​You've thought long and hard about moving on to new opportunities and have already submitted your letter of resignation. After delivering the news to your colleagues some may be happy with your career move, whilst others may be disappointed.

While you may be excited about your future career and feel ready to end your notice period like a winner, unexpected things can happen once you have officially resigned.

Your manager may not think you're making the right move

Your manager may be caught off-guard by your resignation and you should be prepared to answer questions regarding your new role. "Your boss will likely ask where you are going, what you'll be doing at your next job, and what made you want to leave your current position," says Amanda Slavin, founder of CatalystCreativ. He or she may mention that you might not ready for such a role or imply that you might not be the correct cultural fit. Listen with grace, don't panic and tell your manager that you appreciate his / her concern.

A counter offer might be coming your way

Counter offers are a reality in today's job market. Employers have realised that it's much cheaper and more convenient to make a counter offer to an employee than to find a replacement. Be prepared for a counter offer and know what your response will be.

Your manager or co-workers might take your resignation personally

You may find that your manager or co-workers take your resignation personally. For example, you might notice that you stop receiving invitations from the group you once had lunch with every day. As hurtful as this may be, don't let their reaction bring you down - rather spend time with those who support your move.

A sudden expression of gratitude

You may start receiving e-mails from your co-workers expressing their sadness at your departure and wishing you luck in your future endeavours. Others may congratulate you on successful projects which you worked on in the past. Take the time to show appreciation for their kind words and respond to all those who reached out to you.

During your last couple of weeks, do the best that you can to make most out of your notice period. Keep working hard and be as engaged as you were when you first landed the role.

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