Congratulations on your new position! Now comes the uncomfortable part: resigning from your current role. A professional termination of employment involves two steps: writing a formal resignation letter, and discussing it verbally with your manager. This post covers the basics of writing a simple, no-bridges-burned resignation letter.
Basic Elements:
- Your Name
- Today’s Date
- The name of the person to whom you’re resigning
- A brief notice of termination of employment
- The date your termination is effective
- Your signature
If you’re leaving under good circumstances and you want to say a little bit more, only emphasize the positive. Now is not the time to offer parting shots or “constructive” criticism on your boss’s quirky management style. Examples:
- “I’ve enjoyed my time at [company] and value the opportunity to have worked on your team.”
- “I greatly appreciate the opportunities and relationships I’ve gained during my time at [company].”
- “I’ll do whatever I can to make the next two weeks an easy transition for you and my co-workers.”
Avoid the Counter Offer
We’ve covered this before, and if you do a quick Google search you’ll find many bloggers who agree with us: accepting a counter offer is rarely a good idea. Head your manager off at the pass by making it clear that your decision to leave is a concrete one. Examples:
- “Please understand that I am not in a position to consider an alternative offer from [company], since my decision to resign is final.”
- “I have put a lot of thought into this decision, and while it was not an easy one to make, it is a final decision that I trust [company] will respect.”
You never know if and when you’ll cross paths with your employer again (life is funny that way), so follow our easy tips and leave with your reputation intact. If you want a fresh pair of eyes to read it before you resign, ask your recruiter to review it with you!