing even if fleeing a terrible workplace.)

They probably will want to know why you are leaving but you shouldn't see that as sinister - any decent employer will want to know if there are things it can or should do differently in order to be a better place to work.

Love that analogy and so true!

Oh and don't resign in the review op, do it before. There shouldn't be surprises for either side in a review. They'll probably ditch the review anyway and replace with an exit interview.

I've resigned from a few jobs over the years. Now 59 and considering my final leaving letter.

Just keep it simple and factual and formal.
Dear (manager) , I am writing to give formal notice of my resignation from my position as (position). My last day at work will be (date).
(Name)