We have spoken about handing in your notice and briefly touched on writing a letter of resignation but now we are going to dive a bit deeper in and give you some tips to write a great letter of resignation.
Resigning from your current role and figuring out how to write a resignation letter can be one of the most challenging parts of finding and starting a new job. But with a well-written resignation letter, you can leave on good terms with your current boss/company.
A lot of people don't know what to write in a resignation letter and you might think that it's a good idea to get a few things off your chest about things you have come to dislike or why you are leaving. It's not in your best interest to do this. Be kind, polite and helpful with your feedback, this way you don't burn any bridges. We've written a guide on how to hand in your notice that should make the process as pain-free as possible you can read that by clicking here
Step 1 - Be friendly but not too familiar
The opening of your letter should be formal but remain friendly in its tone, remember we're aiming to keep things amicable here while still being professional.
Unless you aren't on the best of terms with your employer, your letter should open by saying "Dear" followed by your bosses first name. Using your bosses first name keeps the tone a little more light-hearted. Opening with "Dear Neil" is a lot better than "Dear Mr Davies", which could come off as being a bit too formal and even cold if you have a good relationship with your boss.
Step 2 - Be Clear
It's so vital that you state your intention to resign in the most transparent and most straightforward of terms, ensuring that your boss doesn't think that you are open to a counteroffer.
Be clear so that you sound confident in your decision and make sure that you don't end up with your boss thinking that you are going to stay.
You could say;
"I hereby submit my resignation as [position]"
"Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as [position]"
Some people resign before the have found a new position, they may not like where they work or the might just wat a fresh start. If that's the case and you're looking for a job in Engineering or Manufacturing click here and let us help you find your next role.
Step 3 - Give the proper notice.
It's just plain rude to just up and go without giving any notice, they are after all going to have to fill the position that you are vacating. If you work in a job that requires training, your employer is going to need to train your replacement as well.
Your minimum notice period should be written into your contract, make sure that you check this, and you should state your last working day in your letter - you can even write it into the same line of your letter.
You could say;
"I hereby submit my resignation as [position] as of 12th December 2019."
"Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as [position]. My last day of employment will be the12th December 2019."
Our guide on how to hand in your notice will make this process easy, you can read it by clicking here
Step 4 - Tell them Why
This is an entirely optional step, and you don't have to be too thorough or go into an enormous amount of detail, but it could help your employer to know your reason for leaving.
If you're leaving because you re unhappy, then you don't have to say anything, but if its retirement, maternity leave, personal reasons or because you have a new role you could state this and give your boss a better sense of the situation.
You could say;
"I have been offered a new opportunity with a different company, and have decided to accept the offer."
"I received an offer to work as [position] of a company that suits my needs, and after careful consideration, I have decided that the is the right time to take this opportunity."
"I would like to inform you that I will be retiring on the 12th of December 2019."
"After careful consideration, I have decided that after my maternity leave, I will not be returning to work."
Step 5 - Be helpful
Let your current boss know that you are happy to help during the transition. If you work in a position that is going to be hard for them to fill, and you feel that you owe it to your employer, you could let them know that you are happy to help train someone else to do your role.
You could say;
"I would be happy to help with the smooth transition of my duties and am available to help recruit someone to replace me to help make sure the company continues to run smoothly after my departure."
Step 6 - Be grateful
Please, resist the urge to tear your boss a new one, unless you want to be remembered as "that" ungrateful ex-employee. Do the opposite, document some of the highlights of your time there. Let them know how the role has helped your career and has been helpful in securing a new position.
Letting your boss feel that you have had a positive time there will help minimise any potential animosity, remember you may have to obtain a reference.
Unless you feel like your boss doesn't deserve any kind word, in that case, you shouldn't say anything, You could say;
"I would like to thank you for all of the experience that I gained while in this position."
"I'd like to give my sincere thanks for the opportunities given to me and the knowledge gained in my role with your company."
"I will always be grateful for you helping ensure my success in my role at your company."
Step 7 - End on a kind note
The end of your letter will very much depend on the path that you have chosen in the earlier steps. If you told your boss that you will help them recruit or train someone to fill your role, you could say something like "you can contact me at any time on [phone number] or [email]" this will let your boss know that you are committed to helping their company and not leaving them in the lurch.
You don't want to end on anything other than a positive tone, make sure you leave your boss feeling happy, not hopping mad.
You could if you have a really close relationship with your boss say something like;
"I'll never forget how much working at [company] has helped me over the time I have spent here, I will always be grateful to you."
"I never would have been able to secure this new position without all of your help over the years."
Step 8 - Close it well
Politely end your letter, use this as a final chance to tell your boss how grateful you are for the opportunity they have given you.
You could say;
"kind regards,"
"warmly"
"Wishing you the best."
Top Tips
Stay professional, don't use emotional or controversial language in your resignation letter. If you are leaving because of the companies working conditions, you can say so in a kind way. But you don't have to go into all of the details of why you're leaving.
This letter will go in your file with the company and will be there should any company call them in the future for a reference. You don't want a poorly written resignation letter wrecking your chances of getting a great reference in the future.
If you're resigning with a letter or an email, stick to these steps, they apply to both formats. Resignation via email has become a lot more common, and the letters have become a lot shorter, 5 - 6 sentences being can say as much as several detailed paragraphs.
One final piece of advice is to read it through a couple of times before you hand it over, this should be true of any professional correspondence. Make sure you root out any typos and grammatical errors and ensure that you are happy with how the letter reads, that it is coming off positive and isn't hostile.
Once you have handed this letter over there usually isn't any turning back, make sure you write a letter that leaves you in a good light and not as a platform to sound off at your employer about anything you are unhappy about.
Good luck, we hope that we have helped you in your quest to find out how to write a notice letter, there is an example below that you could use as a template for yours!
If you want more tips on finding a new job, please make sure that you visit our page "How To Find New Job" for loads more hints and tips by clicking here.
Example Letter
Dear [Bosses First Name],
Please accept this letter as notice of my resignation from my position as [position]. My last day of employment will be the [Date].
I received an offer to work as [position] of a company that suits my needs, and after careful consideration, I have decided that the is the right time to take this opportunity.
I would be happy to help with the smooth transition of my duties and am available to help recruit someone to replace me to help make sure the company continues to run smoothly after my departure.
I'd like to give my sincere thanks for the opportunities given to me and the knowledge gained in my role with your company.
I never would have been able to secure this new position without all of your help over the years.
you can contact me at any time on [phone number] or [email].
Wishing you the best,
[Your Name]