I have to tell you that leaving a good-paying “corporate” job can be very scary! There are more questions than there are answers. When I made the decision that I was going to become a full-time Entrepreneur, I knew two things were for sure…I would not leave my job until I financially was able to AND I would never purposely burn a bridge with my company, a company that I poured my soul into for over 10 years!
So, I want to share with you the 6 Must Follow Steps to Leave Your Job and Start Creating Your Extraordinary Life.
1. Establish Your Must Meet Goal – It would be irresponsible of me to tell someone to just leave their job if they are not financially or mentally prepared for what is to come. So, ask yourself, “What must happen before I can quit my job?” For me, I had to have 12 months of expenses in my savings account before I could even think about leaving. Some people go with 3 or 6 months. I am a bit more conservative when it comes to money, and I did not want any stress if I didn’t receive any income for 12 months. Once I reached my goal, I knew I could leave my job and chase my entrepreneurial dreams!
2. Give 30-60 Days Notice – That’s right! I didn’t say 2 weeks or 2 days; I said up to 2 months. I mean after all, you DO want to leave on a good note, don’t you? I don’t care how you feel about your company, you do NOT want to burn any bridges. Period.
3. Write a Heartfelt Resignation – While writing my resignation letter, I cried…the entire time! If you can not be genuine and come up with at least a few good things to compliment your company on, find someone who will write it for you! 🙂 Stick with me and I will give you the exact blueprint on how to right a resignation letter that will bring others to tears and have your company begging you not to leave (template coming soon). A few key elements: write it from your heart, compliment the company, state how your experiences have made you a better person, and thank the company and people for their support and the opportunity!
4. Don’t Let Up – Okay, so now you only have 30 days left! You don’t need to work that hard, do you? YES YOU DO! Work harder than you ever have before and leave no loose ends for anyone to pick up. The last thing you want is for someone to remember you as a slacker. Don’t slack. Work hard.
5. Send Hand-Written Thank You Cards – Did you catch the key word there? HANDWRITTEN. Take the time to send your boss, your co-workers, and the executives of the company thank you cards. It will go a long way and leave a lasting impression. I personally sent almost 40 cards to those I worked with, for, and those that had an influence on my career.
6. Stay Connected – It’s almost impossible NOT to stay connected these days with social media. Leave behind your personal contact information and your LinkedIn profile so you can be sure to stay connected with those that you worked with. You never know when you might need their assistance!
Now go out there and Be Extraordinary, Live Your Dreams, and Change The World!
