Career Tips
How To Quit Your Job To Ensure A Good Recommendation
When you feel the need to quit your job, do so in a manner that will ensure your time spent there wasn’t wasted. Help yourself to get a good recommendation from a job you quit with the following tips:
1. Insist On An Exit Interview
An exit interview is a time when you can voice your final thoughts and comments and suggestions about the company, your job, and why you decided to quit. Think of an exit interview as a way to “clear the air.” During the exit interview, you can give your clear, unbiased reasons for quitting your job in an objective environment. Any rumors or assumptions about your quitting will be put to rest.
Request that your supervisor take down notes during your exit interview. Alternatively, you can put your comments on paper and ask that they be permanently added to your personnel file. This will ensure that any future reference checks from your next employer will be answered with your exit interview comments. Even if your current supervisor leaves, your exit interview remarks will remain on file.
2. Give Due Notice
Always have the courtesy and respect to give due notice to your employer as to your intent to quit. This allows him to search for a replacement while you finish out your time. Typical notice is two weeks, but if your employer asks for more time, consider giving it to him. Your consideration for the welfare of the company will be appreciated and help to ensure a positive reference.
3. Offer To Train Your Replacement
Your job training likely cost the company in terms of time and money. When you quit, you take all that away with you, leaving the company with nothing to do but spend time and money training another employee. If you offer to stay and train your replacement, you help to save the company the trouble of teaching someone who knows nothing yet about all the experience you gained doing that job. Your offer will be valued and can assure you a positive referral for other jobs you apply for.
