How to Write a Professional Resignation Letter

It’s always been one of those over-imagined, stand-out moments in one’s life when you storm into your boss’s office and throw your resignation letter at him/her, then storm back out, collect your desk knick-knacks in a box, and leave the office building in a blazing, fiery trail with your boss chasing you down begging you to say. Then, later that afternoon at happy hour, you tell your friends and ex-coworkers the ‘I showed my boss whose boss’ story as you sink into your third whiskey and coke. Well, that’s how it’s done in Hollywood movies and TV shows, right?

Unfortunately, this would be the direst, disrespectful, and possibly career-ending way of handling it. Anyway, you’re better than that, right?

Why is a resignation letter so important?

There’s a certain amount of office decorum involved, and just like any important job interview where you prepare for the meeting; dress to impress; learn all about the company and the meaning behind their mission statement, you should take handing in your resignation letter with the same respectful weight. It’s an important decision you’ve come to – One that’s probably kept you up at night, where you made a pros and cons list, and you’ve discussed in great depth with your significant other, so it’s important to keep professionalism until the very end/last day. A resignation letter will officially tell your boss/company that you no longer wish to be employed by them (within a given date, that is). It doesn’t have to be a long-winded four-page essay of why and how, and it certainly isn’t the place to vent one’s frustrations or point fingers at fellow co-workers and peers you may have carried. No – We’re going to make sure your resignation letter sends you off on a respectfully high-note with kindness and gratitude.

What to include in your resignation letter.

Your resignation letter should either be neatly handwritten or typed. If handwritten, make a photocopy for your records. If typed, save it as a word document (on your home PC). It’s a tad tacky if you type your resignation letter at work, be it during work hours or on your lunch break, just don’t do it. Take all the time you need to write/type it up on an A4 peacefully in the comfort of your own home. The resignation letter should start with the date you intend to hand the letter in to your boss (example: September 17^th 2021, not 17/09/21), then follow a few lines down with the company name and address. Address your resignation letter with your boss’s name (Dear Ms.Jones, or Dear Mr.Tucker, or Dear Andrea Jones, or Dear Bryan Tucker).

The next section will be the meat and potatoes of the resignation letter.

Giving the standard two weeks’ notice is crucial, so be sure you have the dates correct on your resignation letter. Example: My last day will be October 1^st 2021. It’s customary, but not compulsory, to hand in your resignation letter either on a Friday or a Monday, as when your two weeks is up your last day is usually a Friday. Giving two weeks’ notice also allows your boss/company the time to start looking for your replacement as well as giving you time to clean up your desk files, workload, calls, emails, and any straggling bits & bobs.

Give thanks and appreciation for the skills and experiences you’ve picked up along the way while working at the company. It’s important you feel really good about yourself and hold your head high as you step into other opportunities. Don’t make yourself out to be a victim or a martyr. If you have had an unpleasant experience of working for such a company, do everything in your power to keep your resignation letter peaceful and respectful. You never want to tarnish your name or reputation to any company, especially one you are leaving.

Below are two kinds of resignation letters. One positive, and the other neutral.

Example of a positive resignation letter:

September 17^th 2021

XYZ Solid Solutions

1044 Parkside Avenue

Rockford IL 61301

Dear Mr. Pritchard,

Please accept this letter as notice that I will be resigning from my position here at XYZ Solid Solutions two weeks from today’s date (October 1^st 2021).

Thank you for the support and the opportunities you have provided me over the course of the last four years. It’s been a great pleasure to work for such a prestigious company and will miss my coworkers and the memories we have created together in building a fantastic team that continues to achieve and exceed our department goals.

If I can do anything to help with the transition in finding and training my replacement, please do not hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Joe Johnson

Example of a neutral resignation letter: