Work

8 Things S’poreans Should Do Before Quitting Their Job

2018-06-11 , 10:45 am

Last Updated on 2024-08-03 , 9:57 pm

Here are some numbers to shock you: in 2017, the average monthly resignation rate in Singapore was 1.8%.

Having said that, if your company has 100 people, around two of them would leave the company every month.

Well, I won’t be surprised if you’re not surprised, because as a working adult, I’m pretty sure you’ve seen people come and go.

It’s common to ask this question during any gathering: “Hey, you still at XYZ company?” and it’s even more common to receive this answer: “No lah, I’ve switched to ABC company.”

However, it’s also common to hear friends complaining about the difficulty of finding another job or borrowing money from you to help them tide over the unemployment period.

Usually, these are the people who have quit on impulse: whether they just hate the boss’s face, or they YOLO (and realize that YOLO needs money, too).

Here are eight things you’ve got to do before you type that resignation letter, if not you’ll be borrowing money from your friends soon.

Secure another Job Before Resigning

This is common sense, but you’ll be surprised at how many people skipped over this step: Getting a job before you even think of quitting.

But it happens. Most times, people leave the workplace because they can’t take it anymore. There are many consequences of not securing a job before resigning, although one of which will definitely be about money.

Because bills will still come even if you’re not getting paid.

Our suggestion? Just tahan. Tahan until you sign a contract with another company.

But still, make sure you’ve extra money in your bank. Read on.

Make Sure You Have Six Months of Savings

Before you quit, it’s recommended that you have at least six months of savings, even if you’ve signed an appointment letter with another company.

You see, while an appointment letter is indeed a contract, the Employment Act has not kicked in until you, the employee, start work.

Even so, you’ll be an unconfirmed staff so the employer can let go of you (usually with one day’s notice) without consequences.

So, until the confirmation letter is with you, remember this: make sure you have six months’ worth of savings. At least if one company decides to “play stunt” with you, you’ll have ample time to look for another job.

Check the Notice Period

Whenever we have a new job, we’ll be so excited we only check for two things before signing: The salary and the number of days we have for our annual leave.

But how many of us actually look at the notice period? While most companies will go for a one-month notice period for confirmed staff, they can be different depending on the contract. If your position is high, it can go all the way to three months.

Now, imagine you think it’s just one month and you secure yourself a new job, only to realize the notice period is three months. Your new employer might not wait two months for you!

Go Out and Meet People Instead of Finding New Jobs Online

In this digital era, it’s common to use the Internet for everything: from ordering your food to booking your taxi. Of course, it’s even more common to find a job online: everyone in Goody Feed found his or her position online.

However, don’t limit yourself to just online channels. Get out there and meet people.

Go to jobs fairs where you’ll get the chance to meet employers-to-be and impress them with your personality. After all, there’s only so much a piece of paper can convey about you.

Get a testimonial or reference letter before leaving

Sometimes, you’re leaving not because you’re unhappy with your boss: You just want a change of scenery.

Just remember that before you leave, get a testimonial or reference letter from your superior before you leave. Nothing speaks better about your work performance than a glowing recommendation from your ex-boss.

Also, it means that you’re not leaving the company because you suck, and it shows your future employer that they’ll be getting a good staff member who’s easy to work with.

And because we’re living in the 21^st century, everything is going digital. So don’t get them to write you a piece of paper that you might lose. Get them to write on your LinkedIn profile instead.

But, of course lah, if you’re not leaving on good terms, then better don’t ask.

Update Your Online Profiles (Especially LinkedIn)

Nowadays, HR doesn’t hire you just based on your resume. They’ll become Private Investigators (P.I.) and look through your social media accounts.

So, if you happen to be a troll…clean up your account first.

Make sure your profile is updated because if an HR manager can’t find you online, you might not even be given a chance to come for an interview.

And I’m not just talking about Facebook only (I won’t even care about Instagram, TBH). Make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated as well because that’s where the people are going to start looking first.

And if your LinkedIn account was updated back in 2009? Kiss your future job goodbye.

Make Sure You Have Some Kind of “Portfolio” Before You Leave

In the world today, it’s not enough to say “I can do everything fastly and goodly”.

You need to be able to prove it, and the best way to do so is to have some sort of portfolio.

It doesn’t matter what it is, whether it’s a report you’ve done or a video you’ve made.

It goes without saying that when you show your samples, you’re not showing them confidential information about your previous company.

Pretty common sense, right?

Also, it shows that you’re not a fresh grad. We all know how difficult it is to find a job as a fresh grad lah…#beentheredonethat

Check Your CPF Statement Before Leaving

Okay, this is pretty clear cut but you need to check this: Go to your CPF statement and check if your present company still owe you any CPF contributions.

Because the moment you leave, it’s very hard to chase back the money.

While CPF will still chase the money back for you, but it’s going to take some time.

So if you happen to need the money, like for paying an instalment for your new BTO flat, then you might need to pay via cash.

Of course, let’s be honest: the problem you face isn’t a company owing you CPF

But whether you still remember your SingPass password

Now that you know what to do before quitting, do yourself a favour: show this to your friends. Because remember: out of your 100 friends, 2 of them are going to quit their job soon.

Don’t let them make these mistakes.

Featured Image: ProStockStudio / Shutterstock.com