3 Things You Might Not Know About Quitting Your Job

3 Things You Might Not Know About Quitting Yur Job3 Things You Might Not Know About Quitting Your JobSo, youve weighed all the pros and cons, and youve decided to resign from your current position. The decision could be a tough one or a no-brainer, but regardless, how you handle yourself- and your colleagues- after youve submitted that resignation letter is an important part of the process that many of us dont consider.If youre starting to plot your exit, consider these three tips to help smooth your transition and keep your reputation rock-solid after youre gone.1. Read Your ContractDeciding to quit your job will no doubt require you to consider a lot of factors. Pay, job satisfaction, and commute time probably come to mind, right? What many people forget, though, is the fine print. Depending on your role, you may have a contract with your current employer, which means how- and when- you resign will be important.Take one of my former colleagues several years back as an example. He h ad recently been transferred to my arbeitszimmer from another location out of state, which the company had sponsored. All his moving expenses, as well as a travel allowance, had been paid up front, with the specific agreement hed stay in the position for two years. If he left before that time was up, he was on the hook for all the moving expenses (which werent cheap). About a year and a half into his contract, he was offered a great opportunity someplace else and decided to resign. Naturally, the company wasnt pleased, and immediately reminded him of the money hed owe upon his departure. Ouch.Suddenly, that new job wasnt making sense financially. If my colleague had taken the time to review his contract, however, he wouldve known he just had to wait six more months, and hed be free to move on. If his new employer couldnt wait that long, then he at least wouldve had the opportunity to factor those moving costs into his salary negotiation. The moral of the story? Before you hand over that resignation letter, make sure youve reviewed your contract with your employer. Whether its checking the length of your contract or finding out if going to a competitor will cause issues, reading the fine print will confirm youre free and clear to resign without it costing you.2. Keep it Under WrapsOnce youve decided to move on, its tempting to share the news with your colleagues. Maybe theyre also considering getting out of there, or maybe you just want to let your work buddies know youre moving on. Regardless of your reasons, though, resist the urge to spill the beans. News of departures travels quickly, and the best way to kill your reputation with your babo is for her to find out youre leaving at the water cooler.I know this because, well, it happened to me early on in my career. I confided in one of my colleagues- someone I trusted- and it turns out, he couldnt keep the secret. Part of the reason I was leaving was because Id been offered a better position with a competitor, so my confidant took it upon himself to covertly alert my manager so she could be ready with a counteroffer when I gave her my notice. While Im sure my colleague really was trying to help, he inadvertently stirred up quite a mess, with me smack in the center. My babo was naturally stressed by being put in the position of having to try to convince me to stay, but she was more upset I hadnt come to her first. And, since shed heard about my exit from someone else, I no longer had any control over how the message was delivered. Instead of getting to explain to her why I was leaving, my boss viewed me as unprofessional and disloyal. Not exactly the way you want to leave a job. While I was able to eventually smooth things over, it definitely wasnt how I wanted the situation to go down.Yes, its going to be tough keeping such big news confidential, but if you can manage to keep it under wraps until youve spoken directly with your boss, youll keep the tone and the delivery of the news under your control. 3. Be Prepared to Be an OutsiderWhile moving on to a new gig may be exciting for you, it might not be so great for the colleagues youre leaving behind. In fact, your departure may spark some pretty intense emotions among your teammates (resentment, jealousy, stress that theyll have to pick up the pieces), which means you might feel like a bit of an outsider once youve given notice.Several years back, I worked with a guy who had a great opportunity to join a competitor and really advance his career. As soon as we all found out, the group was supportive, but it didnt last. Since my colleague was a senior member of the team, hed given over a month of notice, which meant we had several weeks to work with him, knowing he was going to one of our top competitors. Not surprisingly, he was quickly excluded from strategy and team meetings, and eventually happy hours and other office events. While it wasnt easy for him, he recognized this was part of the deal and handled it with grace, which made things a whole lot less awkward for the rest of the team. He ended up leaving on a positive note, with all of us wishing him well on his last day- definitely what you want to happen when you leave a job.Its not fun to think about, but the reality is, when youre leaving a team, its only natural for your colleagues to see you differently after youve resigned. While youll still have to do your job and assure a smooth transition, understanding your team will probably have some mixed emotions about your decision will help you get through your last couple weeks more easily.Most of us will have to resign from at least a few jobs in our career, and every time will be a new challenge. But, keep these tips in mind when youre ready to move on, and youll ensure you leave with high recommendations and your reputation in tact.Photo of man leaving courtesy of Shutterstock.