How to Choose the Best Job Offer, Part III

How to Choose the Best Job Offer, Part IIIHow to Choose the Best Job Offer, Part IIIHow to Choose the Best Job Offer, Part IIISo youve weighed your options and successfully secured a new job. Now lets take this process a step further and develop an exit strategy to ensure a graceful departure from your current job.Submit Your Two Weeks NoticeAfter the euphoria of moving on to a better opportunity starts to fizzle, youre left facing the dreaded resignation letter. Note Two weeks is standard protocol. Your current standing with the company, your anxiety to get out, or the start date of your new job can all affect the length of time youre willing to put in after you resign. Use your best judgment.So, depending on your reason(s) for leaving, writing this letter could be a breeze or it could feel like pulling teeth. But one thing is certain No matter how ecstatic you are to be leaving, you still have to be respectful.The contents of a good resignation letter look something like thisDateGr eetingOpening Express gratitude toward the employer for the knowledge you gained on the job.Body Discuss your intentions to resign and identify your last day on the job.Closing Address your intentions to contribute to a smooth departure for yourself and your department.SignatureTo deliver the news, tischset up a meeting with your manager. In this case, youll verbally explain that youve found a new job and will be leaving on a certain date, but bring a printed, signed copy of your letter for their records.Tie Up Loose EndsAfter giving your notice, youll want to go over the details of your final two weeks with your boss or HR. Heres what youll need to straighten outFind out how much paid time off you have left and what youre going to do with it. Some companies will pay you for the unused time while others will make you use it. If your company does the latter, apply it to your last two weeks and enjoy the time off before you start your new job.Discuss with a Human Resources or Finance Department representative what happens with your 401(k) account and what you would need to do to close it and move the funds elsewhere.Most importantly, write a list of projects youve been working on. This list will come in handy during your final weeks to make sure you finish any outstanding tasks and give your boss a heads up on what youll be leaving behind.If theyre replacing you with someone who requires training, discuss how it will be conducted and what projects might have to be moved to the backburner to fit the training into your schedule.What to Do if Your Boss Freaks OutI addressed this issue in another post, When Bosses Make Hotheaded Decisions. This is simply one of those situations in which moody bosses tend to freak out and tell you to leave immediately instead of putting in your last two weeks. If you think your boss will calm down after the initial blow, give him/her some space and try to address the issue at a later time (or the next day). You can try to salvage the professional relationship or take the hasty reaction as your cue to take an extended vacation.Your last two weeks might feel like the longest of your life thats usually what happens when you have something so exciting to look forward to. Just make sure to add your soon-to-be ex-colleagues to your network list in the process. You never know when theyll come in handyWhat experiences have you had in leaving a job? Did your boss flip out, causing you to leave earlier than you expected you would? Let us know