Do you intend to resign from your job? If yes, then you will have to write your resignation letter properly. Are you aware of how to write a convincing resignation letter? In case, you have no idea, then follow this blog post. Here, we have shared important tips and ideas for writing a resignation letter. Also, for your better understanding, we have added some sample resignation letters as well.
Before moving to the writing steps, first, let us have a look at the definition of a resignation letter.
What is a Resignation Letter?
A resignation letter is a formal document used by employees to express their intent to leave the company for which they work. It serves as an official notice record, outlining the employee’s designation, the last working day, and other pertinent information about the termination.
Companies usually release employees only after they submit a resignation letter and expect them to serve a notice period of 2 weeks to 3 months, depending on their exit policies. Therefore, it is necessary to provide proper notice to the organization before quitting by submitting a professional letter.
The resignment letter should be formal, with all necessary components, and it should be delivered in person or via email to the manager.
How to Structure a Resignation Letter
Writing a resignation letter is not a tedious task. Before crafting it, make sure to inform your supervisor or manager regarding the resignation process of your organization and follow it accordingly.
The resignation letter should be simple and concise. When writing a resignation letter, keep in mind to include the following elements in order.
Sender’s Address
The company must know from where the letter comes. So, it is advisable to start the resignment letter with the sender’s name and address. You need not introduce yourself if you send your letter via email.
Date
In a business letter, it is mandatory to include the date at the top of the page. So, after writing the address, leave one line and mention the date on which you are writing your resignation letter. In an email, the date and timestamp will be added digitally, and hence this information can be avoided.
Organization’s Address
After the date, skip a line and mention your organization’s full address along with the name and the department of the person to whom you are writing. Similar to the sender’s address and date, this information can also be avoided if you send your resignation letter via email.
Never write your resignation letter to the CEO of your company. Send your resignation notice only to your manager or supervisor.
Salutations
Enter a line and then address the recipient with ‘Dear, Hi, or Hello’ followed by the personal title (Dr., Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss.) and last name. Never address the recipient by their first name. You can use the full name if you are unsure of the recipient’s gender. Also, remember to add a colon or a comma after the salutation.
While writing the resignation email, you can start with the salutations by skipping the date, the sender’s address, and the recipient’s address.
Body
After the salutation, leave one line space and explain the purpose of the resignation letter simply within 4 paragraphs. To make it clear and readable, give a blank line between each paragraph.
The body of the resignation letter should mainly contain the
- Resignation Statement and Last Working Date
- Gratitude Note
- Transition details
- Contact Information
Resignation Statement and Last Working Date
Since it is an official resignation letter, begin the letter by clearly mentioning your resignation statement along with your position or title at the company. Also, specifically, mention the last working date in the first paragraph of the body itself as it would be helpful for the employer to adjust their work plan and find a replacement.
Be sure to mention the end date in the resignation letter as per your company’s notice period or termination guidelines.
The first paragraph of the body should look like this:
“I request you to accept this letter as formal notification of resignation from my position as [Position Name] with [Company Name], effective [End Date]”
Never explain the statement of resignation by highlighting the reasons for leaving. The resignation statement should be crispy and formal.
Gratitude Note
In the second paragraph, take some time and thank your employer for the valuable opportunities they have given you by listing out the benefits you have gained from them. Be thankful for the quality time you have spent in the working environment and for the things you have learned at the company to build your professional career.
Appreciation will generally help you to build a positive bond with the company and is also a professional courtesy to thank the company you have worked for. So, when writing a resignation letter, avoid spreading hatred with negative comments.
The second paragraph should look like this:
“I feel grateful to be a part of the company for the past [duration you have been in the role]. Thank you so much for the opportunity that you have provided for my professional development. I have greatly enjoyed and learned [mention the list of things], which I will carry with me throughout my career.”
Transition details
In the third paragraph, express your willingness to support the transition. Here, mention that you will be available to train a replacement resource and complete all the assigned tasks before the end date.
While expressing your willingness, never promise to perform the tasks that are tough to complete within the last working day.
The third paragraph should look like this:
“During my notice period of [15 days or 3 months], I assure you that I will wrap up all of my duties and will be available to trainother team members. Please let me know if you need any professional help during this transition.”
To make the transition process easier, you can also add an optional extra paragraph and include brief details about the work you will be surrendering to your team members before you leave the company. It would be beneficial for your team if you quit a managerial position.
Contact Information
If you wish to maintain a professional network or want to use your former employer as a reference, then close the body of the letter by mentioning your personal contact information.
It is an optional paragraph, and it can be written like this:
“I wish you all the best and look forward to staying in touch in the future. You can email me at [Email Address] or contact me over the phone [Mobile Number].”
If not, you can include your contact information under your name in the sender’s address column when writing a formal letter or add it under your signature block when writing an email.
Closing
After the last paragraph of the body, leave a line and close the resignment letter with professional words like Sincerely, Cordially, or Best Regards followed by a comma.
Signature
Below the closing word, include a signature block on the left.
Sample Resignation Letters
Below are some sample resignation letters.
Sample#1
Sample #2
Peter Paul
20 Church Street
Austin TX 34587
August 23, 201
Mr. Stephen Andrews
ABC Private Limited
12B Big Avenue,
Austin, TX 34611
Dear Mr. Andrews,
Please accept this letter as formal notification of my resignation from my position as Senior Software Tester with ABC Private Limited, effective September 23, 2021.
I feel grateful to be a part of the XYZ Testing team at ABC Private Limited for the past 3 years. Thank you so much for the opportunity that you have provided for my professional development. I have greatly enjoyed and learned the different phases of the software testing cycle, which I will carry with me throughout my career.
During my notice period of 1 month, I assure you that I will wrap up all of my duties and will be available to train other team members. Please let me know if you need any professional help during this transition.
Once again, thank you so much for all the opportunities you have provided. I wish you all the best and look forward to staying in touch in the future. You can email me at peterpaul@email.com or reach out to me at (212) 000-111.
Sincerely,
[Signature]
Peter Paul
Tips for Writing a Resignation Letter
Here is a list of things you should and should not do when writing a resignation letter.
Select a proper writing channel
Before writing this convincing document, be sure through which channel you are going to submit your letter of resignation because the resignation letter format will change for emails and printed or handwritten letters.
Select an appropriate writing channel, depending on your company’s exit guidelines. When drafting a resignation email, use a proper subject line, start the letter with salutations, and end it with a closing word and signature. For a professional letter, start with the sender’s address and end it with the signature block.
Follow Business Etiquettes
The resignation letter should be formal and brief. While writing a letter, always address your manager by following business etiquette. Make a note to consult your manager first before proceeding with the resignation process.
You may be informal in your work environment or amiable with your manager, but when it comes to resignment letters, they should be highly professional without jokes, emojis, or SMS slang.
The letter should be written in a polite tone covering all the legal aspects and essentials. Most importantly, it should not exceed more than one page.
Avoid mentioning the reason
There might be plenty of reasons for your resignation. When framing a business resignation letter, it is not necessary to mention all those reasons.
You can include some generic reasons like due to relocation, family reasons, or a career change. But it is not advisable to include other reasons like better pay, better job opportunities, good employee benefit schemes when compared to the current job, etc.
Never share a negative experience
A resignation letter is not the right place to drop negative opinions or harsh comments about the company. Share your complaints in the exit interview but not in the resignation letter. Be professional and avoid using negative words or comments in the letter of resignation.
Conclusion
Before submitting your resignation letter, understand your company’s termination and exit policies. Each company follows a different format and method to submit it. So, based on your company’s policy, draft it graciously.
A lot of templates are available online. You can also download a sample and edit the letter as per your requirements. But instead of depending on the online templates, it is advisable to write the letter on your own.
This document is one of the perfect ways to exit the company cordially. When you write a well-crafted, flawless resignation letter, then obviously you can climb easily on your professional career ladder. So, follow the letter-writing format as mentioned in this guide to reach great heights.
