Leaving Your Job Make It Professional With This 7-Step Resignation Checklist

Leaving a job, whatever the reason, is never an easy task. It often comes with mixed emotions, especially if you are resigning to accept a new job offer. Aside from the fact that you will be saying farewell to your team, managers, and peers, you have to make sure that you are parting on good terms. It will not only show your professionalism, but will also be a reflection of your character. It can even be a clear indication of the transferable skills that you have developed or picked up at work. If you are resigning from a job for the first time, you might be wondering what the process entails. This is where a checklist for resignation will come in handy.

Ensuring a smooth-sailing resignation is an important part of your career progression. Keep in mind that the last impression you leave an employer is just as important as the first impression.

(Read more: Should You Quit Your Job? 6 Telltale Signs You Need a Career Change)

Checklist for Resignation

Preparing a checklist for resignation will help you cover all your bases before you leave your current company. Whether you are resigning for the first time or otherwise, the checklist will make the transition smooth and professional both for you and your employer.

(Read more: Considering Joining the Great Resignation? Here’s How to Make It Count)

Not sure about the things to do before resigning? Wondering if there are turnover documents or exit documents for employees that you need to submit and prepare? Is there such a thing as exit clearance? These are just some of the questions and concerns that the checklist for resignation will address.

Check your contract for the notice period.

First, before filing your resignation, it is best to check your contract for the notice period. In Malaysia, this is typically one to three months, and included in the contract of employment. This period will allow your company to find and train a replacement before you leave. 

What if, for some odd reason, your contract does not specify a notice period? To be safe, file your resignation 30 working days or a month from your effective resignation date. 

Write a letter of resignation.

Next, you will need to write a letter of resignation. It will formalise your intent to end your professional relationship with the company. It will also serve as an official record for the entire organisation regarding the end of your employment. 

(Related Article: Examples of Resignation Letters for Personal Reason)

 In this letter, you should indicate the effective date of your resignation (the beginning of your notice period), your current position, last day of employment, and reason/s for resigning. Keep it brief, clear, and professional. Make sure that you are writing it as a formal letter, as it is still a business or official document. 

Are you leaving due to any negative reason? Are you unhappy with the salary or lack of opportunities to move up in the company? Does your role no longer align with your personal and professional goals and principles? Whatever it is, you should not cite it in your resignation letter. You will have the opportunity to voice them out during the exit interview. 

Also, do not forget to thank your supervisor or manager for their support and guidance during your stay with the company. Even if there are aspects of the role that you did not like or find rewarding, there are definitely still some things that you learned.

Inform your direct supervisor or reporting manager.

Your direct supervisor or reporting manager should be the first recipient of your resignation letter. It is best to set up a one-on-one session and hand the letter personally. However, if you are sending the letter via email, especially if you are still working from home, make sure to give a heads up that you have sent them a resignation letter. 

(Read more: 10 Best Reasons for Leaving Your Job & Ways to Tell Your Boss)

Make sure to do a proper turnover. 

Once your notice is accepted, a proper turnover is the next step on your resignation checklist. This step involves finalising your immediate assignments, preparing turnover documents, and endorsing your duties and responsibilities to your replacement. For example, you can have your work files saved on your company computer to make the transition easier. You may also be asked to train your replacement as part of the turnover process.

Inform your colleagues. 

Of course, you will also need to inform your teammates and colleagues of your resignation and last day at work. If you work with external clients, suppliers, or their representatives, it is best to inform them as well. You can simply send them a farewell email thanking them for their help and contributions to your work life. Leaving your contact details so people can keep in touch with you is also a good practice. 

Use your outstanding benefits. 

If you are a long-time regular employee, there is a big chance that you still have some unused leave credits, claims, medical and dental insurance, and other perks. Keep in mind that you can still make the most of these benefits within your last weeks in the company. If you want, you can also find out if you can continue any of these on your own after your resignation. 

Complete the exit interview.  

Finally, it is best to attend the exit interview with the HR professional if it is part of the resignation process in your company. As mentioned above, this is your chance to give them both positive and negative feedback. This is especially the case if you were unhappy due to inadequate salary and compensation package, lack of career advancement, or lack of training and learning opportunities. Make sure that you are communicating these as constructive comments, and encourage the company to use them to identify and address areas of improvement. 

(Read more: 7 Common Exit Interview Questions And How To Successfully Answer Them)

What if you need to resign from your job immediately? Can you forego the one month notice period and just indicate immediate resignation in your letter?

While it is not the best practice, you can still try to give a 24-hour notice if you need to resign immediately. Just make sure that you carefully communicate why you are asking to leave on such short notice. Take note of these tips for writing a 24 hours short resignation letter to make sure you are still parting with your company in the best way possible.

Has this article been helpful? Then download this free resignation checklist so that you have easy access to it even when you are offline. 

Find fresh career opportunities with JobStreet

Resignation may seem like a daunting task. Still, it is possible to make it less stressful for both you and the company you are leaving. Following this checklist for resignation will help you exit on a high note. This way, your peers, managers, and employers will better remember your professionalism and positive contributions to the company.

Are you resigning from your current company to look for better career opportunities? Create or update your JobStreet profile today and search for #JobsThatMatter. Don’t forget to add #WorkNow to your profile to get hired faster. Finally, make sure to check out the Career Resources Hub as well for more tips on job searching, self-improvement, and career advancement!