Which is better: to resign or be fired?

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If you’re under pressure from your boss, and it looks like your job is on the line, you’ll be contemplating whether to quit first; to jump before you’re pushed.  Here are the pro and cons.

To take a case of unjustified dismissal- better to be fired.

This is discussed further here but to recap,  resignations make it harder to win a case. If you get fired, they did the act of severing the employment relationship, and they need to prove they did it correctly, the onus is on them.  If you resign, you did the act, and you need to prove they forced you to, and they were so unreasonable you had no choice.  It’s a hard position to win a case from.

To preserve your self esteem- resigned.

Getting fired is a hammer-blow to the ego.  Being good at what you do is a pretty integral to most people’s sense of self-worth, and being told that you’re not good, or that you’re a bad person is pretty hard to take.  Like being dumped, it will sting for some time.  Jumping before they make a decision means you’ll never know if they would have fired you.

For future jobs- resigned

At some stage in the future, another prospective employer will ask you whether you’ve ever been fired, or subject to disciplinary action.  If you resign, you may be able to avoid having to say yes to this.