British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced today that he will step down from his post at some point within the next year. As well as sending the British press into a spin, Blair’s speech reminded me how important it is to resign with dignity.

No matter what your job is, if there comes a time when you decide it’s time to move on, you should consider resigning with dignity. Although it can sometimes be a temptation to finally tell an employer where to stick his or her job, you should resist – even if you feel tempted to blow off steam at an employer you’ve lost respect for.

Why? Well, sometimes your final actions can come back and haunt you. And they might even get in the way of your future career. Here are some things to bear in mind if you’re thinking of quitting.

Be courteous
Whether you give your resignation in writing or not, be courteous and discrete. Even if the company you are leaving is not professional, why sink to their level. You have no idea what influence or position your employer might come to have in the future. You may well want a reference from a high-flying boss later on in your career, even if you can’t stand his guts right now.

Don’t say anything that might come back to haunt you
I once told an employer I “hoped she choked to death,” because she was a corrupt and despicable employer. I was glad to get out of the company. However, a year down the line she had moved on and I decided to try my luck at the same company again. Thankfully, although colleagues knew what I’d said to the previous boss, the new management team selected me and I worked there for two more years. I was lucky.

In short; try to avoid writing anything in a resignation letter that could later come back to haunt you. You only need to make it clear that you are resigning. You don’t need to point out all the grievances you might have with them. It’s far better to merely leave things unsaid: for example, if you’ve genuinely enjoyed your time with the company, then say so. If not, your silence will speak for you.

Don’t drop them in it
Try not to cause your employer too many problems with your resignation. For example, if you resign at short notice you might leave them in the lurch. You’ll be the person who “dropped” them in it. Sometimes this is unavoidable; however, if you do give sufficient notice you’ll give them time to find your replacement.

Little things like this can serve you in good stead should you require a reference from your employer later on. Sure, writing references can be a bind, but employers realise it’s a necessary feature of the business world. An employer is much more inclined to write a favorable reference if you’ve left on good terms.

Photo courtesy of K.L.Watts

Technorati Tags: resignation