How can I resign & keep my business to myself?

[Choc Drop]

Hi there,

This is probably a weird one to answer, but wondered if anyone can help.

I'm resigning from my job tomorrow, as I have set up my own business and want to go and run it full-time.  No one at my job knows about my business or that I have plans to leave.

However, I don't want to reveal to anyone why I am leaving, or what I am going on to do (as I don't want crank business calls or fake orders!)  I know I'll get loads of questions and lots of suspicion if I don't say anything.

Does anyone know a way that I can deal with the questions?  I can't use the 'leaving for a showbusiness career' as I've already used that one as a joke!

Any advice would be great!  Thanks.

[andy hughes]

Easy - just say it's for 'personal reasons' look a bit sad, and avoid eye contact with your questioner. Everyone will be so British they won't like to pry, although the rumour machine will go into meltdown, but you won't be there, so that doesn't matter.

[Miss Zippy]

Could you say you're going travelling or want to study full time? Depends on your circumstances what would be believeable (e.g. if you have a young family, the travelling thing might not be). Do you have a partner/spouse who you could say has got a new job in another part of the country and you'll be moving? I guess you just need to say anything to get them off your backs temporarily - if you bump into any of them a few months after you've left and they question you, you only need say your plans changed.

[willow74]

I would say

I have for some time wanted to explore a number of other career opportunities and I feel this is an appropriate moment to do so.

[vinny200]

Spot on Willow  74.

[Marvin84]

Willow74 has a great answer, but people will ask questions when you respond like that. The 'personal' issue, as andy said, wont give people any way to say "why?", and if they do... be coy and say "look I really can't go into it" (don't forget the looking sad bit!).... they wont pry any further, if they do just keep repeating the same thing.. eventually they'll get the hint.....If all else fails tell them you've become a member of a religous cult or a grave digger... something inventive!!! :-)

Best of luck with your business!!

[Choc Drop]

Thanks everyone!  I resigned today, and combined both your 'looking sad' and 'it's personal' suggestions, with a bit of exploring new opportunities.  The rumour machine went into meltdown all the same, but I'm dealing with the celebrity.  Thanks for all your advice everyone, it went down a treat! 

[munchbunch]

Hi choc drop did you resign ? what did you say ?

[Choc Drop]

I did resign.  I put on a sad face, and said I was tendering my resignation, and that it was a combination of personal reasons and also an opportunity to further myself in a different environment.  Everyone is very curious and talking amongst themselves, and even still nagging me for details, but that was bound to happen.