8 successful people share their best advice on how to quit a job
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Quitting a job is hard, no matter what the circumstances.
It's very easy to do it recklessly and burn bridges on your way out — but that's the worst thing you can possibly do.
Luckily, there are smart ways to go about quitting that will allow you to keep your reputation (and "bridges") in tact.
Last year, LinkedIn asked the top minds in business to share their best advice for quitting a job.
Here's what Richard Branson, Suze Orman, and six other successful people had to say:
Kathleen Elkins contributed to an earlier version of this article.
JP Kim/Stringer/Getty ImagesRichard Branson says you should use the opportunity to build bridges, not burn them
Branson has never had an actual boss to whom he could say, "I quit!" — which is one of the perks of being a lifelong entrepreneur. But he has had talented employees leave Virgin to pursue their own entrepreneurial endeavors.
The ones who have left and have gone on to succeed are the ones that quit gracefully, he explains.
"All of them left with the best wishes of their previous companies, we've all stayed friends, and I'm sure there will be opportunities for us to collaborate further in the future," writes the Virgin Group founder.
His advice for you: Explain your reasoning; share your vision for the future; and make an effort to keep in touch. "Who knows what the future will hold?"
Maintaining the relationships you have worked hard to create is important. "Think twice before you burn your bridges — build some instead!" he advises.
Read his full post here.
AP Photo/Matt Sayles
Suze Orman says to trust your instincts
"Listen when your gut tells you to move on," writes Orman.
It was the personal finance guru's own gut feeling that prompted her to end her show with CNBC after 13 years and 638 episodes.
"About a year ago, something started to change. I woke up one morning, and I knew that it was time to end the Suze Orman Show," she explains of her decision. "My heart knew it was time for me to go."
This decision also put her in the driver's seat: "Lets face it: If you stay on for the wrong reasons, your eventual exit will likely not be on your own terms. By taking the initiative to recognize I needed to move on, I have had the great experience of leaving without regret or acrimony."
Read her full post here.
Chris Weeks/Getty
Robert Herjavec says it's important to remember that quitting doesn't mean you're failing
"The way I see it, quitting isn't losing," writes the "Shark Tank" investor. "It's simply changing direction."
Herjavec likes to use the term "pivoting," rather than "quitting," because people automatically equate quitting with failure.
"Call it what you will but quitting a strategy, or a job, should not be seen as failure. We can't win at everything we do," he says.
The trick is finding what you're good at, and this opportunity often arises from quitting, which is why Herjavec calls it "a blessing in disguise — an opportunity to pivot to something greater."
Read his full post here.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider