What Constitutes a Letter of Resignation From Employment?
You've decided to leave your job for greener pastures. Whether you are leaving on a good note or bad, you don't want to just storm into the boss's office announcing that you quit. Not only is that unprofessional, you never want to burn any bridges regarding employment; you might need your former employer again. The way to quit the right way is to give your boss a letter of resignation.
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The Purpose
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A resignation letter, if done correctly, shows that you respect your former employer, that there are no hard feelings (even if there are) and can benefit you in case you need a reference later in life. Giving your employer a resignation letter shows that you have good character and allows you to leave your job on a high note. The resignation letter is not the place to air your grievances with your employer. Save that for your friends and family. However, do not tell your coworkers that you are resigning until after you've submitted your resignation letter. That is bad form.
The Letter
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Keep your letter short, simple and professional because your employer will probably keep the letter in your personnel file. Possibly start by writing something complimentary about your job. You can acknowledge that you learned how to do something or that you appreciated the guidance your boss provided. Then tell your boss to please accept this letter as your formal resignation that becomes effective as of, and then provide a date. Two weeks is customary, but it doesn't have to be. It could be longer or shorter, depending on the type of job you have. End the letter by offering to help train your replacement before you leave. Put the letter in an envelope, and hand it to your employer.
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The Timing
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Don't jump the gun by submitting your resignation letter too early. For example, you may receive a lucrative job offer and even start paperwork with the new company. If you submit your resignation letter at this point, if the new job falls through somehow or if there are terms in the contract of the new job that you don't like and you've already submitted your letter of resignation, it will be difficult if not impossible to get your old job back. You may be jobless or take a job with less favorable terms if you submit your letter of resignation too early.
The Follow-Up
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Once you become settled in your new position, send your former employer an email with your new contact information. That helps ensure good terms and creates a network for you that could come in handy for any future job opportunities.
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References
- Photo Credit Quitting Time image by Scott Williams from Fotolia.com
