Breaking It Gently: Crafting a Positive Job Resignation Letter

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Breaking It Gently: Crafting a Positive Job Resignation Letter

First, you have to explain why you want to leave the company. There may be a pile of reasons out there, but nothing seems to fit you in order to break up with them smoothly. Second, you have to ask for unemployment benefits and letter of recommendation to your next employer.

Whoever said that quitting a job is easy?

In case you're on the dilemma between pleasing your current employer and your co-workers, and doing the job you're happy about, then these tips on crafting a job resignation letter might come in handy:

1. Tell, don't vent out

It is important for a company to know why you're leaving, so be graceful and tell the reasons straight to the point. But mention it briefly, and without hint of emotional distress. However, if you're not really living for good, it's better to keep the grievances yourself. The thing is fairly simpler than you thought of. Say it in one or two sentences, never spill grim details and use polite words.

2. Offer them help during the transition period

This may not be necessary, but it will always be appreciated. Especially if you know that your post will be vacant for long, telling them that you are still willing to be involved until the next person comes is one of the best ways to end it up. However, this doesn't oblige you to perform your responsibilities until they found a replacement. Just say it out of generosity, let them know that you'll be willing to help whenever possible.

3. Timing is everything

Hand the letter a month before you resign if you don't want to be on bad terms with your employer. It is only fitting and ethical to give them time to process your papers and find someone to fill in your soon-to-be-vacant post. Just put it this way: if you don't give them prior notice, it's as good as saying to their face that "I don't care about your company. What I just want is to get out here fast!" Now, isn't that a pretty slick impression for your next employer?

4. Ask about benefits and recommendations

But don't ask demandingly. Just make a mention of it on your job resignation letter, and your employer will already get what you mean. If you will leave while on good terms with them, you're almost sure that it will be processed fast and without any hassle. If they don't, at least you are always comfortable to come back and ask for it.

5. Keep in touch

This is one of the wisest things to do. Emphasize on the notice that you will be keeping the communication line open for them and give them your contact details. As your former employer, they have all the opportunity to make or break you in your prospective company. Better if you will also give your contacts to your co-workers in case you want to put them as your reference. It is networking that will build you toward the work you want to have, so store plenty of linkages.

No matter how you wanted to cut the bond with your current employer totally, always remember that a smooth separation takes some time and preparation. A job resignation letter is not just an instrument to cut professional ties. It is also a medium toward understanding and continual growth.

Melinda Edwards works as a career consultant and has been invited in many forums and events on human resource management. She is also a time management expert who effectively performs her roles both as a career woman and a mother.

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Choosing A Professional Resume Writer - Get a Great Resume Without Breaking the Bank

The job market these days is tough. This is definitely no secret - all you need to do is turn on the news to see how badly the economy is doing. While we have gotten a little bit better from when the economy crashed in 2008, the job market is still very competitive, and everybody is looking for an edge in the market. If you've tried looking for a job recently, you know how difficult it can be!

One of the most important things to have in hand during the job search is a solid resume. The resume is the ticket to the job interview - but the problem is that for any position that opens up, a beleaguered human resources employee is likely digging through through hundreds of different resumes. If you want to land the coveted interview, you'll need to have a resume that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

The problem is that many people do not know how to appropriately represent themselves on a resume. There are thousands among the unemployed who are perfectly qualified for jobs, but their resumes simply do not represent them as well as they could. If you have a good resume in hand, you'll have a leg up on the competition.

Of course, crafting a resume that is both visually appealing and informational can be a problem. It's not all about putting as much information on a piece of paper as you can - much of it is about organization and arranging the information in a way that looks pleasing. Many professional resume writers say that the blank space on a resume is just as important as the actual information!

The art of a good resume is equal parts information and creativity, as well as a bit of spatial reasoning. You need to be able to represent yourself on paper in a way that makes tired human resource workers take note. If your resume is one out of a thousand, you need all the help that you can get to make that resume the one that gets the interview! If your resume is forgettable, then you can forget about landing that dream job.

Essentially, getting a good resume is easier said than done. Assuming that you don't have all day to sit around and worry about white space, you might need a little bit of extra help along the way. Anybody is capable of writing their own resume, but the fact of the matter is that there are some people who are more skilled at writing resumes than others. In fact, there are a legion of individuals out there who make their living by helping others write their resumes!

These people are called professional resume writers, and employing one to help you make your resume the best that it can be might be the best investment that you can make. After all, if spending 50 dollars on making your resume look the best it can be is the difference between landing the interview and not, it's 50 dollars well spent in this poor economy.

Of course, the issue at hand is finding the right professional resume writer for you. Not all professional resume writers are created equal - and just because a certain resume writer is skilled does not mean that they will necessarily be the right choice for you.

So how do you choose the right resume writer? Try these tips.

What job market are you trying for? There are resume writers who specialize in writing corporate resumes, and others who do more in the creative realm. No matter what kind of job market that you're looking to hit, there's a professional resume writer that specializes in that area. Obviously, if you're trying to write a resume as a photographer, you'll probably want to avoid the professional resume writers that generally work with CEOs!

Do you need a resume or a CV? Depending on the job market that you are working for, you might need one, the other, or both. Resumes are, by rule, no longer than a page. A CV tends to detail your entire experience in a certain area, and thus is longer. There are professional resume writers who work with those wanting resumes, and those who want CVs. There are also some professional resume writers that work with both.

How long have they been working in the business? Generally speaking, the professional resume writers who have been in the business the longest will be the most familiar with the process, but the more experienced that the writer is, the more that they charge. Just because a professional resume writer is just getting started does not mean that the services they offer are inferior. Just be sure to do your research beforehand and budget appropriately!

Freelance or company? There are professional resume writers who work as freelancers, and those who are part of a company. There are pros and cons to each side, but there is something to be said for working with a company since you are guaranteed a higher standard of work, but the companies do tend to be a little bit more expensive. Freelancers can be more hit and miss in nature, but can also be cheaper. If you find a good freelance resume writer, you can get the best of both worlds. Again, careful research is the key.

Professional resume writers are a great investment in tough economic times. If you're looking to hire a professional resume writer, a good place to start looking is on the Internet. Many sites allow you to read reviews of resume writers and see which ones will suit your needs best.

Good luck in the search for a professional resume writer. Once you get that interview and get on the job, you'll realize that working with a professional writer might have been one of the best investments of your professional life!

Jason Kay is a professional resume writer and contributor to career magazines and websites such as JobGoRound.com, which provides a wealth of career advice.

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