It’s no secret that most members of the workforce aren’t terribly fond of their jobs. Sure, some people dislike working more than others, but if given the opportunity to walk away from their respective jobs with no financial consequences, many workers wouldn’t hesitate to do so. So, if you’ll soon be leaving your current job for a more rewarding career, it’s only natural that you’d be feeling energized and elated. However, there are a multitude of reasons for which it’s in your best interest to exit your job on a high note. As such, take care to remember the following pointers on your way out.

Offer to Provide Training to Your Replacement

The more specialized your position, the more training your replacement is going to require. In fact, depending on your position, you may be the only person in your workplace who’s capable of providing this training. As such, offering to show your replacement the ropes in advance of making your exit stands to save your boss a tremendous amount of stress. Such an act will demonstrate how grateful you are to the people who gave you this job in the first place and potentially help bolster your professional reputation.

Keep in mind that your boss may not take you up on this offer. Should this be the case, don’t waste time obsessing over possible hidden meanings in their actions. In all likelihood, they simply don’t wish to complicate your exit any further, and even if they decline your offer out of spite, there’s no sense in getting angry or offended. After all, you won’t be working under them for much longer. 

Provide Advance Notice of Your Departure

Once you’ve accepted another position, let your new employer know that you need at least two weeks to wrap things up at your old job. This will provide your boss with a decent window of time in which to find a replacement and enable you to finish up or reassign any outstanding projects you’ve been working on. Additionally, if you’ll be passing important projects off to coworkers, take care to fully bring them up to speed before heading out.

Unless your current place of business is outright abusive, departing a job at a moment’s notice is generally regarded as unprofessional conduct. Of course, there’s a chance that your boss will give their blessing for your immediate departure, but barring that, make sure to stick with the time frame specified above.     

Use Up Any Remaining Vacation Time

Depending on how much time you have before you start your new job – or if you don’t have another job lined up – you may want to consider using up any remaining paid vacation time and/or sick days. After all, if you don’t use them now, you’ll never have another chance to. You should also take this opportunity to get any upcoming doctor or dentist visits out of the way before your employer-provided insurance expires. Additionally, if you’ve been using this coverage to help treat a disability, make sure to look into long term disability insurance in advance of making your exit. 

Continue Your Education

If walking your ideal career path entails continuing your education, now would be the time to take those crucial first steps. For example, an advanced degree in an in-demand field can exponentially increase your earning power and expand your career prospects. Fortunately for those of us with busy schedules, going back to school needn’t entail turning one’s entire life upside down. With a rapidly growing number of schools providing online degree programs, it’s never been easier to get educated from the comfort of home. Centennial State residents looking to earn an MBA in Colorado can find a plethora convenient continued education options.

For many people, leaving jobs they dislike is cause for celebration. After all, if you’ve spent years toiling away in a toxic workplace and/or failing to have your efforts properly recognized, it makes perfect sense that you’d relish the opportunity to quit. However, burning your bridges on your way out the door is a very bad idea. While it may serve to bring you a little bit of short-term satisfaction, the long-term consequences you’ll face simply aren’t worth it.