Leaving a Job - Resignation Letters

When you decide to quit a job, it is often appropriate to write a resignation letter. 

What is a resignation letter?

A resignation letter is a letter that an employee writes to their employer telling them that they are resigning, or leaving their job.  

A resignation letter should be:

Short
To-the-point
Positive

Who do you give a resignation letter to?

A resignation letter is given to the employee’s supervisor, not co-workers.  If you have more than one supervisor, most often you just give it to your direct supervisor (the one you interact with the most).  If you are unsure who to give your resignation letter to, ask a trusted family member, teacher, counselor, or friend to help you.

When should you write a resignation letter?

Many people tell their supervisor in person that they are leaving, and then follow up by giving their supervisor a resignation letter as a formality.  However, if you are uncomfortable meeting with your supervisor in person to tell them you are resigning, you can give them a resignation letter without meeting with them in person. 

You should send your resignation letter at least 2 weeks before your last day of work.  However, it is recommended to send your resignation letter 3 – 4 weeks before your last day of work to give your employer as much time to plan for your exit as possible.

How do you write a resignation letter?

Most of the time, a resignation letter is an actual typed letter because this is most professional.  This letter could be mailed, but more often, it is put in your supervisor’s work mail box or inbox.  In some cases, it is appropriate to send an email to your supervisor. If you choose to do this, your email should be very professional.

Your letter should be:

• Written in business-letter format
• Typed (though you should sign your name in blue or black ink)
• Printed in black ink
• Professional (no rips, tears, or typos)

What do you include in a resignation letter?

Remember, your letter should be short, to-the-point, and positive.

Within your letter, you should:

• State that you are leaving.
• Provide the date that you are leaving (your last day of work).
• Thank your employer for giving you the opportunity to work there.
• Stay positive. Do not say anything negative about the workplace or the people you worked with.

Some people choose to include a reason why they are leaving the job.  This is appropriate if the reason you are leaving is positive.  Do not say you are leaving your job because the pay is not good enough, you do not like your co-workers, you do not like your supervisor, or the hours are awful. 

Instead, you could say that you are looking for a job that better matches your interests, you are interested in trying a new career path, or you are looking for a change.  If you are having a hard time coming up with a positive reason for leaving your job, do not include a reason—that is perfectly fine.

Here is an example of a resignation letter where the employee does not give a reason for leaving:

Lucas Samsonite 904 Method Road Raleigh, NC 55555 March 4, 2011 Ms. Dorothy Strickler Computer Innovations, Inc. 55 Western Blvd Raleigh, NC 55555 Dear Ms. Strickler, I am writing to provide my formal notification that I am leaving my position with Computer Innovations as of April 1, 2011.  Thank you very much for providing me with this opportunity and please let me know if there is anything I can do to ease this transition. Sincerely,   Lucas Samsonite

Here is an example of a resignation letter where the employee gives a reason for leaving:

Lucas Samsonite 904 Method Road Raleigh, NC 55555   March 4, 2011 Ms. Dorothy Strickler Computer Innovations, Inc. 55 Western Blvd Dear Ms. Strickler, I am writing to provide my formal notification that I am leaving my position with Computer Innovations as of April 1, 2011.  I have found a job that is a better match with my scheduling needs.  Thank you very much for providing me with this opportunity and please let me know if there is anything I can do to ease this transition. Sincerely,   Lucas Samsonite