So, you’ve decided that it’s time to move on from your current job and wondering how to write a resignation letter for work?.
You’ve found a new position and have accepted an offer at another company. You’re ready to hand over the keys and bid farewell to your current organization. But before you walk out the door and into the arms of your new employer, there are a few things you need to do first. Quitting a job can be stressful, but remember that this is a big moment for you in your professional life—and hopefully in a good way! If done correctly, quitting the right way can set you up for success down the road when you might want or need something from one of your old colleagues or bosses. Here’s a professional how to write a resignation letter guide pointing out everything a resignation letter template should consider;
1. Don’t burn any bridges
Whether you’ve been in the same job for years or are leaving a company to pursue another opportunity, it’s important to keep things professional. Don’t burn any bridges by badmouthing the company or your boss. Even if they were horrible to work with, do not mention this in your letter.
Your resignation letter is also not the time to give a reason for leaving—especially if that reason is due to personal reasons (for example: “I’m resigning because I’m pregnant” or “I’m moving across country”). While it may seem like common sense, some people still make this mistake! If someone asks why you’re leaving and you can’t avoid talking about it, be honest but brief; don’t go into too much detail about personal matters.
Finally, keep in mind that even though no one likes having difficult conversations or parting ways professionally with others when necessary (and sometimes even when not necessary), we must remember that we don’t want our resignation letters reflecting poorly on us either! We want them showing how positive and professional we are as people overall—and hopefully how much effort was put forth into making sure each person involved was treated fairly during those times where transitions needed taking place at work.”
2. Express gratitude
Writing a resignation letter is a way to say goodbye and thank your boss, coworkers, company, clients, and anyone else you worked with at the company.
You should never forget to express gratitude for the opportunities you were given by the company or to thank your boss for his/her guidance and leadership. If there are specific employees that you worked closely with during your time at the company, be sure to acknowledge them in some way.
3. Use your official letterhead
- Include your address, phone number, and email address
- Include your date of resignation
- Include your signature
- Sign the letter with your name, if you don’t want to include a salutation in the body of the letter.
4. Type it up
- You can use a word processor to type up your resignation letter.
- Try to use a font that is easy to read, such as Arial or Times New Roman.
5. Give a time frame
You should give a time frame for when you can formally leave the company. This allows you to leave on good terms and will help your manager know that he or she has time to find a replacement for you. A realistic time frame would be between two and six weeks, depending on how long it takes for candidates to be found and interviewed. You don’t want to give such a long period of notice that it leaves your boss in a lurch—he or she might need those months to bring someone else up to speed with their responsibilities.
You can quit a job without burning any bridges
The first thing to remember is that quitting a job is not the end of the world. You’ve lived through it before, and you can do it again. However, there are some things you should always keep in mind when writing your resignation letter.
First and foremost, treat your boss with respect. If you start off by raging about how much they suck at their job or how badly they treated you, no one will want to work with those people in the future—and that includes companies who would otherwise be interested in hiring them for other positions.
Instead, show gratitude for what they taught you along the way. Maybe this was their fault too (e.g., they didn’t train employees properly), but there’s no reason why someone can’t learn from their mistakes and grow as an employee/leader/manager afterward!
Conclusion
If done right, a resignation letter can actually help you build better relationships with your colleagues and boss. Just be sure to keep it positive! As we mentioned before, try to avoid giving reasons for leaving that are negative and do not bring anything constructive to the table. You also want to make sure you give enough time so there aren’t any surprises when it comes to time for your last day on the job or even after when everyone is adjusting without someone in their job position still working there who needs notice about covering certain tasks until a replacement gets hired.