A Matter I Never Thought Would Need Discussion… How to Resign
Throughout my time with Hallett Philanthropy and the many blogs and podcasts that I’ve done, there’s one subject I never thought would be necessary to write about or discuss. Maybe it’s just inherent in me. But the subject is the proper way to resign from your job.
Molly Brennan in the “Philanthropy News Digest” wrote an article this last month on the proper way to leave a job. It was all based on the 2019 national survey of executives who commented that many individuals leaving their jobs leave in an awkward manner, not to the norms that they’re used to. But over the last three years, I think we’ve all heard stories, both professionally and personally, of people who just didn’t show up one day or announced they were leaving and were gone by five o’clock that same day.
While I’ll recommend the article by Molly Brennan, I’m not going to reiterate it here. The basics are pretty much what you might think. I think it’s interesting that we have to write and talk about the subject. I’ve certainly left jobs in my career. I just never thought about walking away without ample notice, denigrating my former employer or boss, ensuring (especially in our world of philanthropy) that relationships are transferred appropriately, and/or not being appreciative of the opportunity that had been granted to me when I first took the job. But somehow, that’s what we’ve got to teach too many people regarding departure from their current employment.
All of this serves as a reminder of what mom taught me many years ago. If you’re pointing at someone, accusatory or otherwise, the other fingers are pointing back at you. The way people leave a job says more about them than the situation.
