Most of the articles in the advice section of UK Part Time Jobs have concentrated on finding part time jobs and succeeding in them. You can see tips about how to shine in your job interview so that you stand about above the competition. We’ve given you some ideas about how to get through your first day in your part time job without any hitches. There are also helpful reminders about how to use social media wisely so you don’t land yourself in hot water with your workmates and bosses at work. And what about social events? Whether it’s the quarterly get together or a huge company Christmas do, there are a few dos and don’ts to bear in mind so that you survive the office party.

Is It Time For You To Leave Your Part Time Job? What Are The Reasons?

But what happens if or when a day comes where you have decided to call it a day and you no longer want your part time job? These days, it’s often mentioned that the ‘job for life’ is a thing of the past so it’s perfectly normal that you might want to move on at some point. There could be any number of reasons for leaving your current position.

  • Maybe you need to leave your part time job because it is too many hours and you have other commitments such as caring for a child or other family member.
  • Perhaps you are really enjoying your part time work and are now looking to work full time but your present company is not in a position to offer you that.
  • You could want to develop your career further and are looking for promotion.
  • Or maybe you just don’t feel challenged enough in your current role. Perhaps it’s becoming a bit boring so you want to move on to pastures new.
  • Maybe you have seen other similar part time jobs to your own being advertised but the pay or conditions are better. Maybe training and external courses are being offered, for example, or the hours suit your requirements more.  
  • Maybe there have been a number of changes at your present company and you no longer feel settled in your part time job.
  • And then there is the dreaded reason: Things have just not worked out for you. You are not getting along with your boss, you are struggling to fit in with your workmates and you dread every day that you have to go into work. This is where you need to keep a clear head and bite your tongue. Let’s take a look at this reason in a bit more detail.  

How NOT To Leave Part Time Jobs

‘You can shove your part time job up your…’ Hmm, yes, maybe lots of you have felt like blurting this out to your boss at some time or other but just remember, it can be difficult to take an outburst back.

If you are in part time employment and things are just not going too well, you may feel like telling your boss exactly what you think of them, their company and their job before slamming the door behind you and storming out of the building. Common sense needs to prevail at this point because, obviously, it is not the ideal way to go about things. Yes, you might be thinking, “That showed them,” and it might even make you feel good for a short while but a hasty outburst like this can end up with repercussions you might not have thought about previously. For you, you might just be thinking it’s only a part time casual job, it’s not important and so you can just walk out.

The best advice in a situation like this is to take a deep breath, walk away from a possible confrontation and count to ten. Removing yourself from a potentially heated situation gives you time to calm down and see things in a different light. Once you’re away from this situation, you are going to be able to think more clearly and then come to a decision about whether you want to either keep your current part time position or search for new part time job vacancies. You might even want to think over this for a few days.

Walking Out Of Your Part Time Job

Walking out of your time job on a voluntary basis – whether it is because you have had an argument with your boss or a work colleague, or because you just happen to decide you don’t want to work there any more, can have serious repercussions for you.

For instance, if you have walked out of your part time job, what are you now going to do about money? Are you thinking you can you just walk into the job centre and claim Job Seeker’s Allowance? As far as the Job Centre is concerned, the opportunity was there for you to work part time and earn your own money and you have just upped and left. You have voluntarily made yourself unemployed!

The job centre will want to know if you had ‘just cause’ for leaving your part time job and

they’re not just going to take your word for it. Your case will be assessed and they may also ask for a statement from your now-ex-boss; and then they will decide if you had ‘just cause.’

If the assessors decide you left your part time position unnecessarily, you could lose any right to claim Job Seeker’s Allowance for up to 26 weeks. It doesn’t need anyone to tell you that 26 weeks is a long time without money if you have bills and other debts to pay. You could well find that your friends or family are not going to be feeling too sympathetic if you’ve just had a hot-headed moment and quit what they considered to be a good opportunity for you. Why should they bail you out when you had a perfectly good part time job to keep yourself?

Are There Alternative Solutions To Just Walking Out Of Your Part Time Position?

So, stop and think. If you really think you have a genuine grievance with someone at work, is it worth the risk to just up and storm out? Is there another member of staff who you can go to to perhaps make an official complaint and start to go through the company’s official grievance procedure? This route could even result in you remaining in your part time post.

And if you are deciding it’s really not worth all the hassle for you, and it isn’t worth going through a grievance procedure, don’t just walk out. Make sure you come out on top by making plans first. Look for other part time work first – there are many positions all over the United Kingdom for those looking for part time work on the UK Part Time Jobs website. You’ve put up with your part time job for this long and sticking around a little while longer could prevent a lot of problems later. Keep smiling and you never know, if you go through the correct procedure, your boss may be really sorry to lose you and you could come out of it all with a glowing reference so that your next employer knows they are getting a great new member of the team!

How To Leave Your Part Time Job Gracefully

So, now you know how not to go about leaving your job, let’s have a look at the best way to leave your current position so that you can head on to pastures new.

Check Your Contract

First of all, before you do anything else, check your contract to see how much notice you will need to give your boss before leaving work. If you have worked in your current position for more than one month, you must give at least one week’s notice before you leave. Depending on the type of work you are doing, your contract could state a longer period than this.

NB: Your period of notice begins on the first day after you gave your letter of resignation.

If you want to hand in your notice and leave your position gracefully, follow the terms of your contract or, if you really need to leave sooner than this, you could try to negotiate this with your manager. If you leave earlier than the stated notice period without negotiating, dependant on the terms of your contract, you could well find your company withholding pay. Unless you want a stint with your local Citizens Advice Bureau trying to sort this out, negotiation is the best way forward.

See this advice from Gov.uk about handing in your notice.

Speak To Your Boss Or Manager In Person

If you are good terms with your boss, then handing in your notice might be a difficult task for you because you don’t want to hurt their feelings. The temptation might be just to leave your written letter of resignation on their desk and slope away. This is where you need to be brave and speak to them in person. Your boss might look upset or even offended that you want to leave the company but they will respect you more for at least telling them face to face.

Be Prepared For The Counter Offer

As we listed above, there are various reasons for why a time might come where you want to hand in your notice and leave your part time job. Let’s assume you enjoy what you do but you’re leaving because you’ve had a better offer; a similar part time job with a rival company where you can work more flexible hours, the pay is slightly better or they can offer you training so you can develop your career. Maybe all of those benefits have been offered?

Have you ever voiced any of this to your boss in the past? You handing in your notice could give your boss the jolt they perhaps needed. They really don’t want to lose you because you are a valued member of the team. Maybe your boss had no idea how you were feeling or that you had aspirations to develop your career.

If this is the case and your boss really values your contribution to the company, be prepared for that counter offer. An offer of flexible hours or more pay and training. This is where you need to know your own mind and tell your boss exactly what you want to do in a professional way.

If, deep down, you are willing to stay with the company, know what you are worth and make sure you get the extras you were hoping for. Obviously, unrealistic demands are not going to be met, but make sure your boss knows exactly why you are thinking of moving on. And if your present company really can’t match what you have been offered elsewhere, stick to your decision to move and be gracious and thankful to your boss about what the company has done for you so far.

Follow Company Guidelines

Depending on the nature of your part time job, your boss might not want to you to tell other colleagues about your resignation straight away or they might prefer to tell other team members themselves. Be gracious about this and follow what is required.

If you are leaving your role to go and work for a rival firm, you may also be given gardening leave which means you won’t be working in your place of work for the period of notice. For some roles, this might mean working from home or working elsewhere out of your usual building.

If it is a casual part time job you are leaving, such as bar work in a local pub for example, then working your notice could simply be a case of you not wanting to leave your boss and your workmates in the lurch – perhaps you are working more notice than you need to – and enjoying your last few shifts with people you have worked with for a long time.

Leave Everything Organised For Workmates When You Leave

And that leads nicely onto the next point. Don’t leave your workmates with an aftermath when you leave your part time job. Try to tie up any loose ends of projects you might have been working on. If there is already a replacement member of staff lined up to take over from you, leave everything organised for them so they can follow on from you, seamlessly.

It might be tempting to leave tasks unfinished – after all, you are leaving so why should you care – but leaving everything organised for workmates when you leave could benefit you in the future. They will think better of you and, should they ever need someone to work with them in the future, you could be top of their list.

So, leave everything organised and don’t leave without making sure you have exchanged phone numbers and email addresses with those colleagues you want to keep in touch with. This could be beneficial for future work.

Be Careful With Social Media

Hmm, yes, we’ve been through this one in the past. You don’t want to be left thinking, “Why did I put that on Facebook,” when your new company sees that you have been bad mouthing your previous company online.

Whatever type of job you are doing – whether it’s part time, seasonal events jobs or a part time role in a graduate career – your company doesn’t want to be thinking you are going to be bad mouthing them online when you start work for them. aside from the fact that it could land you in hot water with disciplinary procedures, it can also create bad feeling between you and previous, or new, workmates.   

Your Entitlements

Will I Get My Unpaid Holiday Pay?

Part time workers and seasonal workers are entitled to holiday pay so when you hand in your notice for your part time job, you are still entitled to receive your unpaid holiday pay. If you have been in your part time role for a while, you will know how your holiday pay is worked out. Note that if it is stated on your wage slips that your holiday pay from your part time job is included in your wages then it’s possible you will not be entitled to any holiday pay when you leave.

If holiday pay for your part time position is separate, then you should be entitled to payment for any untaken holidays. If, for any reason, your old boss is refusing to pay this then it is up to you if you want to take this further. If you do feel you want to take this further, then visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau .

What Paperwork Should My Employer Give Me?

When you leave your part time job or casual work, your former employer should give you a P45 from the Inland Revenue. It will show how much you have earned and if you need to keep it safe.

If you have a found a new part time post to go to, you need to take your P45 with you and hand it to your employer who will deal with. If you fail to do this, you could be in for a shock when you receive your first pay packet from your new part time job. It will be a lot less money than you expected because the Inland Revenue will have deducted tax at the Emergency Tax rate. This will be given back to you once you have handed in your P45.

If you still haven’t found alternative part time employment, keep hold of that P45 for when you do. And please don’t hesitate to browse the UK Part Time Jobs website for future opportunities. You can browse by category or by location from the home page and you may find yourself a new position without even having to leave the house!