<p>I’ve been working at a restaurant from February of this year to now, twelve hours per week. I want to quit in the beginning of September. I like this job so much, but I have more important academic things to do. Also, this job is perfectly irrelevant to my career goal. Since this is my first job, I don’t know how the process of quitting works.</p>
<p>How do you quit a job politely? I’m afraid my employer will get mad at me. Is it looked badly on a resume or by future employers if you stayed in a job for only 6 months? Will I look like a job-hopper who constantly hops around different jobs and doesn’t stay in one much long?</p>
<p>If you do it once, it’s not a big deal. Most future job applications will ask why you left and as long as you put school or something they shouldn’t look down on it too much. It’s proper etiquette to “put in your two weeks notice.” Which means that you tell your employer 2 weeks in advance that you will be quiting. Just don’t burn any bridges on your way out. If you like the job, you may want to go back and work there again at some point. And by the way, most part-time jobs will be completely irrelevant to your career goals.</p>
<p>Just tell the manager that effective such and such date, you will stop working. Nice gesture would be to give as much advance notice as you can give. If he asks reason, tell the truth that your this years course load is heavy and doing good in school is very important to you. Minimum wage jobs have heavy turnover, the owners are used to that. Trust me, you quitting won’t affect your future a bit.</p>
<p>After work one evening you ask the manager if you can talk with him privately. Have a nice resignation letter in your hand. Say “I need to give you two weeks notice that I am leaving.” Tell him how much you have enjoyed working in the restaurant but unfortunately you have other committments demanding your time. </p>
<p>The resignation letter should reiterate that you liked working for the company and specify your last day of work.</p>
<p>One more thing: even though your specific duties in the restaurant (waiting tables?) don’t relate exactly to your intended career goals (designing computer widgits?) young employees generally learn a great deal about the ‘real world’ just from going to work on a regular schedule, playing their position in the organization, fulfilling their assignments, and receiving a paycheck for work accomplished. Do not feel that you have wasted your time!</p>