starting a new job

How to Quit Your Job

Tisha Tolar — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:48:41 +0000

Quitting your job can either be the greatest day of your life or the most nerve-wracking event you have had to face. Whatever emotional roller coaster you are riding, there are certain rules of etiquette you need to adhere to in order to not burn any proverbial bridges that can ultimately affect your future employment opportunities.

Ideally, one of the most important considerations you need to make when you plan to quit your job concerns what your next move will be. If you are quitting your job because you are dissatisfied with your position, your employer, or issues with co-workers, consider what your Plan B will be. If you quit without thinking, you may be jeopardizing your financial stability, not to mention your ability to get a new job.

Here are some basic guidelines to follow in order to walk away from your current employer with dignity. (See also: 10 Important Signs That Your Job Sucks)

Give Adequate Warning

As soon as you are confident that you are going to quit your job, provide your employer with adequate notice. Most employers have specific protocol outlined in their employee handbook that dictates how long in advance you need to file your notice of resignation. Use the guidelines, but still provide as much advance notice as possible. While you may not feel obligated to help an employer that you are leaving, it is the ethical thing to do and is, in essence, part of your job duties.

Provide Notice Professionally

While there may be situations that necessitate an employee walking into a supervisor’s office and yelling "I quit!," it is in your best interest to type up a formal notification of your decision to quit your position. Date the letter and, in a professional tone, outline your intention to leave your employment, noting the date you intend to leave. Keep a copy of the note for your files and hand-deliver it to your immediate supervisor or other management personnel as dictated in your employee handbook.

Don’t Tell Lies

It is important for you to be upfront about your intentions to leave your job. Your supervisor may ask what your future plans are, and you are not obligated to divulge specific information if you do not want to do so. However, you can let them know the reasons you are moving on such as a better opportunity, more money, or shorter commute. Depending on your relationship with your employer, you should reveal what feels comfortable. If you have signed a non-compete agreement and your new position will violate that agreement, you may face legal issues with your soon-to-be former employer. Don’t lie just to keep yourself out of trouble.

Remain Professional

Networking is one of the most important factors in the business world. Whether you are turning to entrepreneurial pursuits or heading off to another large corporation, who you know can make a difference. If you burn your bridges with colleagues and supervisors, there may come a time later when you could benefit professionally from such contacts. Maintain your professionalism throughout the rest of your employment. Your ability to remain professional will also likely benefit you should you need professional references for future employment. Don’t slack on the job just because you don’t plan to stay long. Your productivity and on-the-job performance may be reported to your next employer through your professional references.

Meet With Human Resources

Some companies have additional steps required of each departing employee, including exit interviews and the like. If these final steps are not completed, it can delay your last paycheck. Check in with human resources to be sure you have attended to the necessary details. You also will need to clarify matters such as how to roll over your 401(k) or 403(b) and what you need to do with your health insurance coverage.

Take Only What’s Yours

When you finally are ready to leave your post, take only the belongings that are yours and leave company property where it belongs. It can create a conflict of interest or even a bad taste in the mouth of your former employer to find you have absconded with office supplies, computer software, or other company belongings. Some companies will go so far as taking legal action, so only take what is yours rather than risk ruining your reputation.

Be Courteous to the Next Guy/Gal in Line

Any kind of insider information about your job specifics would probably be appreciated by the next hire. Leaving behind an organized, detailed list of must-knows is not required but would be a professional courtesy. From computer passwords to filing codes, any related information left behind can make the transition easier.

Leaving your job may be a whirlwind time, but use good judgment and keep things positive as you move onto the next phase of your career.

This article is from Tisha Tolar of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Tips for Using the Internet at Work

Sarah Winfrey — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:00:10 +0000

Most employees get on the Internet for personal reasons while they’re at work. It makes sense — when you’re online all day anyway, you may as well check your personal email, Twitter, or even Facebook.

Many employers don’t mind if their employees spend some personal time online, as long as it doesn’t interfere with customer service or hamper productivity. In order to keep it that way, though, there are some tips you should keep in mind. They are, for the most part, common sense, but you might be surprised how many employees break them. (See also: 5 Ways Being Nice at Work Can Payoff)

1. Know Your Company’s Policy

More and more companies have written policies covering what their employees can and cannot do online from the office. Ask about this or look it up before you have the chance to get in trouble, as it will look especially bad to be found breaking it if you’re new to the job. While you may feel awkward asking about checking personal email at your orientation, doing so will help you get started on the right foot.

2. Avoid Blocked Websites

Some companies have started blocking social networking sites or video sites, like YouTube, so that computers on their premises cannot access them. Usually the programs that block these sites also record which computers are trying to access them. If you make repeated attempts, or more attempts than most people do, you may find yourself having an awkward meeting with HR.

3. Watch What You Say

When you’re at work, you represent your company, even if you’re sending a personal email. That may not seem straightforward to you, but it will certainly seem that way for your company. Thus it’s important to watch your words, especially if there’s the chance that a keylogger is installed on your computer.

Refrain from swearing, tirades, rants, and other overly emotional communication at work. Even if you’re not talking about your company directly, these sorts of communications may garner you more attention than you’re looking for.

4. Don’t Knock Your Company

This one may seem particularly obvious, but people still get fired regularly for the things they say about their company online. If you have something negative to say about your job, your corporation, your boss, your coworkers, or anything possibly pertaining to work, just don’t say it online. Don’t Tweet it, don’t post it to Facebook, don’t blog about it, and don’t email anyone about it.

If you’re angry about a specific situation and you need to talk, take a break (even if you have to take personal or vacation time to do it) and call someone close to you. Go outside, have your rant, and be done with it. If you need to tell someone at work what’s going on, do it in person, not via the web.

5. Don’t Give Away Company Secrets

Again, this one should be obvious. But people email their work passwords to a personal account all the time. Even if you have a perfectly legitimate reason for doing this, at least clear it with your supervisor first. That way, if the company has certain keystrokes flagged and you trigger an alarm, you have support when defending yourself against the charges.

Emails about trading information, new designs, product revisions, personnel reviews, and more should all be sent encrypted if they’re leaving your company. Some may disagree with this, but you want to cover yourself in case something gets leaked.

It goes without saying that you shouldn’t pass secure information via the Internet for illegal purposes, either. Your job and your reputation are more important than any data you might obtain.

It’s easy to be a responsible employee and still keep up with your personal life online while at work. Just make sure you’re not being a moron, and do what you know is right.

This article is from Sarah Winfrey of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Starting a New Job: 3 Rules to Live By

Janey Osterlind — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:00:08 +0000

Being the new guy at work is like moving to a new school. You’re hesitant and unsure of how things work, but you know you want everyone to like you. I distinctly remember starting my first real, salaried job just 24 short months ago: My boss handed me the Loan Review “Manual” that contained all the minutiae of how to correctly do my job. I was to read it for the first two full days. I remember desperately trying to stay awake amidst the sea of words and phrases — most of which I didn’t even understand yet — and nearly having a caffeine-induced heart attack from too much coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper. After all, this was mind-numbingly boring, but I couldn’t possibly fall asleep my first few days on the job! (See also: Must-Have Qualities to Ensure Long-Term Job Security)

What led me to think about my first days at work recently was the hiring of a new employee in our department. Aside from not falling asleep on the job, our department is fairly flexible. That being said, there are a few rules that he (and every new employee) should be aware of when starting a new job:

Know that you’re probably going to hate your first day on the job. Or week. Or month.

Sure, you might love the company, the people, and even the thought of working there, but you’re probably going to dislike learning the basics of a new job. The reason is simple: People generally don’t like change. It is uncomfortable to not be in-the-know about what to do, when to do it, who to tell, and all of those basics. My department often gets a laugh when we tell the story of a new girl who obtained a job through her family’s connections to the family that owns our company. Three days later, our president called to congratulate her and to wish her well on the job, but she wasn’t there. She had disappeared after only her first day. I mean, how do you even know whether you like or dislike a job after one day? Silly girl.

Ask questions in a friendly way.

All workplaces have a host of unspoken rules and procedures that they might forget to tell you. In our department, for example, we forgot to tell New Guy that our work retreat was casual dress. Luckily, he asked, or it would have been an uncomfortable two days for him. By simply asking, you’ll also learn a wealth of things that your co-workers and boss simply forgot to tell you or assumed you already knew. After all, remember what happens when you assume… (Don’t laugh. You know it’s true.) And think about it: Your boss and co-workers have been doing their jobs for a long time, and certain things are second nature to them, so they don’t even think to tell you. This also leads me into my next point...

Don’t assume your new organization is skilled at training new employees.

When you’re a small organization (like my department), there may be no formal training regimen to indoctrinate you. Perhaps there should be, but in some cases you’re expected to figure things out on your own. Like point #2 says, ask an insane amount of questions (in a non-obnoxious way, please). Also write down what you do know (I made a cheat sheet of all the silly acronyms we use in my first days on the job so I wouldn’t have to keep asking) and update that list as you learn more. That way, you’ll be able to refer back to it when you inevitably forget, and you’ll be able to pull it out at an opportune moment (like when a new employee is hired) and shine like a star because you’ll be the first to be so well-organized.

So that’s the long and short of it: New jobs are more work in the beginning. Just know the basics on how to get up-to-speed quickly, and you’ll be loving it in no time. Oh, and you won’t be stuck wearing suits to the company retreat while everyone else is in jeans.

This article is from Janey Osterlind of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: