The Graceful Exit: How to Leave Your PA Role Like a Pro

Resigning from your PA or EA role isn’t something to do on a whim. Think of it like preparing for a trip. You wouldn’t leave the house without packing your passport or booking your flights. Similarly, before you hand in your notice, you need to get your ducks in a row:

Before entering any conversation with your next employer, it’s essential to have a thorough understanding of your current contract. Familiarising yourself with the terms will help you navigate your exit smoothly and avoid any unpleasant surprises. Pay particular attention to the following key areas:

• Notice Period: Is it one month, 3 months or rolling? Knowing this upfront will help you plan your transition and manage expectations with both your current and future employers.
• Garden-leave and Payment-in-Lieu: Check if your contract includes a garden-leave clause, where you might be required to stay away from the office but still receive your salary. Alternatively, some contracts offer payment in lieu of notice where you’ll receive compensation instead of working through your notice period. Be clear on how these scenarios work and how they could affect your exit strategy.
• Non-Compete or Confidentiality Clauses: Review any agreements that may restrict your ability to take on certain roles or work for competing companies after you leave.
• Unused holiday Entitlement: Clarify how your unused holiday days will be handled when you exit. Will you be paid for them? Or do you need to use them before leaving?

• Try to plan your resignation around a quieter period – not in the middle of year-end reports, a major event, or your boss’s annual holiday. Align your notice to coincide with your new job’s agreed start date, and factor in key dates like planned holidays, bonuses or performance reviews before resigning.

• Before resigning, always ensure your next role is confirmed in writing with salary, job title, start date and hours agreed.

• Don’t resign based on emotion – make sure it’s a strategic, well thought out career move.
• Prepare answers to “Why are you leaving?” and “Can we counter-offer?” and stay calm and professional.
• Keep your decision confidential until you’ve told your boss—no gossip or venting.

 The PA and EA world is surprisingly small. Today’s boss might be tomorrow’s connection. And your professionalism in departure speaks volumes about your integrity and maturity.

• Book a private meeting with your boss, ideally face-to-face.
• Thank your boss for the opportunity, state your intended last day, and follow up with a formal resignation email confirming your conversation and leaving date.
  Keep the conversation positive and professional – even if you are leaving for difficult reasons.
• Come prepared with a handover plan and confirm your intention of ensuring a smooth handover.
• Ideally, agree to be available once you have left for a limited time to help with any questions.

• Share your availability for handover meetings.
• Work diligently up until you leave.
• Train your replacement (if required) and ensure you do everything possible to make their life easier.

• Tie up Loose Ends.
• Ensure diary updated with regular meetings and future events highlighted.
• Prepare guides on systems, contacts, passwords.
• Clean up inboxes, shared drives, and bookmarks so successor can find essentials easily.

At Knightsbridge Recruitment, we would never advise a candidate to resign from their role without another position secured – except in very rare and carefully considered circumstances. While temporary work can be a helpful bridge, it’s not always guaranteed and comes with its own uncertainties.

A more strategic approach is to address notice periods proactively, ideally at offer-stage. If a potential employer includes a three-month notice in your contract, it’s worth having a respectful conversation about whether that’s necessary for the role. BUT ... it won’t always be appropriate to push back, however, raising the topic early can help avoid roadblocks in your later career.

The key is to balance professionalism with practicality: protect your long-term flexibility without compromising the job offer in front of you.

If you have previously agreed to three months’ notice in your contract, it doesn’t always mean it’s set in stone. It can be perfectly acceptable to try and negotiate your notice period.  Here’s how to approach it:

Check the exact notice period stated in your employment contract. Look for clauses about:

• Mutual agreement
• Early release
• Garden leave
• Payment in lieu of notice (PILON)

Some companies are flexible even if the contract isn’t – especially if the working relationship is good.

Instead of saying “I want to leave”, say:

“I’m committed to a smooth handover, but my new role starts in six weeks. Would you consider an earlier end date if I deliver a detailed transition plan and train my successor?”

• A detailed handover plan outlining each task and timeline.
• A proposed final date that balances your team’s needs and your new job’s start date.
• Willingness to take garden leave or unpaid leave to reduce overlap costs.

Instead of framing it as “leaving early”, focus on how you can make your transition efficient for everyone involved.

As an employer, remember that holding someone to a long notice when they’ve moved on rarely results in quality output. Consider whether an earlier exit might actually serve the business better.

Handled well, an exit interview can be a chance for mutual learning and growth. For the PA or EA, it’s an opportunity to give constructive feedback. Be honest but diplomatic. Focus on systems and structures, not personalities. You want to leave the door open, not burn it down.

• Focus feedback on processes and tools—not on individual personalities.
• Suggest one or two concrete improvements (e.g., “a shared To-Do template for incoming assistants”).

For the employer, it’s a moment to gather insights – what worked, what didn’t, and how you might improve the experience for the next hire. Asking thoughtful questions shows you value your staff even as they depart.

Ultimately, the best outcomes arise when both the employee and the employer approach the process with flexibility. A rigid stance often misses the bigger picture. Each situation is unique. Each PA and EA role is different in scope and responsibility.

So, whether you’re the one leaving or the one left behind, the real art lies in being open to conversation, reasonable in expectation, and thoughtful in execution.

Remember: a collaborative, flexible approach turns your departure into a professional highlight – never a headache.