The Elements of a Resignation Letter

Congratulations! You have carried out a successful job search and have accepted a new offer.  Now comes the often-uncomfortable situation of informing your current employer.  Quickly schedule a face-to-face meeting with your supervisor, since ideally you will want them to hear the news from you and not through the office rumor mill.  No matter what the situation surrounding your departure, this meeting needs to set the wheels of motion in place for a positive, smooth transition. Prior to the meeting, prepare an official letter of resignation.

The first paragraph of the letter will state that you have accepted another position and list your last day of employment. It is not necessary to disclose your new employer.  A two-week resignation is still considered a minimum courtesy with some employers requesting up to a month.  Keep in mind that in some situations, employers will consider your resignation effective immediately and possibly may require a security escort to the door. Although it is hard not to take this type of treatment personally, it is often simply company or security protocol.

The second paragraph or body of the letter will thank your supervisor. In many situations, this will be easy. In other situations, you will have to stretch, but always find something(s) positive. Examples of things to thank your supervisor for could include: serving as a mentor, giving you leadership, training or skills development opportunities, recommending you for special committees or stretch assignments.  Lastly, reassure them that you will do everything possible to make this a smooth transition offering some specifics. Oftentimes, employers will ask you to train a temporary or replacement, leave explicit notes, or get projects in good standing.

Clients have shared that when they go into the meeting with a resignation in hand, it makes the meeting proceed in a more business-like manner and less emotionally driven. In some cases, the supervisor may beg you to stay, offering more money. Mentally, be prepared if this happens. Remember why you are really leaving. Money is seldom enough to truly rectify a poor fit or unchallenging role. Ideally, if you were unhappy, career management conversations would have already occurred that could have made the job continue to work for you and your career path. The enticement of more money seldom is a cure all.

Before approaching your supervisor with the announcement, here are some additional things to consider: make sure you have contact information of key people that you would like to remain in your network and remove any personal files or materials from your office. If you have your LinkedIn account tied to a work email, change this to a personal email. Work-related email accounts are often turned off at the time of a resignation.

By following these strategies, preparing for your next resignation will be a straightforward process.