{"id":4079,"date":"2023-07-27T14:48:48","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T14:48:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/?p=4079"},"modified":"2023-07-28T10:16:20","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T10:16:20","slug":"how-to-write-a-resignation-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"How to write a resignation letter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resigning can be exciting. It can mean you\u2019ve got a new opportunity on the horizon or you\u2019re stepping away from a job that you no longer enjoy. But it can also be a stressful process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we cover what you should think about before handing in your resignation, some resignation letter tips, some resignation letter examples, and some frequently asked questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>What you should think about before handing in your resignation<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Woah there, hold your horses! You should only hand in a resignation letter when you\u2019re 100% sure that you\u2019re planning to leave.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some popular reasons to resign include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A toxic company culture<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A low salary\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of work-life balance\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A bad manager\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going back to school<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spending some time traveling<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up a business\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And of course, a new job.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should never resign if all you want is for your current employer to promote you, offer you more money, or change your working terms, as that could backfire. Some employers will try to negotiate, but you should know ahead of time what they\u2019d have to do to make you stay.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you quit, make sure that you\u2019ve got a job to go to, or that you\u2019re financially secure enough to support yourself while you find something else.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>How to begin<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, before you hand in your resignation letter you\u2019ll have an initial conversation with your manager.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will go something along the lines of:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHi manager, I wanted to inform you that I am planning to hand my resignation letter in today. I\u2019ve been offered a fantastic opportunity elsewhere \/ I\u2019m planning to go back to college \/ I don\u2019t feel happy in my current role.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My notice period is 7 days, and I wanted to check to see how you would like to receive my letter of resignation. Are you happy with an email attachment? And if so, who should I copy in?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By giving your employer a heads-up, you can keep lines of communication open and usually, this makes the process a lot smoother. If you are open to negotiating with your current employer, then this meeting is also an opportunity to open that conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Tips for writing a good resignation letter<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So you\u2019ve decided that resigning is the right thing to do, here\u2019s how to write the perfect resignation letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Keep it neutral.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A resignation letter should be to-the-point and free of any negative emotions or overly personal anecdotes. Avoid venting or speaking ill of your employer or colleagues, and keep it neutral and professional.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Make sure it\u2019s short. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your resignation letter should be no more than a few paragraphs and should be definitely under an A4 page long.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Cover the essential information.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Make sure to include your position, your statement of intent to leave your job, and your last day of employment based on the notice period.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Include a formal salutation. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begin the resignation letter by addressing your manager with a formal salutation, such as &#8220;Dear [Manager&#8217;s Name].&#8221; Even if you have a friendly working relationship with your manager, address them formally in your letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Add the date to the letter. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dating your letter ensures that there\u2019s a paper trail which is especially important if you need to work a notice period. If you\u2019re attaching your letter to an email, even better, as your email will be date stamped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Show gratitude.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Even though you\u2019re leaving, it&#8217;s important to express appreciation for the opportunity you had to work with your employer and colleagues. Doing this will allow you to maintain positive relationships with former managers and colleagues, and avoid burning bridges. Keep in mind, if you ever decide to boomerang back to the business, the HR team and hiring managers will think back to the circumstances of how you parted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Offer to help with the transition.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In your letter (and in your behavior), demonstrate your commitment to ensuring a smooth handover and transition out of the role for your employer. Offer to assist with training your replacement if possible, and with providing thorough handover notes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Don\u2019t mention why you are leaving. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try and keep your resignation letter positive. If you\u2019re going traveling or back to school, then a brief mention is fine. If you\u2019re leaving because you hate the toxic work culture, don\u2019t write this in your letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>How to structure your resignation letter<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to cover a few key points in your resignation letter, such as your last day, a thank you, and a bit about the handover.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Make sure you make it very clear that this is a resignation letter. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s no need to sugarcoat it, and if you\u2019ve already spoken to your manager then it won\u2019t come as a surprise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dear [manager name].<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is to formally notify you that I am resigning from my role as [insert job title] at [company name]. Today is the first day of my [number] week notice period. My last day will be [insert date].<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Say, thank you<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It may seem strange to say thank you to an employer you\u2019re leaving but keeping things professional is really important. You never know who you might come across professionally in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for supporting my career for the last two years. I\u2019ve grown professionally, made many friends, and learned a lot.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Mention a handover. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Showing that you\u2019re willing to make every effort to ease the transition to a new person.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During my notice period, I will do everything I can to train team members as needed and write a handover document. If there is anything that would be particularly beneficial to smooth this transition, please let me know.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>A brief sign off. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might find it hard to believe but resignation letters should be succinct.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am sure the company will continue to grow and succeed.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yours sincerely\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[Your name]<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3>Example resignation letters<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These resignation letter examples are for you to use. We\u2019ve included fictional names, notice periods, and jobs. Make sure that you change these so that they\u2019re relevant to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re leaving for a new opportunity:<\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dear Mr Bloggs,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from the position of Marketing Manager at Job Bloggs Limited. My final day will be July 20th, following a two-week notice period.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for supporting my career for over four years, I have learned and progressed so much. I know that all of these skills will be invaluable as I continue to progress in my career.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth transition by focussing on handover during these next two weeks.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wish this company every success in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yours sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tom Sandy<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re giving additional notice:<\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dear Mr Bloggs,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from the position of Operations Manager at Joe Bloggs Limited as I have plans to return to college in the fall. I understand that transitioning a new person into the role will take some time, so have endeavored to provide as much notice as possible. My last working day will be 31 August, two months from now.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the six years I have worked at Joe Bloggs Limited I have progressed from intern to apprentice, to full-time staff member. I am excited to take the next step in my career by completing my MBA.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for the support you have shown throughout my career, and your ongoing support now that I have made this decision.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As discussed, I will work with you to hire and train my replacement during this extended notice period.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I wish this company every success in the future.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yours sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tom Sandy<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h4>If you\u2019re leaving a role that isn\u2019t a good fit:<\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dear Mr Bloggs,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from the position of Events Executive at Joe Bloggs Limited. My last working day will be Thursday 5 June.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In my six months at Joe Bloggs Limited I have come to find that the scope of the role is not a good fit for my expertise, so I would like to explore other opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for your understanding, I appreciate the support and guidance I have received during my time with this team.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please let me know how I can help to support a smooth transition over the next two weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yours sincerely,<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tom Sandy<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3>Resignation letter frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Need answers to your resignation letter questions? Here\u2019s what you need to know.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4085\" src=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"A young man standing in front of a blue background, looking confused.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash-1024x669.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash-768x502.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/nachristos-8nrmtFncB0Q-unsplash-1536x1004.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<h4>Is writing a resignation letter necessary, or are there alternative methods of resigning?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it&#8217;s not necessary or required to write a resignation letter, it&#8217;s considered a professional courtesy and helps ensure a smooth and respectful transition. If you\u2019d consider returning to this employer, or working with your manager or other colleagues again, then keeping things professional is important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Schedule a meeting with your manager, either in person or on a video call, to verbally resign. Then follow up with a written resignation letter to formally confirm your decision, and provide the essential information (your last day of employment, your current position). This will also help to avoid any confusion or miscommunication about the terms of your resignation now and if it ever comes into question later down the line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s also important to consider the timing and setting of your resignation. If possible, resign in the early afternoon. This is generally a good time to schedule a meeting with your manager to avoid the start and end of a busy day. The method of resignation will depend on the circumstances and company culture, but a combination of verbal communication and a written resignation letter is typically the most professional and effective approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Are there appropriate alternatives to writing a resignation letter, such as a text or phone call?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s best practice to provide a written resignation letter unless this is not an accessible form of communication to you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you\u2019re arranging a meeting to communicate your plans to resign, in person or on video is preferable to a phone call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you have a friendly working relationship with your boss and communicate over text or messenger ordinarily, avoid this as a method of resigning. It will be harder for you to track information, can cause miscommunication, and is not professional in this context.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whatever happens, avoid making it personal or emotional. Remember, most managers have likely been through this process before, and they\u2019ll recognize an effective resignation as well as an unprofessional one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>Is it advisable to quit a job using social media?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However tempting, quitting a job publicly on social media is not worth the risk as it could damage your future career prospects. Despite recent TikTok trends like rage quitting, resigning from a job using social media is disrespectful, unprofessional, and a red flag to future employers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only will quitting via social media burn bridges with your current employer, but companies will also likely review your social media accounts during the interviewing or referencing process, and negative comments about previous employers could reflect poorly on you. You could even risk having a job offer rescinded!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, always respectfully inform your manager of your decision before broadcasting it more widely. If you want to discuss your reasons for leaving on social media, it&#8217;s better to leave space and wait until you&#8217;re well into your next role before doing so. Even then, you should approach complaining publicly about a previous employer with caution.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>I want to resign, but I\u2019m not sure<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t jump into resigning if you\u2019re not sure that\u2019s what you want to do. It can be easy to be influenced by the people around you, and if everyone around you is quitting their jobs to do other things it can be tempting to do the same.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spend some time reflecting on why you want to quit. Are you struggling in your current position? Feeling ready for a new challenge or promotion? Or tempted by a role in another team?\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If it\u2019s something that can be resolved by your employer then bring it up in your next appraisal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might ask about:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promotion opportunities<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pivoting your role\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work shadowing in another department\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salary increases<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking on new responsibilities\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t threaten to quit in order to discuss these opportunities. Instead, ask what you need to do to get more money, responsibility, or opportunities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4>So, I\u2019ve resigned, what now?<\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In most situations, you\u2019ll now be expected to work your notice period and during that time you\u2019ll need to work on your handover. Depending on the length of your notice period, you might even train the person stepping into your role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being professional is really important. The world of work is smaller than you think and you might find yourself working with teammates and colleagues again in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if the handover notes you received from your predecessor were ill-prepared, make sure your own are detailed and clear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important thing to remember when resigning from your job is to be as professional as possible, not just in your resignation letter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"blog-cta-box\">Planning to resign but haven\u2019t found the perfect role to go to? Check out the latest listings on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\">Adzuna <\/a>here.<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b><strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"emoji\" draggable=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/11\/svg\/1f4a1.svg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/strong>Read more: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/best-free-ai-tools-to-use-for-job-search\/\">4 best free AI tools for job search<\/a><b><\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Resigning can be exciting. It can mean you\u2019ve got a new opportunity on the horizon or you\u2019re stepping away from a job that you no longer enjoy. But it can also be a stressful process. In this guide, we cover what you should think about before handing in your resignation, some resignation letter tips, some<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter\/\"> Continued \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":4082,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[137],"tags":[140],"class_list":["post-4079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-life-at-work","tag-featured"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4079"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4099,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4079\/revisions\/4099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}