If you have just got yourself a new job offer, then you may be incredibly happy with the prospect of advancing your career and working toward your future career goals.
Despite the fact that this should be an invigorating time in your life filled with endless possibilities, as we all know what the job market is like at the moment, there is still that little pit in your stomach reminding you that the tough part isn’t over just yet.
You are still in your current job and this means that before you take your new position, you will have to tell your boss that you will be leaving and you are handing in your two weeks’ notice (or however long you need to stay for).
This is never going to be an easy conversation to have and you almost wish that you can tell your current employer over an email, however, they deserve your respect and a face-to-face meeting, so today we will discuss how you should tell your boss that you have a new job offer and that you will be leaving your current position.
Think About Why You Want to Make The Move to a New Company
You owe your boss some sort of an explanation as to why you want to leave your current job and take another job offer.
Sit down and take out a pen and paper so you can write down the reasons why you are deciding to move on.
Here are some questions you may want to ask yourself –
- Are you looking for more money and the job offer provides you with a better and new salary?
- Do you want better job duties and more responsibility that expands your skills and knowledge?
- Are you unhappy with the company culture such as the way work is handled or your co-workers’ attitudes?
- Are you focused on career growth and feel like you won’t get it in your current position?
Once you know why you want to leave and what your career goals are for the future, you will be able to tell your boss exactly why you want to make this transition so they can understand where you are coming from instead of you just winging it in the hopes they’ll pick up what you mean.
Create Your Resignation Letter
Your resignation letter is very important as this will get the ball rolling with you moving and it will be proof that you have given them your resignation and you have agreed that you will work the required weeks in your contract.
Your resignation letter should contain –
- Your name
- The date you are resigning
- An explanation of why you want to resign
- Expressions of gratitude for the job and the opportunity they have given you
If you don’t do it in a letter then it is important that you create an email to send to them which you can discuss sending them when you are having your meeting.
Depending on what type of job you are in, you may be required to give more than a two-week notice, so check your contract and employee handbook to make sure you have your dates correct.
Book a Meeting With Your Boss to Discuss Resigning
Scheduling a meeting with your boss is a good way to talk it out with them face-to-face.
You will be able to express gratitude in person, and you can tell them what your plans are if you want to.
They will ask you why you are leaving, and if you say that it is because you have a competing job offer that works well for you and suits your current career trajectory, then be aware that they may provide you with a counter offer to see if that can sway you to stay at your current company.
Negotiating With Your Employer
A new job offer can actually make your current employer think that they need to up their game and offer you something else to get you to stay.
If you are open to negotiating with them and you are willing to stay on at your current job if they provide you with a counter offer that works well for you and you feel like you would be happy to take it, then you need to get your negotiating hat on.
Discuss your current salary and how much of a pay increase they are willing to provide you with.
You may also want to talk to them about a promotion or a new job title if you think that you are due one with the years you have been at the company.
Anything that matches your new job offer and can make you feel more amenable to listening to what they have to say.
Prepare What You Need to Say Beforehand
Going to your manager about something like this can be quite nerve-wracking, especially as you will need to look them in the eye and tell them you are leaving for somewhere else.
This can get harder the longer you have been at the company and the work you have done with them.
Preparing what you need to say beforehand and running it past some friends or family can help you with saying what you need to say perfectly and getting your point across.
Stay Calm and Stick to Your Script
Remember to take your time and take a deep breath, they are a human just like you and they are there to listen to what you have to say.
Smile at them and if they start to speak, don’t interrupt them, just listen to what they have to say and respond with what you have rehearsed.
Obviously, you can’t know what they are going to exactly say, but you can take a guess at what they may bring up, so be aware of that.
Be Respectful When Talking to Them
Even if the people you have worked with have been awful and you think that management is shoddy and you really can’t bear to spend one more day in their presence, you still need to be respectful.
If you keep a level head, even if they randomly go off the handle, then you are the winner here and they just look like the manager who can’t keep themselves calm and collected in times of upheaval, that is on them, that is not on you.
Leaving on bad terms doesn’t help anyone, and, if it was a nice job that you did like but felt you weren’t making the career advancements you wanted, leaving on good terms means that if you do need to come back, you are going back somewhere that you know you feel okay with going back to, even if it is just for a little while.
Be Honest With Why You Are Leaving
If you lie and say it is because you just feel like it is time to move on and don’t actually tell them that you have a much better offer that can leave a bit of a sour taste as they may feel like they could of had the option to keep you if you allowed them to try.
You don’t have to tell them why you are leaving, but it is courteous to do so, and it can open up an important dialogue between the both of you.
Plus, if there are issues with the work environment, you can explain to them that it should be dealt with, helping them not only understand but try and rectify issues they were not aware of.
Be professional with your honesty, don’t just start running your mouth about what is wrong with this and that, it doesn’t help the situation move forward in a positive manner and it can make you come across as rude and arrogant.
Talk to Them About Your Transition Plan
With the weeks notice you will need to tell them what you plan on doing for those weeks and how you are going to transfer whatever work you have over to other employees or what projects you will be completing before you go.
Letting them know what you want to do and how you will do it can put their minds at ease especially if you were in charge of a few things and it looks to be up in the air.
Set out a basic plan and let everyone who needs to know, know your timeframe for these changes and how you plan on distributing the rest of your work that you are not able to complete.
Conclusion
Knowing how to tell your boss you got a new job offer is not an easy road to walk down especially if you have been with them for a while and you are taking a leap and going for it with another company.
Remember to be respectful and understand that despite the fact that you have told them you are leaving, there is going to be work to complete and deal with along the way, so always remain professional and kind.
