One of the most challenging tasks for an employee is to let his/her supervisor know that they are leaving. No matter how the equation between you and your immediate superior is, tendering a resignation is always a tricky subject. There are several dos and don’ts to note when addressing the resignation letter.
Without further ado, let us explore what we should and shouldn’t include in our final letter to the company.
Firstly, remember that this is a formal notification. Even if your company does not have a norm of formal letters and notice periods, it is always better to exhibit some professionalism in this aspect. A formal resignation, at least two weeks before the intended last day, will help you maintain a diplomatic relation with your employer. This quality may serve you well when you ask your employer to provide you with a reference letter (or if you come across them in the future).
Tips for a Resignation Letter
- Address it to the correct authority – if it is meant to go to the HR, do so. Else, as a general rule of thumb, always address it to your immediate superior or manager.
- Date – since it is a formal letter, ensure it is correctly dated. This also helps as a record of the notice you gave the company, prior to leaving.
- Last day – mention the intended last day at work, clearly. Do not leave this to assumption. It is better to clarify when you should not be expected to come in.
- Keep it simple – do not use heavy or fancy language (that is not the meaning of a formal letter), since it can take your letter off the course. Stay on point and convey your intention with clarity. Lengthy letters are usually not recommended.
- Signature – make sure you sign the letter, and include any personal contact information, in case the company needs to reach out to you for any reason.
Do these
- Let the company know that you value the experience you had with them.
- State a brief example of an instance that helped shape your role, or an opportunity you were given.
- Express your gratitude towards your supervisor.
- Mention what you valued or learnt most from the role.
- Mention what you liked about the company culture.
- Offer support – if you must hand over the charge to someone else, let the employer know that you shall be a team-player and help bring your successor to par. If you had a team for which you were responsible, address how you shall prepare them for your exit.
- Completion of tasks – point out that all your tasks shall be completed before your departure, and you shall leave nothing pending. This will reflect well in your reference checks.
Don’t do these
There are a few points you should not cover in your resignation letter. Most revolve around negativity, since it can impact the way you leave the company.
- Do not bad-mouth your colleagues – it is highly unprofessional to blow whistles while leaving, and it might indicate the opposite of being a team-player.
- Do not mention any negative experiences you may have had while at this job. It is advised to depart on a good note, and hence, any negative points about the company, colleagues or duties and responsibilities of your role, are not required.
- Do not reveal the reason for your exit. Your resignation letter does not need you to entail the reason for you to move on. It is smarter to keep it to yourself.
- Unrevised letters are a big NO! Your resignation will be kept on record. Do you want to leave it with grammatical errors, and mis-spelled words? If not, then do not submit unrevised letters.
- Lengthy letters can take the focus off the points that need to be conveyed. So, do not go on for pages altogether.
With the above information at hand, let us see an example of a sample resignation letter.
