3 things to think about while deciding to resign

Last week, we talked about the basics of resignation, and this week we'll be discussing the key factors you must consider before handing in that resignation letter. It is not really just about sorting out your emotions in relation to your work. There are definitely more things to consider when you're deciding to resign beyond, 'I hate my job' or 'I don't like my boss, so I don't want to see her face anymore.'

1. Consider first what you'll be letting go of

As in the laws of economics and physics, there are opportunity costs and Newton's third law. If you've decided to take advantage of something, there are other things that you will need to let go of. Moreover, whatever your action is will cause an equal reaction. If by resigning, you may think that you will be free from all the stresses you experience in your current job (for example, your evil boss, your gargantuan workload, your unreasonable clients), you'd also need to think about the things you'll no longer experience once you've resigned (e.g., the family-like camaraderie among members of your team, the flexible work schedule, your opportunities for travel, your comfort level with the office routines you've already gotten so accustomed to). Weigh them out and see whether you still feel strongly on the side of resigning.

2. Consider your next move

For someone who has just graduated and has this job as your first, you need to be secure of your next move. This means having a firm commitment from your next employer. DO NOT, we repeat, DO NOT resign if you do not have a new job or if you have zero idea of where you're going to. Have you already signed with a different company? Will you be joining the family business? Will you be taking up your masters' degree? Are you studying an entirely different specialization? Will you be starting your own business? If you answered "yes" to these questions, make sure that you will be taking steps on solid ground, not on mud, or worse, quicksand. What if you've already resigned and your law school applications failed? Have you already signed a contract with your new employer, complete with start date, salary and benefits package, and detailed job description? Adapt aseguristaattitude, making sure your next step is already cast in stone before handing that resignation letter.

3. Making sure your departure is smooth and problem-free

Never threaten your current employers of resignation to be given a counter offer, especially if you don't have plans to resign in the first place. A lot of employees think that telling their current employers that they will resign while hinting that they will retract if they get a promotion or a raise is an effective move, but unfortunately, that is also known to backfire around 95%. The thing about companies is that once they find out that you've bluffed your resignation (i.e., use resignation as a tool to get ahead in your career), it will create an atmosphere of distrust and you will only earn that reputation as an employee who cried wolf, so much so that if you state that you're resigning again in the future, your colleagues will not believe you anymore as they may think that you really don't have a backup plan and you're just blackmailing them into giving you a counteroffer to stay. That's a huge no-no.

But of course there are exceptions to the rule

At this point, let's make one exception, and an off-field, out-of-the-box one at that: You are exempted from carefully contemplating on resigning if you have discovered that your employer is engaged in illegal activity. If you've received a tip from family or a friend that you need to leave your job because your company is a fraud, do a full days' worth of research, and if certified, get the hell out of there! You can't possibly stay with a company that will be raided by NBI operatives in a matter of days! If you find something fishy about your company's operations, start confirming with the SEC, NBI, or DTI, then do your exit without ruffling feathers. If that employer has ads with us, don't forget to get in touch with our Customer Care team as we are also very much against fraudulent and scam company advertisers.

For more fresh insights into job hunting tips and the latest employment trends, follow our Facebook page !

About JobStreet.com

JobStreet.com is a leading online job board presently covering the employment markets in Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. JobStreet.com currently services over 230,000 corporate hirers and over 15 million jobseekers in its database.

About SEEK Asia

JobStreet.com and jobsDB are part of SEEK Asia, which is the leading online employment market place in Asia. SEEK Asia covers 7 countries namely Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

SEEK Asia is the extension of the Australian Securities Exchange listed company called SEEK. The company's purpose is to help improve people's lives through a better career. SEEK Asia's database consist of over 500,000 corporate hirers and over 24 million candidates.