Some people ae able to work with the same company for decades and feel perfectly at peace, whereas others seek change within weeks. Regardless which side of the career fence you are on, there is only one certainty: everyone has to resign at some point. Whether due to age or because you’re looking for opportunities elsewhere, the right resignation later will help you bow out while also setting you up for your next endeavours… but the reverse also holds true: the wrong resignation letter can quickly toss out years of good will and potentially jeopardise your future. With summer being a prime season for changing careers, how can we sign off like a pro while also squeezing out the best referrals? Join Wordsmith and let’s find out!
Why resignation letters matters
There are a lot of employers out there who are insensitive slave drivers, but the benefits of maintaining professionalism outweigh the urge to flip the bird and walk (although contemporary media often depicts this action as the turning point of the hero’s journey – like in the film Wanted).
Goldie Chan, a Forbes senior contributor and international keynote speaker, shares her experience on resignations and explains why self-detonating can cut your career short:
1. It shows a lack of professionalism
“A well-written resignation letter helps ensure that you leave your previous job on good terms with your colleagues and employer,” Chan explains. “This approach shows respect and maturity, which can leave a lasting and positive impression.”
This leads to the very important next point.
2. It can damage your reputation and cause rocky transitions
Reference letters may be outdated, but staying on the good side of previous employers and co-workers makes getting positive references easier. With how easy it is to crank out good looking resumes and LinkedIn profiles, there are inevitably going to be some people who cheat and lie – as a result, employers and clients won’t hesitate to contact prior places of employment if they feel a shred of doubt. However, news travels fast in close-knit industries like advertising or banking. Just like hot gossip on Facebook, details about you going nuclear will be difficult to contain… which may cost you the next time you are looking to get hired. From their perspective, you’re a potential liability!
3. It’s necessary for transition
When you leave your current place of employment, they’ll need to find a replacement to take on your existing responsibilities. Your letter of resignation needs to specify the exact date that you will leave, and should you be willing to help train your replacement, it’ll help smoothen out the process for your employer. This demonstrates that you are both professional and considerate, and also gives your employer more motivation to give you a good referral.
What goes in?
For a complete resignation, job matching platform Indeed recommends all of the following:
· Contact details and a formal greeting
This might seem unnecessary considering that HR has all your details saved already, but this makes it easier for your resignation to be filed and pulled up again in the future. In addition to your name, job title, phone number and email address, Indeed advises including your supervisor’s name, title, the company name, company address and the date you are submitting the resignation to keep the letter looking prim and proper.
Like with any formal letter, you want to address the recipient as “Mr/Ms/Mrs Name”.
· Statement of your resignation and date of your last day
We see comical “I quit!” printed in size 72 font and tossed at bosses on TV all the time, but such an act is far from enough for an actual resignation – the declaration to resign is only the first step (and doing so disrespectfully isn’t too smart for all the reasons listed earlier).
Although the notice period for every company is different, 2 weeks to a month is the norm (perhaps longer if you signed a contract that says otherwise). In any case, every resignation letter must also include your last effective day. Remember, notice periods aren’t just a professional courtesy, they are vital because your boss needs to know how much time they have to find a replacement and how many loose ends need tying up.
· Your reason for resigning (if applicable)
Most people would say that you do not need to provide a reason for resigning, but if you are on good terms with your employer, it’s a courtesy to explain why you are leaving.
Whatever your reason(s) may be, your employer can’t legally reject your resignation unless you breached your contract (e.g. resigning without providing sufficient notice). For personal reasons is the most common reason if you don’t feel like disclosing. However, if you valued your time there, considering being honest about why you want to leave. It might help ground your employer and help them realise that something needs changing before more employees follow suit.
· Express your gratitude tactfully
Even if you didn’t enjoy your working experience, being grateful for the work and learning experience is the mask a true professional wears.
For example, if you enjoyed working with a particular co-worker, you can refocus that as “enjoyed working with other likeminded individuals” to make your employer’s work environment sound like a boon – you might think otherwise, but your boss might be happy to receive the praise if they are none the wiser.
Furthermore, Indeed points out that you should maintain a positive tone across your letter. “Explain how the position helped improve your skills and any career goals you met while working in the position,” explains Indeed. “Try to focus on the positive aspects of the position. This helps you keep a strong and professional relationship with your supervisor and other members of the company after you’ve left.”
· Your willingness to assist in the training and/or transition process (if applicable)
Unless you are contractually obligated to do this, being of assistance during the transition is a token of good will to your employer.
For example, if you are in charge of the accounting logs and have a specific way of organising the books, you can offer to show your replacement or another employee how you work – this’ll make it so that they have a much easier time learning the ropes rather than having to figure out your thought process from scratch.
“You can also use this section to detail your open projects and your schedule for finishing them before your last day,” writes Indeed. “If your list and schedule are long, you can attach a separate document with the assignment list and schedule attached to your resignation letter.”
· Sign-off and edit
Draw the letter to a close by sending your regards and signing your name. Be sure to edit and proofread your letter – you want to avoid grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, especially if you’re leaving to become a freelance writer.
Lastly, it’s a good practice to give your supervisor/manager/boss a heads up in person first before submitting the physical resignation. Doing so helps them mentally prepare (and unless they really wronged you, it’s always courteous to talk things through first). They may even wish to negotiate to try and keep you employed – so be prepared to haggle a bit if you aren’t adamant about leaving.
Now let’s try putting everything together:
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Jason Lee
English copywriter
1234-5678
JLee@email.com
Jeff McKinnon
Marketing coordinator
8765-4321
JMcKinnon@McKinnonMarketing.com
August 2, 2024
To Mr. McKinnon,
As discussed in our conversation, I am submitting my resignation for the role of English copywriter – my last day will be on September 2, 2024.
Working at McKinnon Marketing has been an eye-opening experience for me. I enjoyed being immersed into international marketing and working alongside talented coworkers – especially since I didn’t have many opportunities to be involved with design-oriented conversations during my time at previous places of employment – I’m excited to say that my time at McKinnon has helped shape me into a more well-rounded creative.
Although I’ll be leaving for personal reasons, I’ll be available to help train my replacement before September 2. With regards to my existing projects, I’ve attached an additional document outlining all my responsibilities, their expected day of completion and any that will need to be picked up by the replacement.
Thank you for making these past 5 years a wonderful experience.
Best regards,
Jason Lee
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Your resignation letter is how a business will remember you. You might think your last day at the office to be how others remember you… but for clerical purposes, your letter is what HR and outsiders will likely see first when they bring your file up. To someone who knows little about the relationship between you and your boss/coworkers, your resignation letter provides essential insight on how you spent your time at this business. Be tactical about it to get the most out of your referrals!