Writing a Resignation Letter

So you want to resign, to do it right, you should draft up a resignation letter to your direct boss and have a meeting with him/her to give them the letter. Keep your letter simple, brief, positive and straight forward.

State that you are giving the required notice period based on your contract. For example, "As required by my contract of employment, I hereby give you 2 weeks' notice of my intention to leave my position as ...".

Normally, you are required to serve your notice period. However, there are times when you would want to leave earlier. In that case, make sure there is no penalty clause on you contract. If there is, are you willing to pay the penalty? If you are willing to pay the penalty, then state so in your letter.

If there is no penalty, all you have to do is ask for a shorter notice period. A little tip: talk to your manager first about your intention to leave earlier and work with him/her on how you could transfer your responsibilities and knowledge to your replacement. This will improve your chances of getting the shorter notice period.

State in the letter that you have elected to accept another offer of employment and will be leaving your current job. Your particular circumstances will dictate whether you wish to state the name of your new company. Be sure to mention that your time with the company has been rewarding and fruitful. You might make a comment about how proud you are to have worked with the firm and how enjoyable the years you spent with the firm were.

Do not give specific reasons for leaving. State that you have decided to move because of a career opportunity that is too good to pass up.

This letter will be kept on file in the human resources department. At some time in the future, this may be the only record of your resignation. Therefore, keep it positive and to the point.

Remember, the company and its employees could potentially play a role in your career or job search in the future. It is a very small world. Never burn bridges

Here is a Sample Resignation Letter

This advice was modified from 3001 Business & Sales Letters. Click Here to find out more.

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