Leaving Your Job? Here’s a Step-by-Step Checklist to Exit Like a Pro
Are You Ready for 2025’s Job Market Shakeup
Nearly 3 in 5 (58%) people worldwide plan to look for a new job in 2025.
If you've decided it's time to leave your job, congratulations! Whether you're off to chase your dream, start your own thing, or escape office politics, leaving on good terms and in good form is key. As a hiring manager and mentor with over 30+ years of experience, I got you covered with my 6-step process to prepare for your departure.
Step 1: Update Your LinkedIn Like a Pro
Before you shout your career news from the rooftops (or your Insta story), start with LinkedIn. Here's what to do:
Headline Refresh: Update your title to reflect your new direction ("Project Manager | Agile Enthusiast | Seeking New Opportunities" is way better than "Unemployed and Confused").
About Section: Highlight your strengths, recent wins, and professional goals. Keep it confident, not desperate.
Work Experience: Add key accomplishments to your most recent role. Use quantifiable results—"Led a team of 8" sounds better than "Was in meetings a lot."
Skills & Endorsements: Add skills relevant to where you want to go, and gently ask connections for endorsements.
Pro Tip: Get Ready to Shine
Start by updating your online persona. Opting into LinkedIn Premium for a few months can help you stand out and make connections. It can also make finding your next job easier (see the job section for data and AI tools that can show where you stand and what you need to improve)
Step 2: Dust Off That Resume
Tailor It: Customize your resume to match the types of roles you're pursuing.
Highlight Growth: Show promotions, new certifications, leadership roles, or major projects.
Format Counts: Use a clean, modern design. No Comic Sans. Ever.
Pro Tip: Document the Details
You may have already updated your resume to find the next job, but don't forget to document details you may have left off your current resume. Create a folder to track specific responsibilities, KPIs you met, emails, and letters of commendation. Save your resume in both PDF and Word formats—recruiters love one, and hiring systems love the other. If you want to know more about how to make a killer Resume, check out this article.
Step 3: Make Contact with Your Contacts
Reach Out: Reconnect with mentors, past colleagues, and your professional network. Let them know you're moving on and open to opportunities.
Don't Ghost: Stay visible with occasional updates or content shares—especially on LinkedIn.
Ask for Referrals & References: The people who love working with you probably still do. Ask for written recommendations before you leave—while they still remember how amazing you are.
Pro Tip: Make a Lasting Impression
Reach out to current bosses and colleagues to ensure you leave with an online reference; it will be more difficult to ask later when you both have moved on. And don't shy about giving other amazing co-workers a reference. If you are a hiring manager, I'd expect to see LinkedIn references to staff and colleagues who stood out. Do it before you leave.
Step 4: Document What You Can Take
Lessons Learned: Keep a personal document of what worked, what didn't, and what you'd do differently.
Portfolio Pieces: If your work is public (blogs, presentations, dashboards), save links or screenshots. Don't steal company property, but do preserve your professional contributions.
Templates & Checklists: If you created helpful materials that are not proprietary, adapt versions for your personal use.
Pro Tip: Create your Take Aways
Don't lose your lessons learned. Check your contract or the employee handbook to confirm what you can retain from your created content. If it is okay to leverage, cleanse it of all company and proprietary information before saving.
Step 5: Prep to Give Notice (Without Burning Bridges)
Timing: Two weeks is standard, but check your contract. More notice may be expected for senior roles.
Tell Your Boss First: Don't let them hear it from Karen in Accounting.
Be Gracious: Thank them for the opportunities—even if the main thing you learned was how not to lead a team.
Written Resignation: Keep it short and professional. No rants, no revenge statements, no emojis.
Pro Tip: Get What's Coming to You
There may be bonuses or other perks on the table. Especially if you leave because of a reduced workforce (meaning they asked you to leave voluntarily), make sure you know your rights and get everything coming to you. Once you do, speak with HR to get everything in writing. When following up on agreements, your Manager and/or HR send emails with a cc to your personal email account to ensure you save the paper trail. Remember, negotiation is not just for the next job; you can negotiate anything on the way out. Just remember to ask nicely and back it up with details from your work, yourcontract, or the employee handbook.
Step 6: Your Exit Timeline
Last Month:
Wrap up big projects or transition them.
Train a colleague or document your processes.
Book your exit interview.
If you are a manager, make sure you give final reviews.
Download those LinkedIn recommendations!
Last Week:
Clean up your files (and browser history).
Return company property—badge, laptop, unicorn onesie (hey, every office has one).
Thank those who helped you. People remember those who remember them.
Say your goodbyes - and maybe bring donuts.
Last Day:
Send a thoughtful farewell email. Mention how people can stay in touch.
Add a public goodbye on LinkedIn. Doing so shows the world you know how to take a bow and leave like a leader.
Update your personal email and phone on job boards and profiles.
Do one last walk around. Say goodbye in person where possible.
Pro Tip: Leave Like a Legend
Stay Positive: Take the high road even if you're leaving a toxic workplace. You'll be glad you did.
Exit Interview Smarts: Be honest but constructive. Think feedback, not therapy sessions.
Keep Doors Open: You never know when paths will cross again.
Leaving a job is a major life shift—but it's also a chance to reflect, refresh, and relaunch your career. Do it thoughtfully, and you'll leave behind a legacy (not just a mess of sticky notes and mystery chargers).
You've got this. And when you need help with what's next, ProjectSkillsMentor.com is here for the next chapter.
