Resignation Letter Writing

Example:

Date

Company

Address

City, State, Zip

Dear [boss’ name],

Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my position as [position title] with [company name]. My last day will be two weeks from today making it [date].

This decision was not an easy one and involved many days and hours of thoughtful consideration, particularly with respect to my own plans for my future. Nevertheless, my decision is final and I do not want to make this process more difficult than it need be by discussions of the reasons for my decision or whether it can be changed.

My main thoughts now are to work as hard as possible to wrap up my affairs here and to turn over my responsibilities as you direct. Thank you for the opportunity to work for [company name] and I wish you and the team best wishes for the future,

Sincerely,

[your signature]

There are right and wrong ways of resigning from your job. Doing it the wrong way can lead to negative feelings between you and your employer, recriminations on both sides and, often, a bad reference. On the other hand, conforming to the correct resignation etiquette will ensure continued success in both your personal and career development.

Make sure that you know what you are doing, be prepared, be positive and good luck!

The Resignation Meeting (Resigning Orally)

Work out what you’re going to say and then stick to it. The boss will try and probe you for more information – details that you may not want to give at this stage. Don’t be obstructive but simply make it clear that you are submitting an oral resignation.
Emphasize the positives: you never know when your career will mean that you cross paths with your former employers so don’t dwell on the negative aspects of your time at the firm.
Expect a reaction: unless your boss is expecting you to resign, your decision may come as a surprise. The boss may get emotional or even confrontational in which case, stick to your prepared comments.
Retain your composure. The boss may by now no longer see you as a team player and may even feel betrayed. Once again, stick to your pre-prepared comments and try not to rise to the challenge. Speak in measured tones and regulate your breathing.
Always leave the meeting on a good note and be as co-operative as possible. Stress that you will undertake the handover of any uncompleted work to the best of your ability. People remember both the first and last impression you make on them.

The Written Resignation

A written letter of resignation always gives you more time to prepare what you want to say and gives you greater control of your message. Use this opportunity constructively.
In its simplest form, a resignation letter should only include the following information: name, date, the person it is addressed, notice of termination of employment, when this is effective from and finally, your signature.
If you’re leaving in good circumstances and feel that you want to say a little bit more, again, emphasize the positive – perhaps thank the boss for the opportunities he / she gave you – you never know when you may need your ex-employer to vouch for you or to give you a reference.
If however, you’re leaving in strained or bad circumstances, resist the temptation to badmouth and let off steam. Remember, your letter of resignation may be used as a stick with which to bash you later on.
Don’t get personal. Just because you are now leaving, a written letter of resignation is not the vehicle with which to tell your boss what you really thought of them. It is never polite to include personal remarks in a resignation letter. If you genuinely have differences of opinion with your boss, save the communication of them for another time and place. Never commit these thoughts to paper – your comments will remain in your personnel file and may come back to haunt you.

The Counter-Offer

Will you have the same standing within the company? The boss may now be doubtful of your 100% commitment to the firm. In this way, maybe it would be better to move on.
Having already resigned once, will you be more partial to seeking alternative employment more easily next time?
How does the acceptance of a counter-offer affect your integrity with your would-be-employers? You never know when you may cross paths with them again.
No matter what the company says when making its counter-offer, you will always be a fidelity risk.
Counter-offers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you. Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist.
Counter-offers are only made in response to a threat to quit.
By accepting a counter-offer you will be committing the unprofessional and unethical sin of breaking your commitment to your would-be-employer making the offer.
Any situation is suspect if an employee must receive an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions.

Leave on the Right note

Make sure that you’ve given ample notice to the firm of your intention to leave. Your notice period is usually stated in your contract of employment or in the Company handbook. Where no period of notice is stipulated, you should allow between 2 and 4 weeks for any handover of work to take place.
Make sure that you’ve completed any outstanding tasks and participated in the smooth handover of any unfinished work.
Ensure that your boss knows that you’ve actively participated in this process and that you have been as co-operative as possible.
Take time out to speak to all of your colleagues and associates. Give them support and make positive comments about their contribution to your time at the firm. Try and remain in touch because again, you never know when they’ll be useful to your personal and career development in the future.
Negotiate a fair settlement for any outstanding salary / commission payments that are due to you.

Reference I-resign.com.