Tips For Writing Your Resignation Letter: Fill & Download for Free

Resigning from a job can be a highly emotional situation, and a misstep in your resignation can lead to unforeseen difficulties down the road—including missed benefits and negative references for future employers. On the other hand, a resignation handled with grace can set you up for success.These are the five basic elements you should include in your resignation letter:1. The fact that you are leaving.This is the ultimate purpose of the letter, so express this fact in a polite, yet direct way.Don’t write, “I quit!” (This is impolite.)Don’t write, “I’m thinking about leaving.” (This is indirect.)Do write, “I hereby submit my resignation.” (This is both polite and direct.)2. Your end date.It’s important to give your employer a specific end date and adequate notice. Standard notice is two weeks.If you are in a higher-level position in the company, however, you might need to offer your employer even more notice. One rule of thumb is to offer an employer the same amount of notice as you annually receive in vacation time. (So if you spent four weeks paid vacation in Belize last summer, give your employer four week’s notice in your letter.)No matter how much notice you plan to give, include an end date.Don’t write, “Today is my last day.” (This is not an adequate amount of notice.)Don’t write, “My last day should be in a couple of weeks.” (This is not specific.)Do write, “My last day will be two weeks from today on April 21.” (This is both specific and gives adequate notice.)3. An expression of gratitude.Even if you are overall unhappy with your work experience, make every effort to leave on a positive note.Don’t write, “I hate this job, and you don’t pay me nearly enough. This is why I’m leaving.”Do write, “I appreciate the opportunity I had to work with an amazing group of people on some very interesting and exciting projects.”4. A record of something you accomplished.Since your past employer may dig your resignation letter out of your personnel file to share with a prospective employer, it can be helpful to leave a record of one of your sterling accomplishments.Don’t write, “I wish I could have finished the ZZ project.”Do write, “Working on the XYZ project with the A-Team was a satisfying and rewarding accomplishment. I appreciate the experience.”5. Any unfinished business (but not the negative kind).Here is your chance to address how you plan to handle any unfinished projects or when and to whom you plan to turn in your borrowed supplies and materials.Don’t write, “Since I’m leaving, I just wanted to say that my boss was a micromanaging jerk.” (That’s the negative kind of unfinished business.)Do write, “I’ll be happy to train my replacement and get her up to speed on the XYZ project should you need me to.” (This is especially important if you are working on an ongoing project that will need to be finished after your departure date.)Do write, “I will drop off my work materials to the manager on my last day.” (This is important if you have any work materials on loan that need to be returned.)Here are a few additional tips for writing a resignation letter.Keep your message positive. Start with a positive statement, and end with a positive statement. Positive statements include words like “appreciate,” “opportunity,” and “thank you.”Don’t burn your bridges. Give adequate notice, and don’t share your laundry list of complaints. There is definitely such a thing as giving too much information.Be polite. Don’t use the letter as a place to badmouth the company, your coworkers, or your boss.Keep it short. By writing less, you’ll avoid saying something you might regret later.Sleep on it. Make sure to look at your resignation letter with fresh eyes before you turn it in, or have a friend or editor read your letter to ensure it is professional and concise.You can read more and get sample templates at my full post on the topic here: How to Write a Resignation Letter That Works (Kibin Blog)Good luck!

My inspiration is my beloved Papa, Mr. Niranjan Mundhra.Oh, I wish I could be even close to him. I still remember, I was once reading his resignation letter for one of his employers. I almost cried!He was really a blissful and awe-inspiring writer and orator. His command over both English & Hindi were so enchanting that he could put many biggies to shame.For a long time during my School days, he wrote my speeches and articles which got me loads of appreciation from my friends & faculty. It’s not that I was bad in penning down stuff. I wasn’t great either, although. But, thing is that I was never much interested in writing articles, blogs and related stuff.But, then just days before joining college, I lost my Papa. And, I don’t know happened post his demise, but I found sudden interest into writing. May be, I found writing as a means to get rid of my sorrows. May be it was something else. But, the rest is history.Till date, I believe that my Papa is that person because of whom I got into the habit of penning down stuff. And, I can’t thank him enough for it.I was not really good in writing when I begun to do so post joining College at ABV-IIITM, Gwalior, but I’m evolving over time. And, I hope to be at least somewhat close to my Papa’s skills.Love you Papa.UPDATE: Read more about my father’s and my tale in my upcoming book, Redemption of a Son releasing this 22nd October 2018 on Amazon’s Kindle Store.Source: Shilanjan on Instagram: “At last its happening! My debut book! Redemption of a Son, releasing this 22nd Oct on Amazon's Kindle Store. Hell yeah, I'm excited XD .…”

—————————————————————————————————————Format of Resignation Letter Sample – Short Notice—————————————————————————————————————Your NameYour AddressYour City, State, Zip CodeYour Phone NumberYour EmailDateNameTitleOrganizationAddressCity, State, Zip CodeDear Mr./Ms. Last Name:Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my position with ABCD Company on Friday, March XX, 20XX.I understand that two weeks notice is standard; however, personal circumstances require that I leave my position at this company by the end of this week.I am glad to provide any assistance I can during this transition.Thank you for the opportunities for professional and personal development that you have provided me during the last five years.I have enjoyed working for the agency and appreciate the support provided me during my tenure with the company.Sincerely,Your Signature (hard copy letter)Your Typed NameEmail FormatSubject Line: Resignation on October XX, 20XXDear Bob,Please accept this letter as my resignation from ABC Company. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, I won't be able to provide the standard two weeks notice. My last day at the company will be next Friday, October XX, 20XX.I apologize for the short notice. I've enjoyed working together tremendously, and have learned so much from your management. Please let me know what I can do in the next few days to help ease the transition.Thank you for your understanding.Sincerely,Samuel“Tips for Writing a Short Notice Resignation Letter”Tell your manager that you are quitting in person, over the phone, or in an email. Telling your manager in person first is ideal. However, whichever way you choose, it's a good idea to then write a formal letter of resignation, which the company can add to your employee file. Here are some strategies to keep in mind when you're writing your letter of resignation:Write it in business letter format. Because this is an official letter that will go into your employee file, you should follow business letter formatting rules. In the top left corner of the letter, include your contact information, the date, and your employer’s contact information. End the letter with your handwritten signature, and your typed name below.State the date of resignation. In the first paragraph, state the date that you will be leaving your job. This is the most important piece of information in your letter, so you should include it as soon as possible in the letter.Keep it short. Don't feel like you need to provide a tremendous amount of detail. The most important thing is to mention your last day in office.Explain why you are resigning – if appropriate. Should you tell your boss why you are leaving so quickly? It depends on your reason – if you are providing short notice because you're unhappy at the job or dislike your manager or colleagues, do not share those details. However, if there are outside circumstances, such as a health crisis, sharing your reasons may help your employer feel sympathetic. Remember, whenever possible, it's best to avoid burning bridges in the workplace. However, again, keep your letter short – you do not need to go into all of the little details.Say thank you. In the same spirit of ending your relationship with your employer on good terms, express your gratitude for the opportunities you've had in the position. Even if you have not had the greatest experience at the company, a brief “thank you” is often much appreciated.Offer to help during the transition (optional). Providing assistance during the transition is not required but is a common courtesy to extend. However, if your personal circumstances will prevent you from helping out in any way, you do not need to include this.Edit, edit, edit. Be sure to thoroughly read through your letter before sending it. Look for any spelling or grammar errors. Consider asking a friend or family member to read over the letter as well. Remember that you want to leave a positive impression on the company – a well written, well-edited resignation letter will help you do that.“Tips for Writing a Short Notice Resignation Email”You can also choose to send your resignation notice by email. It is especially a good idea if you have to alert your employer to your resignation as soon as possible. Even if you resign via email, though, you might consider sending a follow-up letter by mail for your employee file.Use a clear subject line. The subject line should clearly convey your purpose for writing so that your employer reads it right away. You might include your name as well. For example, your subject line might read “Firstname Lastname – Notice of Resignation,” or “Firstname Lastname – Resignation on March XX, 20XX.”Keep it short. Just like a resignation letter, you want to keep your email short. Simply state that you are resigning, include the date you are leaving, and add a brief thank you and offer of assistance during the transition (if possible).Edit, edit, edit. People tend to forget to proofread emails like they would a written letter. Just like a resignation letter, be sure to read through your email for any spelling or grammar errors. Also, make sure the font is large enough and easy to read.