How to Write a Letter of Resignation and Leave on Good Terms

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There comes a time in every working person’s life when the decision to resign from a job happens. Resigning from a job is just as important as making the transition to a new job in the career experience; therefore it must be handled with care. If you are in the midst of considering a new job, or have already accepted one; writing a formal resignation letter is probably on the list of things you must do. Learn how to write a resignation letter that will help you to leave your current job on a positive note, while helping to maintain a good future reference.

Importance of Writing a Letter of Resignation

Before you put pen to paper, there are several factors to consider when getting ready to write a letter of resignation. You’ll need to know:

• Who to address the resignation letter to on your management team or the HR department

• The professional reason for your resignation (make sure it’s a positive career move)

• The actual date of your departure from the company and if you are giving advance notice

• How long and if you intend to stay on to train your replacement or become a contractor

Guidelines for Writing a Professional Job Resignation Letter

Remember, the ultimate goal is to leave on good terms with your current employer, no matter what circumstances have led up to this moment. Why is this important? If you ever want to return to your current employer for a future work opportunity, do business with them as an independent contractor, or use them for a professional reference — your resignation letter can become a document stored in your permanent employee file.

Below, find some general guidelines for the process of writing a resignation letter:

Use a Professional Letter Format

Show your professionalism by creating your resignation letter on a formal letter template, which can be found by doing a search in your word processing software template library. You can also refer to a standard business letter format. This will help you to make a good impression on the person who will be reading it, and those who may look at it once it makes it’s way to your personnel file.

Address the Letter to the Right Person(s)

Your job as a resigning employee is to make sure that the correct member of your management team and the human resource department are made aware of your intent to leave the company. You will want to address your resignation letter to your immediate supervisor, then carbon copy or ‘CC’ his or her supervisor, and the HR manager for your company.

Open Up with a Statement of Gratitude

Soften the blow of informing your boss of your resignation by starting out with an expression of how much you have appreciated this job. You could include some note about how much you have learned and grown from this experience. Keep it simple and to the point because the next part will be harder to write.

Give a Clear Reason for Resignation

For many, this is the most difficult section to write, but it’s necessary. Write your reason out for resigning from your current position. You may want to say something to the effect that you have made the decision to pursue another opportunity as part of your career development or to pursue a career dream. Keep it positive and never bash the company, its leaders, customers, or another aspect of your current job.

Provide Your Final Date of Employment

In the next sentence, state what date you will be leaving the company – keeping in mind that the standard resignation is somewhere between two to four weeks for most professionals. If you cannot provide that much notice, give a valid reason why you must leave sooner.

Close with a Sincere Thank You

End your resignation on a positive note, again being thankful for the opportunity to work for this company and how much you have learned. Use this as a chance to speak appreciation for the job role you are leaving. This is important because you may want to come back or do business with the company again in the not so distant future.

Hold the Letter for 24-48 Hours

It can be tempting to want to hurriedly turn in a resignation letter. After all, you have a brand new adventure awaiting you! However, take a day or two to read it over and make any edits to it you need. This is important because you may avoid saying something you will regret later (if you are not leaving on the best of terms).

Print the Letter Out and Hand in Personally

Email is fine for everyday communications, but not for a career-changing event like your resignation. Take a moment to print out a copy of the resignation letter and personally deliver it to your manager. Do not merely leave it lying out in the open on your boss’s desk. Make it a point to deliver it and speak personally with your soon to be ex-manager

If you follow the above tips, your resignation letter will be well received and you will be able to leave your current job knowing you are a true professional.