7 Reasons to Resign: How to Exit Professionally and Respectfully

There are many reasons why someone might choose to resign from their job, ranging from pursuing further education to feeling stuck in their career. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to resign in a professional and respectful manner.

Here, we will provide information on several valid reasons for resigning along with examples. Let’s dive into the details below!

Good Reasons to Resign

When you submit your resignation, HR will likely ask you about the reasons behind your decision. Here are some valid resignation reasons that you can use as a reference:

1. Career Change

At times, you may feel that your current career isn’t a good fit and it’s causing you to feel stuck or unmotivated. This could be due to your educational background or a misalignment with your personal interests. Before making any sudden decisions, it’s important to take some time to reflect and recharge, perhaps by taking a short break.

You can also consider discussing the issue with HR to see if there’s an opportunity to switch departments or roles. However, if there’s no viable solution, career change can be a reasonable explanation for your resignation.

An example statement could be:
“I’m interested in developing my career in the creative field, which aligns more with my personal interest. I believe this change will allow me to unlock my full potential in the future.”

2. Better Job Offer

One of the most common reasons for resigning is receiving a better job offer. You might get an opportunity with higher pay, better benefits, or clearer career advancement.

If this is your reason, explain it respectfully and professionally to the HR. Here’s an example:

“I believe my skills and experience can contribute more effectively in a different work environment, and I’m planning to seek new opportunities for further growth.”

In this case, if your current company values your contributions highly, they might even try to retain you by offering a counterproposal.

3. Pursuing Further Education

One of the most understandable and valid reasons for resignation is to pursue further education. For many people, earning a degree or acquiring new skills is essential for advancing their career.

An example of how you might communicate this to HR is:

“I plan to further my education in a field related to my current job. I believe that this step will add significant value to my future career development.”

4. Starting Your Own Business

Another valid reason for resigning is the desire to start your own business. Many employees save up their salary over time to gather enough capital to pursue entrepreneurship.

If this is your situation, your company will likely appreciate your ambition and respect your decision. In this case, you can say something like:

“I’ve decided to pursue my dream to start my own business and focus on entrepreneurial projects that I’m passionate about. I hope the company can understand this decision.”

5. Relocation

Relocating to a new city or country is another good and reasonable reason for resigning, especially if it’s far from your current workplace. For example, if you’re moving from Jakarta to Surabaya, commuting between the two cities would be uneasy for an on-site role.

Before resigning, you might consider requesting a work-from-home scheduling. If that’s not possible, resigning may be the best solution.

6. Health Reasons

Health is a top priority. If your physical or mental health is declining, it can be difficult to perform well at work. Resigning for health reasons is a valid and understandable decision, and HR will likely be understanding.

Here’s a polite way to explain this:

“I’m currently facing health issues that require more attention and recovery time. For the sake of my well-being, I’ve decided to step down from my position.”

7. Work-Life Balance

Lastly, a common reason for resigning is the lack of a healthy work-life balance. Some companies have demanding schedules that require employees to frequently work overtime, leaving little room for personal life, hobbies, rest, or family time.

If you find yourself in this situation, it’s perfectly reasonable to resign in order to prioritize your well-being. A possible way to phrase this is:

“I want to focus on achieving a better balance between my work and personal life. I believe this step will help me reach that goal.”

These are just a few examples of valid resignation reasons and how you can communicate them effectively. If you’re a current employee facing any of these situations, consider discussing your resignation with HR.

If your company is currently dealing with a shortage of talent due to resignations and needs replacements quickly, RecruitFirst Indonesia can help. Our outsourcing services can take care of the recruitment process, from finding the right talent to handling interviews, so you don’t have to.

Ready to find the best talent for your team? Contact us now and let us assist you in finding the right fit for your company!