Enrossie profile picture
Enrossie profile picture

Enrossie

Inside Sales Manager

Opinionated
Contributor
Good Citizen

How to quit and not burn bridges

Background, I've only been in SaaS sales for a year after 20+ years in military. In the military you move jobs ever few years so never have I ever "quit" a job. 

I've liked my current company and enjoyed some success promoting from an inbound to an outbound SDR role. I see a definite career path to AE here but was recruited for a full cycle AE role at a small non-profit in the tech space. The pay bump, increase in responsibility, and promise of being fully remote have induced me to move. 

My question is how do I quit that without destroying my relationships at my current company?
🧠 Advice
🎯 Career Development
☁️ Software Tech
18

14 comments

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poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
13
☕️
Remove all emotion from it and explain that you're making a move that sets you up for success. At the end of the day, we all want our reps to succeed, with or with us. Offer to stay on for 2 weeks to help transition accounts/train someone new, and see if they want you to. Whatever you do, don't take a counter and don't let them guilt you.
funcoupons
WR Officer
5
👑
Exactly. Thank them for the opportunity, act gracious and professional, and offer to help however you can in your last days of employment. You're not the first employee who quit, nor will you be the last.
Enrossie
Opinionated
2
Inside Sales Manager
Thank you! I think my manager will be receptive. She’s been very open about her own story of leaving different companies for other roles. At the end of the day it’s scary but am looking forward to the challenge.
BlueJays2591
Politicker
3
Federal Business Dev Director
Say "no offense but" right before you tell them to fuck off. Legally they can't take offense.
LordBusiness
Politicker
2
Chief Revenue Officer
Just be honest. Nothing more annoying than when reps lie on the way out.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
Be professional and brief. They will understand you are doing what's best for your family. Thank them for the opportunity and give a two weeks notice.
hh456
Celebrated Contributor
1
sales
Be polite, speak to the decision and give them time to fill your role. If that's important to you, then it'll go a long way to be as polite as possible on the path to your new employer.
softwaresails
Politicker
1
Sales Manager
It's hard to not destroy relationships when you leave. There are a ton of emotions on both sides.

However, the best way you can not destroy your relationships is by hustling all the way up through your last day. Provide as much help to the team that's taking over your accounts.
punnirno1
Valued Contributor
1
CEO
Just be direct, and don't think of it as something that can potentially screw up the relationship. With such things, what you manifest is what usually ends up happening. 

So just be genuine with the positive feedback/parting comments & even something they can work on (still, do phrase it positively). I used to give a small gift/token of appreciation for the bosses when leaving a place & some donuts/candies for the team, but if you do the above right, there's no need for such shenanigans. 🙂
beerisforclosers
Politicker
1
Account Manager
It you have a good management team, they'll want to see you succeed, so if you're honest on why this was the right opportunity, they'll be happy to see you go! Frankly, if they aren't, they aren't your type of people, and I wouldn't worry about the burnt bridge.
DrunkenArt
Politicker
1
Sales Representative
Be direct, be honest. Managers and higher ups like to hear feedback of why things didn't work out and telling them the truth will be the best thing. Remind them about the positives, but don't shy away from the negatives. Respect the exit process and make yourself available if they need anything during your departure, and even a little after. 
SlinginSoftware
Politicker
1
Account Executive
At my last company, my VP told me the following on my first day - "My job is to help you develop your skills so you have the ability to go anywhere you want. We hope that you want to stay here, but if thats not the case, I'll do everything in my power to help you get to where you want to be."

*And for the record, he delivered on this after I decided to take a risk on a start-up and move on after 3 years with him*

Be respectfulI, give them 2 weeks notice and work your ass off those last 2 weeks. If your manager/company doesn't have a similar mindset as I mentioned above and they get all bent out of shape, THEY are the ones burning the bridge, not you.
draculina
Fire Starter
0
process development specialist
-tell your line manager (if they are not an asshole) first. they would want to hear from you directly, instead of finding out about it when you hand in your notice. explain your reasons (and it's a mathematical decision, not an emotional one). 
-your line manager will probably tell the upper management. accept if they offer to talk to you. same goes here, explain your reasons, stay emotion-free. i remember saying "i am going to take this offer, so i am not saying this to be a competition, and for you to give me an offer. just to let you know this is my intention." 
-in your notice week (idk what it's called in english) try to make the handover as seamless as possible. my motivation was "i don't want anyone to curse me after i left".
-your colleagues will hear it eventually. talk to them, chat with them, make sure you emphasise you can stay friends. most of the time people don't wanna lose valuable connections in other companies.
-send a graceful leaving e-mail that thanks everyone, and name names if you have people who are very close to you and you think they deserve. 

most of the time, people will be sad that you're leaving, jealous a bit that they couldn't, but everything will be fine. congrats on the new position. 
shoesalesman
Opinionated
0
AE (Account Executive)
I just finished my first year after a career in there service as well - did we just become best friends?!?

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