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Writing a Letter of Resignation

Writing a letter of resignation is just one step in a very important commitment. Once the letter is delivered or sent, it's nearly impossible to pull back. Before making that commitment, take the time to run through some pre-planning steps.

In this publication, we're going to provide some examples of a well-written letter of resignation. Our examples will include both a generic letter, as well as one that provides your employer with the standard two weeks of notice. Before we get to those examples, we're first going to talk about some of the factors you should think through before resigning. We'll finish up this topic with an outline of some follow up items to take care of before your last day at work.

Letters of Resignation

Additional Resources

Resigning from a company is something that needs to be taken very seriously. Submitting a letter of resignation is a very formal announcement that you're leaving a company. When people resign, the news spreads very quickly among employees, and managers often start looking for a replacement almost immediately.

Before rendering a written letter of resignation, it's important to familiarize yourself with your existing employer's policies. For example:

Non-Compete Agreements: at some point, your employer may have asked you to sign a non-compete agreement. These can also go by the terms non-compete clause and covenant not to compete. While enforceability may vary by state, it's important to understand this agreement, especially if you're leaving to join a potential competitor.
Vacation Days: determine your company's policy with respect to unused vacation days. You need to understand if the company's policy is one of "use or lose" if you resign.
Final Pay Adjustments: make sure you understand the impacts on your final paychecks. You may be entitled to additional pay from incentive compensation plans or bonuses, or the lowering of your paycheck for advances on healthcare accounts and vacation days.
Benefits: if there is a time lapse between the old and new employer healthcare plans, you may need to explore your company's COBRA policy, which provides for the temporary extension of group healthcare plans.
Pension Plans / 401K Accounts: not only should you understand the company's policy on retirement benefits, but you also need to understand the tax implications of taking possession of these accounts.

It's important to maintain a positive outlook towards your existing employer. Even if you're a disgruntled employee, it serves no useful purpose to complain about the company you're leaving, or boasting about a new job.

Some companies will ask employees to leave immediately upon receiving a letter of resignation. They do this for a variety of reasons, including preventing the theft of intellectual property. You should be prepared to have your computer taken from your possession, and LAN IDs disabled if you resign.

Examples: Letters of Resignation

Now that you're fully prepared to resign, it's time to start to write your letter of resignation. Writing a letter will serve to document your intentions. Unless it's necessary due to distance or access, do not email a letter of resignation.

You'll want to tender a professionally-written letter of resignation, which provides your employer with the essential facts. Make sure the letter is signed and dated. A letter of resignation is not the place to document your complaints about the company or coworkers.

Unless otherwise stated by company policy, the first person to get a copy of the letter is your immediate supervisor or manager. You'll want to provide a copy to the human resources department too. The letter only needs to provide your employer with three elements:

You've decided to leave the company
The effective date of your resignation
A thank you to your former employer

The samples provided below demonstrate this point.

Letter of Resignation: Generic Example

Date Here

Mr. Tough Manager
Director - Operations
XYZ Company

I hereby give you notice of my intention to leave my position as Manager of Operations at the XYZ Company on Friday, August 5.

I wish both you personally, and the XYZ Company, much success in the future. I would also like to thank you for providing me with the opportunity to be part of the Operating team for the past four years.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Letter of Resignation: Two Weeks Notice Example

Date Here

Mr. Tough Manager
Director - Operations
XYZ Company

I hereby give you two week's notice of my intention to leave my position as Manager of Operations at the XYZ Company on Friday, August 5.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Once again, you want to print and sign each copy of the letter of resignation. You should only have to make two copies, one for your immediate supervisor and one for the human resources department. Retain a photocopy of your letter for your own records.

Also be prepared for a possible counteroffer by your present employer. Even if the counteroffer never materializes, you need to think through what you would say or do if presented with such an offer. Leaving a job is an important decision, accepting a counteroffer needs thoughtful processing too.

Post-Letter Follow Up

Once you've formally announced your resignation, there are some follow up items to attend to. Don't let your resignation be a distraction to your workgroup, remain a productive contributor to the team. You'll also want the transition of your work to be as smooth as possible, so set aside some time to document the status of unfinished assignments.

Make a list of coworkers that you want to touch base with before leaving. Don't put off saying goodbye until the last minute. Return company equipment you have at home back to your employer. Document the return of the equipment, including dates, names, and asset tags or serial numbers. Finally, don't forget to change your voicemail and email messages to reflect the new point of contact after you leave.

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