I Quit!

by Chellie Mejia

Earlier this year, I made the decision to leave the day to day responsibilities of my firm in the hands of a very capable executive director and take on a role at a large privately held commercial real estate services firm.  It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision; rather, it was the first step in what I knew was my ultimate plan to add a new facet to my firm’s capabilities and move into a career within the Toronto real estate market.  I explained as much to the management upon my commencement and prepared myself to learn as much as I could from a company already on the global map for commercial dispositions and acquisitions and a successful and experienced broker who represented the top tier of transportation and logistics in the GTA industrial real estate market.  My experience with them has been phenomenal – everything I needed and expected from an organization of their reputation and caliber – but on the cusp of a new year and a brand new venture, it’s now time for me to move on.  This week marks my last week with the company, and while I’m in the midst of saying my thank yous and goodbyes, I thought it might be appropriate to share my thoughts on resigning with class.

Quitting a job is easy.  Resigning with class is not.  It’s a step that most of us will have to take in our careers, whether it’s because of a pending move, a new career path, a bigger challenge, or a bigger paycheque.  The key is to walk away without burning bridges and without creating obstacles to future opportunities.

Although I knew early on that my decision to leave was coming near, I made sure to keep it to myself.  Until I spoke to my broker and my manager and gave them time to process the information and make plans as necessary, it would have just been in bad taste to go blabbing about it in the lunchroom.

I also made sure that I gave appropriate notice.  This was a little simpler for me since my intention wasn’t to leave to go to another position, but rather to go back to my own firm, so timing (especially with the holiday season) wasn’t as essential on my end. However, even when moving to another company, it’s absolutely okay to let them know that you need to give appropriate notice at your current job.  Trust me, they’ll understand and appreciate the fact that if you ever leave them, you won’t be doing it to their detriment either.

In resigning from my post, I was also prepared to discuss my experiences with the company, since it’s helpful to them to know of any changes or improvements that they need made or any other matters that may come up.  In my case, it was important for me to emphasize how positive my experience was with the company, but in your case, it might be to answer questions about the reasons you’re leaving or even entertaining a counteroffer – whether you would stay for a pay raise, increased benefits, a promotion, or other incentives.  A discussion could very well turn into a prime negotiating opportunity, so it helps to be prepared for it and to be aware of your own bottom line.

I also made sure that after my discussion with management, I emailed them a copy of my resignation letter, reiterating my reasoning, my last day, and my thank yous. 

This week, I’ll be taking some time to talk to the people that I’ve worked with this past year and to say thank you for the role they’ve played in developing my career.  I want them to have positive memories of me, and I’d like my reputation to be a good one.

Whether your departure is to relocate, to take advantage of a better offer, or to get out of “that place” as fast and as far away as possible, making a classy exit helps, and I’m hoping that my departure yields nothing but positive karmic energy as I move towards the great future I have lined up for myself. 

Wish me luck!