How To Quit Your Job To Attend an MBA

UPDATE: This post was originally published on June 15, 2018. It has been updated with new tips and information below. 

You’ve finally achieved what you’ve spent years working toward: acceptance into a top MBA program. You celebrate, breathe a sigh of relief and soon realize that this achievement means another big milestone: leaving your job.

Whether this is your first job out of university or your tenth job, quitting to pursue an MBA can breed some anxiety and uncertainty. Even if you graduated from a top undergraduate program, they tend to leave out lessons on how to quit your job the right way!

Look at leaving your job as the first exciting step in your new adventure to grow and progress. To help you successfully transition from your current job to your life-changing MBA program, we’ve assembled six proven tips to navigate this period.

Here’s what you need to know.

 

Keep your bridges unburnt

Quitting a job, especially if it wasn’t one you were especially fond of, can lead people to feel as if this is their opportunity to speak their mind and finally tell Jim in marketing what they really think of his spreadsheets.

However, word travels quickly. Industries are surprisingly small. Employees frequently circulate between companies. Burning a bridge with your current company may very well lead to a regrettable and uncomfortable consequence in the future.

Of course, many people would never dream of doing anything but peacefully exiting their position, especially if they enjoy their work and colleagues. And yet there are other ways you may not even think about in which your exit from the company could leave a bad impression.

Bragging about your MBA acceptance, gossiping about the company during your going away celebration, or not transitioning your work before you leave can be just as detrimental as lecturing Jim about his Excel use. Remain professional and positive at all times.

TOP TIP: keep news of your resignation to yourself until your manager is notified. You don’t want them to find out through rumors or gossip. Ask them how they want you to handle telling your colleagues.

 

Be prepared to quit

Resigning from a job requires a little more than just a written notice and an exit interview when done the right way.

Be sure you’re prepared with everything you need to know to protect your interests. Using your employee handbook or contract, know the answers to these questions before you ever step foot inside your manager’s office to give notice:

• When do your benefits expire? Health benefits will typically extend through the end of the month, however, be certain in case you have a doctor’s appointment scheduled.
• How does the company pay out unused vacation or sick time? If you’ve accrued paid time off, this can be a nice bonus.
• What does your contract say about resigning? Are you able to leave at any time, or are you contractually obligated to finish out the month or quarter?
• Are you owed a commission or a bonus? If you’re in sales or a position that offers incentives, find out how this is paid out. If necessary, structure your final date to ensure you’re paid the proper amount.

Should you find yourself in a situation where your exit might be contested or generally complicated, it can be helpful to consult an employment attorney. 

 

Be a partner in your transition

The forty to ninety hours you work each week has to go somewhere. Your manager and HR representative will spend the next several weeks or months seeking your replacement but, in the meantime, your clients, team, and projects will be distributed.

To leave your team in the best shape, be helpful in the transition. Suggest a meeting with HR, your manager, and, perhaps, your team to come up with a game plan of how you’ll hand off work and communicate current deadlines, projects, and information you may only know.

Find out the answers to questions like:

• How should you notify your clients, partners, or vendors?
• Should you set up meetings with colleagues who will take over your work?
• What should be completed or organized before you leave in order of priority?

Depending on the information and data security practices, a spreadsheet shared with your manager showing important deadlines, current projects, client or vendor names, and any helpful information makes the transition easier.

 

Attend the exit interview

In addition to the transition meeting, there’s another important meeting as you leave your position: the exit interview. Most companies will offer one prior to your last day, and it’s an ideal opportunity to help your manager, colleagues, and company improve.

While constructive criticism is best, expect that anything you say can and will leave the meeting. Be honest but keep in mind that HR is, ultimately, employed by the company with the company’s best interests in mind.

Expect questions like:

• What could we have done to have kept you from leaving?
• How would you rate your manager’s performance?
• What is the company doing right? Wrong?

Don’t feel obligated to answer questions that make you uncomfortable or could lead to negative consequences. Keep it professional and constructive; the colleagues you’re leaving behind will likely be grateful should your suggestions be put into practice.

Would you like to return to this company post-MBA? Make it known in your exit interview and find out from HR how you might rejoin the company upon completing your MBA program.

 

Stay Connected with Colleagues

You’ve built friendships and professional bonds with your colleagues, and you never know when you might be able to help, or be helped by, one of them. Don’t lose touch!

It’s usually best to clear it with your manager first, but a final-day “goodbye” email with your personal email address, phone number, and LinkedIn URL can help you catch any colleagues you might’ve missed at your goodbye party.

If you have time between leaving your job and the start of your MBA program, spend a few hours writing LinkedIn recommendations for colleagues, clients, and vendors whose work and professionalism you admired. This is a professional way to show appreciation and can also result in them leaving you positive reviews—which are valuable social proof.

 

Write a Professional Resignation Letter

It doesn’t take an expert novelist to craft a resignation letter, but there are several best practices to be aware of. Your resignation letter needs to encompass 4 key elements:

• The date you’re giving notice
• The name of the position you’re leaving
• When your last day will be
• A brief thank you for the opportunity of working at the company

In the resignation letter, the company does not need to be made aware of which MBA program you’ll attend, where you’ll be relocating, or any other details about your MBA choice. A resignation letter is often seen as written evidence should there be any questions or objections later on and not an exhaustive explanation.

If you’re struck by writer’s block or simply want a helpful foundation to work from, get in touch with us to help you perfect your letter. Our editing experts have years of experience helping clients choose exactly the right words to express complex ideas, like resigning from their jobs. Learn more here!