Worst ways to quit a job

How you quit a job can impact your future career opportunities, finds a new survey by OfficeTeam.

More than 600 HR managers were polled, and the vast majority (86%) agreed resigning in an unprofessional manner can either greatly affect or somewhat impact people’s reputations and ability to impress prospective employers.

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Typically, most people resign by informing their managers and giving notice. However, many of the HR managers surveyed gave examples of employees they’ve dealt with who’ve preferred to leave bigger impressions.

For example, one manager noted an employee once baked and delivered a cake that had her resignation letter written on top, while another recalled one staffer who hired a marching band to accompany him as he announced he was quitting.

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In some cases, employees preferred to go more quietly by relying on email, text or Facebook messages. And in one case, an HR manager recalled receiving a Post-It note from a departing staffer.

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Whichever way you choose to quit a job, your goal should always be to make sure you’re leaving on the best terms possible, says Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Doing a great job when you start a new role is expected, [but] doing a great job as you leave [can] cement your reputation” as a professional.

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He adds, “It’s best to schedule a meeting with your manager to discuss your resignation, and give […] notice.” It’s also key to keep conversations positive and offer to train your replacement if possible.

More ways people have quit

• One individual sent an email blast to all staff
• One worker threw a cup of coffee and walked out
• One employee bragged to his colleagues about his last day, but had failed to let his HR manager or boss know he was quitting
• One woman created a music video to explain she was leaving
• Some people choose to resign via video conference calls
• One person stormed out of a meeting and never came back
• One staffer had his wife call and quit for him, while another had his colleague forward an email on his behalf
• One employee said she was stepping out to go shopping and was never seen or heard from again

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