Knowing how to write a gracious resignation letter and leave your employer on good terms is a critical career skill you need to maintain important professional relationships.
In this article, I explore what makes a good resignation letter, provide some tips about exiting the business graciously and include a free example resignation letter you can download and use as a guide.
How to resign like a professional
No doubt, you’ve worked hard to build professional relationships with your boss and current employer. So, you don’t want to undo your hard work on the dismount! It’s just as important to conduct yourself as a true professional when you exit the business, as when you start a new job.
Signed, sealed, delivered
Before you resign, make sure your new employment contract is signed, sealed, and delivered. NEVER EVER resign before the negotiation is complete and you have a signed contract, as your future employer could have terms and conditions that you don’t agree to, and the whole deal is off. I was recently talking to a friend who resigned after receiving a verbal offer for a new job but before she signed the new contract. Unfortunately, Covid-19 hit, and the new employer rescinded their verbal offer and her old employer said, “sorry you have resigned, and we won’t take you back”! It’s a cautionary tale – don’t let this happen to you.
Face to Face
Resigning is one of life’s difficult conversations – it’s just like a “break up” conversation.
I recommend you do it in person by schedule a meeting with your boss (or if you’re working remotely, via video conference).
At this meeting:
- Thank your employer for the opportunity to work with the organization
- Tell them what you enjoyed about the role
- Discuss your notice period, and therefore your last day (make a note of this so you can include it in your resignation letter)
- Agree on how your resignation will be announced to the rest of the organisation & it’s clients.
- Finally, be clear about any restrictions on your ability to contact past and current clients, as many professional services have a “no contact” period.
Try to schedule your meeting at the end of the day, so you can both leave the workplace and have some time and space to process the conversation. It is awkward to resign, and then bump into your boss at the water cooler five minutes later!
The only exception to an in-person resignation would be if you’re in a situation where your boss has bullied you, or you feel unsafe. In that instance, it might be better to have a support person in the room with you or do it online, so you have an ‘out’ if things get hairy.
Show Gratitude
In any job, there are things that we like and don’t like. As a gracious professional, it’s wise to give thanks for the job opportunity and name a few aspects of the role, relationships, or organisation you’ve enjoyed. Perhaps you liked working with your colleagues, or you had the chance to work on a challenging project that gave you new skills? At a bare minimum, your job has kept a roof over your head and food on the table, in which case you can say ‘thanks for the opportunity to work at <organization name>, I have learned a lot” (even if it’s that you don’t like working for that employer!).
What to say in a resignation letter
For many people, knowing what to say in a resignation letter is the hardest part. Assuming you have already met with your boss, I recommend you keep the resignation letter brief.
The letter should include:
- Your last day of employment/notice period (confirmed in writing)
- Gratitude for your role and the opportunity to work for your employer
- An intention to maintain your relationship with your boss/employer, and stay in touch
As a courtesy, I strongly recommend you send your resignation letter AFTER you have spoken with your boss (however, you can write a draft beforehand). As I mentioned above, resigning is a difficult conversation. That’s why it must be done in-person (or via video conference if you work remotely). And even if you’re worried about disappointing your boss, NEVER resign via text message, social media, or other communication channels. It comes across as unprofessional and disrespectful. After all, would you give a glowing reference to an employee who resigned via text message?
What not to say
A resignation letter is not the right place to give feedback about why you are leaving your job or what you disliked about the organisation. There is potential to give this feedback at an exit interview but before you do, ask yourself ‘how is this helping me or my employer?’. If you can give feedback in a constructive way that maintains trusted relationships with your boss or colleagues, then go ahead. However, if you want to vent your spleen and unleash years’ worth of grudges and gripes, don’t do it at work. Instead, talk to a trusted family member, friend or even career coach who will listen empathetically without derailing your chance of getting a good reference.
Letter format
If you haven’t written a letter for a while, here are some handy reminders on how to correctly format a business letter.
- In the top right-hand corner, write your name and contact details
- In the top left-hand corner, write your boss’s name, job title, company name and address of business. If the business is virtual and doesn’t have a street address, then write “via email” in lieu of their physical address.
- Next, write “Dear <name>” – see above my notes about being personal.
- Then, in bold, write “Re: resignation letter <job title> and make it bold.
I have drafted a free sample resignation letter, which you can use as a guide. Get your copy here >> Resignation Letter Template
How to conduct yourself after you resign
No doubt, you’ll feel a great sense of relief after you’ve resigned…the hard part is done, right? Not always, quite possibly you’ll have a notice period to work through, which could be anywhere from two weeks to six months, depending on the termination period agreed in your employment contract! During this time, it’s very important to maintain your professionalism, because your colleagues and boss are key people in your professional network, and you want to leave a good impression.
What to expect during your notice period
You may find yourself “uninvited” from meetings that were in your calendar, which might feel like rejection. Don’t take this personally (sometimes hard to do) as this is standard practice in many industries. You will also start to have roles, tasks and activities taken from you, or be asked not to talk to clients. This is particularly common if you are moving to a competitor so take it with a pinch of salt.
Sometimes you may be asked to take whatever annual leave you have remaining, so it doesn’t have to be paid out. I recall when I left a previous role, I was asked to take the three weeks of annual leave I had owing to me. My notice period was four weeks, so it made for a short stay.
Keep it nice
It’s very exciting to get a new job and start a new chapter of your life. But remember, not everyone at your work is in your shoes, so don’t carry on about it. Your colleagues still work for your current employer, so floating around the office boasting about your new job and how much better it is will just drag down everyone’s mood. Likewise, now is not the time to moan and groan about how much you hate your job or your current employer – it’s a real turn-off and damages your professional standing.
Keep it professional
Until the last minute of your last day, you are still employed (and paid) to do your job. So do what is expected of you. While it can be tempting to take sick days or long-lunches, it will reflect poorly on you, especially if you rely on your boss to give you a reference in the future. So, do your work to the best of your abilities, tidy up loose ends and prepare clear handover notes, ready for the next person to step into your shoes. Behaving as a true professional will stand you in good stead in the long run.
Resigning from your job can make you feel anxious. If you feel this way, don’t suffer alone. Get in touch. As a professional career coach, I can support you throughout your notice period so you feel calm, confident and ready to take the next step in your career.
You can contact me here for a >> Free Career Stategy Session
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(Feature Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash)
