This question came from a busy professional.
How do you quit a job without burning bridges?
I work for a consulting company and just got assigned to a 3-4-month project at the client site due to begin in early May or early June. I found out about this project last week and unfortunately, I wasn’t given a choice. The concern that I have is that I was already planning to give my resignation notice in early May and leave the company by the end of May at the latest.
I would like to tell my supervisor now that I won’t be around to take on the critical project, so they can find a replacement right away and run it by the client – but I need to iron out the details with my potential new employer first. I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. My supervisor has been good to me and I don’t want to put her in a difficult situation, as she would need to find a replacement immediately after I begin the project and the client will not be thrilled about potential delays in project delivery.
Given the timing and importance of the project with a key client, I run the risk of burning bridges. Not sure what I should do. Any advice helps.
Without knowing much about your current situation – the problem doesn’t seem to be your current job. The problem is how long it is taking the new employer to iron out things with your new position. Therefore, I recommend focusing on fixing that area first.
Managing the New Employer
If you cannot iron out things with the new employer relatively quickly, this is a red flag that any future issues will also be difficult to complete. If your new employer is unable or not willing to complete these things in a reasonable time frame, this is not a good sign. The new employer is putting his/her best foot forward at the time of hire. This is as good as it gets.
So, you need to start on the right foot with the new employer.
Transparency with New Employer
Transparency is always a good thing when starting a new position.
- Tell your new employer that you need to iron these things out very quickly (within the next week or two).
- Tell your new employer what is going on with your current employer and upcoming contract.
- Set a reasonable deadline to “iron out the details” of the new job.
The new employer will appreciate that you don’t want to put your current employer in a bind. This illustrates that you will be as conscientious with the new employer as you are with your current employer.
Next Steps
At this point, you have 2 directions to go:
- Deadline is accomplished
- Deadline is missed
Deadline is accomplished
If the new company makes the agreed-upon deadline, at that time – talk to your current manager about your plans to leave at the end of May.
- Offer to mentor and train someone else during May on this new project.
- Offer to use the time to document and automate any tasks to make it easier for your replacement.
- Offer to conduct any training sessions, video or record any training tutorials to make the transition easier.
- Don’t feel guilty or apologize that you didn’t tell them sooner because you really didn’t know sooner.
Deadline is missed
If the new company cannot make the agreed-upon deadline, consider this a RED FLAG.
- Give the new employer additional time (3-4 months) to iron out those details (during which time you complete the other project).
- Let the new company know that during that time you will be working on that other project for your current company.
- Offer to do some part-time projects for the new company during that time.
- Revisit that new company again in 3 months to see if those “details are ironed out”.
- Line yourself up to join that new company full-time at the completion of that other project.
You always have options and say when it comes to your career and future employment.