"I quit!"

In the movies, unhappy people always quit their jobs with great fanfare. They throw open a door, hurl their resignation letter into the boss's face, then storm out, often to the cheers of their equally disgruntled co-workers.

That may work in the movies. But in real life, if you truly want to quit your job, whatever the reason, you need a good exit strategy.

Why?

Well, whenever possible, you want to leave on good terms. Don't "burn bridges," as they say. I know, it may seem unlikely that you'll ever deal with those people again. But karma dictates that if you quit in a state of high drama, anger, and bad feelings, those folks will come back to haunt you. Guaranteed. I don't like it either, but that's just the way the universe works.

Here are three pointers for creating a smooth exit strategy:

1) Never leave your boss and co-workers in the lurch.

In other words, don't schedule your departure when the office is in the middle of the year's Big Project. That's just common courtesy. And if you're planning your exit and suddenly hear that a project is looming, you owe it to the crew to reveal your plans right away so they can make arrangements.

2) If your boss is on vacation, or out of town for any other reason, save your resignation for their return.

You never want them to come back to a note on their desk or, worse yet, their assistant's exaggerated, dramatic re-telling of how you left the job.

3) Don't make your resignation cold and impersonal.

Putting your resignation in writing is a fine idea, and it will help you firm up in your own mind just why you're leaving your job. But it's not such a good idea to stop there. No matter the circumstances, I think you're obligated to give notice to your employer or supervisor verbally, in person, face-to-face. Sure, it might be uncomfortable. But buck up. That's life.