Congratulations, you’ve got the job. What happens next?

Assuming that the offer you have received is the offer you want and you have the details in writing, the next step is to resign. You will need to be prepared to give the correct amount of notice and will have to confirm this with your manager once you have handed your notice in.

You will need to write a letter of resignation stating the date of resignation and the period of notice you are giving. Click here to access an example resignation letter.

Try to resign face to face with your manager and endeavour to keep it amicable. Avoid negative comments, as you do not want to burn your bridges; you never know when you might want to go back and work there in the future.

You may be asked what salary you have been offered and for whom you are going to work. This information does not have to be shared and you are within your rights to keep it confidential.

Be prepared to be escorted from the building immediately if you are going to work for a competitor. Companies often employ this policy as they would not want you to be able to access sensitive information once they know your loyalties lie elsewhere.

Counter Offers 
Once you have resigned, you must be prepared for your employer to try and convince you to stay. It is human nature and they will wish to avoid the aggravation of losing a member of staff.

The counter offer can come in many forms, the most common being:

• Financial.
• Promotion.
• Taking a greater interest in your views and promising things will change in the future.
• Speaking negatively about your moving to a competitor or different industry.

If you accept a counter offer, you employer will always know that you tried to leave and you will have to consider whether he/she will trust you from now on.

Should you have a genuine day off due to illness, will he/she believe you or will there be a nagging doubt in the back of their heads that you might be at an interview?

You will also have to consider whether you would be passed over for promotion. If the employer is looking for internal people to develop and it is between one candidate who has been loyal/not looked for new employment, or you, who did actually resign, whom who would you promote?!

If you accept a financial offer you will have to consider where the money has come from and why you weren't paid that amount in the first place. It may be that you will be receiving a pay rise early which will mean waiting for a very long time for another one. If you are so valued and good at your job why does it necessitate your resignation before an increase in salary is warranted?

Resigning is not always an easy task and can be emotional if you have worked for a company for a long time and have a good relationship with your manager.

The best way to approach it is too stick to the facts and remember what it was that encouraged you to look for a new role in the first place. As one door closes another one opens and you mustn't lose sight of the new challenges and opportunities ahead of you.