How to Write a Letter of Resignation

If you’re someone that strives for career growth, there’s a high chance you’re going to write a letter of resignation sooner or later. When you make the conscious decision to leave a job, it is important that you make this decision known to your employer in the most professional manner. 

In doing this, you maintain the relationship you have with the company and this automatically tells them you appreciated your time with them. It is extremely important to maintain a cordial relationship with a past employer. Except in cases where you didn’t leave on the best terms. 

There are tons of reasons to decide to write a letter of resignation, it would be futile to try to list them all.  

In this article, what we’re going to do is list everything associated with writing a letter of resignation such as: how to write a letter of resignation, what not to include in a letter of resignation, and we’re going to tie it all together by including samples to serve as pointers to help you write resignation letters. 

What is a Letter of Resignation?

To put it simply, a letter of resignation is a letter written to officially announce the end of your employment with an organization or a company. Letters of resignation are usually sent after an in-person meeting has been had. Although this is not the case for all resignation letters. 

Before sending in a resignation letter, it is important that you speak directly with your boss, HR, or manager. This can either be in-person, voice or a video call. By doing this, you give them the accorded respect, instead of catching them unaware with a resignation letter. 

Also, by meeting with your manager or HR beforehand, you give the company enough time to prepare for your departure by looking for a replacement. 

When writing a resignation letter, make sure you completely understand your company’s guidelines and rules concerning resignation. In your talk with your boss or HR, make sure to discuss these rules in detail. 

How to Write a Resignation Letter?

Like all professional letters, when writing resignation letters, there are dos, don’ts and t’s to cross. 

When writing a resignation letter, it is important to keep all animosity out of your letter. If you have problems with an employee, manager or boss, a resignation letter is not the place to hash this out. It is important to keep your resignation letters friendly because you may need a reference letter sooner or later. 

In this section of the article, we’re going to walk you through how to write letters of resignation. 

1. Include an introduction and a notice of resignation

As said earlier in this article, this is a professional letter and must check all the boxes of professional letters. This means the letter must start with the right salutation, such as: “Dear (first name), etc. 

The next stage is to state the purpose of the letter. State clearly that you’re writing the letter as a formal notice of resigning from your position in the company and include the last day you’ll be working in the company. It is mandatory to give at least two weeks’ notice. Depending on the company’s guidelines and their general policy, you may be required to work longer or less. 

An example of this is: 

Dear Jonathan, Kindly accept this letter as my formal resignation from my post: lead marketing officer with Woculus. My last day will be Monday, August 20, exactly two weeks from now.  

When writing professional letters, make sure to go straight to the point and not include any unnecessary information. 

2. Ensure to extend gratitude

As said earlier in the article, it is important to leave on good terms. While you’re resigning from a position, you’re not resigning from the relationships you’ve made. And a good way to maintain this relationship is to include what you’re grateful for in your resignation letter. 

Stating what you’re grateful for about your time in the company also helps for a smoother transition. Also, if there’s anyone in particular in the company that you owe debts of gratitude and would like to continue a relationship with them, especially a boss, it is not unusual to send personal emails or letters to these particular people. 

An example of this is: 

I am thankful for the opportunity to grow and advance in my career as a marketer. I will not trade the memories and experience I gained here for anything. 

3. Offer to help with the transition

When resigning from a post, it is normal to aid in the transition. There are two ways this can be done: by recruiting or training the replacement. In doing this, you create a sense of closure and foster respect. 

You can also go a step further by having open channels for the new hire to help them settle into their roles. This translates into your desire to see the company grow and help the new hire thrive. 

An example of this is: 

I am willing to aid in my transition by helping to interview a new hire or training the person filling my spot. Please let me know how I can help. 

4. Conclude with your contact information 

When writing resignation letters, after including your desire to help the new hire, make sure to end the letter with open channels and your enthusiasm to provide any further information. 

Resignation Letter Template 

[Your Name] [Address line] [State, ZIP Code]  [Letter Date] [Recipients Name] [Title of recipient] [Address line] [State, ZIP Code] Dear (Boss’s name),   Kindly accept this as my official resignation from (your job title) with (name of company). My last workday will be (final work day), which is exactly two weeks from today.   I am grateful for all the support and encouragement during my time here. I appreciate all the experiences I gained here, they are invaluable to me. It has been an honor and a pleasure working with you, the team and the company.   If there's anything I can do to help the new hire settle in the role, please do not hesitate to let me know.   Thank you for everything and kind regards,   (Your name) 

Resignation Letter Sample One

Jacob James 234 Jackson Avenue Benin, BC 54321 123-456-789 [email protected] September 20, 2023 Thames Blessed Human Resource Manager Woculus Limited 123 Management Rd. Dear Mr Blessed, I'm writing this letter as a formal resignation letter to resign from my position as Lead Marketer for Woculus Limited effective July 21. I am grateful for the opportunity I was given to learn and thrive here as a marketer. I have only good things to say about my time with Woculus and the experiences I gained here will help me advance further in my career. I am happy to assist in any way I can to make the transition as smooth as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance. Sincerely, Jacob James 

Resignation Letter Sample Two

Michael Aisosa 234 Ape Avenue Cairo, EG 54321 123-456-789 [email protected] September 20, 2023 Victory Xavier Senior Manager Johnson and Sons Limited 123 Agency Rd. Dear Ms Xavier, Please accept this letter as a formal notice of my resignation from the position of Lead Accountant with Saturday Inc. My last official workday will be Wednesday, April 2. Working in this company for the last decade has been a dream come true. Thank you for availing of opportunities that have propelled me towards greater heights. It was a pleasure being part of the team and the company. I've learned so much about being an accountant and I do not take this experience for granted. I have already started the process of delegating my tasks to ensure a smooth transition. If there’s anything I can do to make this transition even smoother, please do well to let me know. Thank you. Kind regards, Michael Aisosa 

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve listed everything you need to know when it comes to writing a letter of resignation. We’ve also included some samples to help you write better resignation letters.

The post How to Write a Letter of Resignation appeared first on Woculus.

Ayo Oyedotun is a professional blogger and freelance writer. He reads, writes and talks about business. You can follow him on Twitter @Ayo_Oyedotun[http://twitter.com/#!/Ayo_Oyedotun] or read Business Owners’ Bible[http://woculus.com/].