Just about everyone comes to a point in their professional career where they find themselves faced with a new opportunity. Whether this opportunity is a promotion within your current company, or a new position somewhere else, you are left with the sometimes daunting task of being phased out of your current job. While it may get easier with time, this is certainly a tricky situation to navigate - so we put together our best advice on transitioning out of your role! Check it out:
DECIDING IF IT’S THE RIGHT TIME
As a recruiting firm we surely hope you are looking to leave your current role to come work with us, however, we know this can’t always be the case. There are numerous reasons that one might be looking to leave their job; looking for higher pay, feeling unfulfilled or overwhelmed, or just looking for a fresh opportunity. These are all valid!
If you’re looking for another opportunity, our best advice is to wait until you have another offer from an employer before you notify your current company. This creates stability and hopefully means you don’t miss a paycheck!
GIVING NOTICE
Common courtesy is to give your employer a minimum of two weeks notice prior to you leaving your role. While this is standard, it’s also important to honor any employment contract you might have signed regarding your new employer and when they expect you to start your position.
Another important piece of giving notice is a formal resignation letter. While this can be brief, it should include the following pieces of information:
A statement that you’re resigning
The date your resignation goes into effect (your last day of work)
Why you’re leaving (completely optional)
A thank you for the opportunity and time spent at current company (optional)
Signature
Resignation letters make it official, and it is also important to have your leaving in writing so the reasoning or timeline cannot be disputed at a later date.
TRANSITIONING OUT
Once you’ve notified your employer of your leaving, the next step is to put together a transition plan. This plan may vary depending on the industry and position, but the gist should remain the same. This plan should be an outline of how you/your team will transition your current projects and responsibilities to whomever is either filling your role, or those who will cover your current responsibilities. This can be broken down into 4 categories:
Day-to-day responsibilities
This is what is necessary for the company/department to operate on a day-to-day basis. A good question to ask yourself is, “If no one did ‘X’, what would happen?” Be sure to mark any recurring responsibilities that may not be a daily/weekly occurrence, but still need to be completed. You may want to assign these tasks to your colleagues, but remember that decision belongs to the boss or team lead.
Current Projects
If you are able to complete your current project(s) before your departure from the company, power to you! Unfortunately, this isn’t always possible. If you’re in the middle of a project that needs to be handed off to a colleague, be sure to leave an organized plan with notes on where in-progress items stand, next steps, and any necessary specific instructions.
Upcoming Deadlines
Upcoming deadlines for tasks or decisions can be put in a simple spreadsheet to be handed off to your boss or successor. Be sure to list the due dates and type of deadline (i.e. decision needs to be made, ‘X’ form needs to be submitted etc.).
Key Contacts
This category won’t be necessary for all roles, but it’s an important step for those where it’s applicable. For those who have specific contacts (internal or external) that you need to communicate with to complete tasks, be sure to pass them off to whoever is assuming said responsibility. This could include introductions prior to leaving, or a contact sheet so they know who to reach out to.
As mentioned above, transitioning out of a role may look and feel different depending on the industry and individual company. These three steps simply serve as a rule of thumb; decide if it’s the right time, give notice, and transition responsibilities.
Not only do we hope that this article has been helpful, but we hope whoever is transitioning out of their role finds happiness and success in whatever they pursue next!!