How To Write A Resignation Letter (With Examples)

Writing a professional resignation letter is essential to maintaining a good network, no matter why you decide to leave your current job. A good letter of resignation clearly states your intention to resign and final date, thanks your employer for the experience, and offers to help with the transition period.

Whether you’re resigning for a better job, going back to school, or leaving the workforce entirely, this article will show you exactly how to write a resignation letter and the proper resignation letter format, along with a resignation letter template and examples.

Key Takeaways:

• Your letter of resignation should include your name and current position, your intent to resign, and your final day on the job.

• You should speak with your current supervisor or boss before submitting your resignation letter.

• Use a resignation letter sample to get started, but include personal touches that are relevant to your specific situation.

How to write a resignation letter

A good resignation letter format isn’t fancy. If you can include each of the following parts in your letter of resignation, you’ll be well on your way to saying goodbye to your old company:

1. Your resignation, position, and final day. The first sentence should briefly state that you’re resigning from your position at the company on a specific date. Do not give reasons for quitting here — a simple resignation letter is best.

   For example:

   Dear Sara,

   I am writing to formally notify you that I’m resigning from my position as a staff accountant at Broadsdale, effective two weeks from today on July 12, 2023.

2. Gratitude. It’s always appropriate to thank your employer for the opportunity. Describe some of your key moments on the job, and what specifically you appreciated about your experience.

   If the company helped you grow in some way and impacted your career trajectory, bring that up. Everyone likes to be thanked, and you might need a reference from these people one day. Even if your experience wasn’t so great, a resignation letter is not the place to bring it up — you want to leave a positive impression.

   For example,

   Thank for the opportunity to work here for the past three years. I’ve really appreciated getting to work alongside great people who helped me grow as an accountant and as a teammate. I wouldn’t be prepared for the next stage of my career without these experiences.

3. Offer to assist with the transition. This might be offering to help train your replacement or just wrap up your workload in a way that makes it easy for your team to continue as smoothly as possible.

   Don’t feel the need to go into too much detail here; you can work out the specifics in person and/or with your team. Also, don’t promise anything you know you can’t deliver on.

   For example,

   Over the next two weeks, I’ll wrap up the accounts I’ve been working on and make sure the rest of the team has all the necessary materials to continue our projects. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help with the hiring and/or training of my replacement; I’m happy to help with the transition.

4. Sign off and provide contact info. In all but the worst job scenarios, you should let your soon-to-be ex-company know how to get in touch with you.

   For example,

   I wish Broadsdale continued success, and hope to stay in touch in the future.

   Sincerely,

   Larissa Hunt

   lhunt@email.com
   (555)-234-5678

5. Reason for leaving (optional). Your reason for leaving isn’t necessary in a letter of resignation. But if you decide to include it, you shouldn’t go into a lot of detail here.

   Simply stating that you were “offered a new position” or that you’re moving for family reasons, or that you’re furthering your education is fine. If you include this, frame it positively, focusing on why you’re excited for the future and not your issues with the current job.

Resignation letter template

This letter of resignation template is a good place to get started on your own:

Resignation letter examples

A resignation letter example should be a starting point — be sure to adapt it to fit your situation. Each letter of resignation sample is tailored to slightly different needs.

1. Standard sample resignation letter

   January 1, 2020

   Dear Mrs. Young,

   Please accept this letter as an official notice of my resignation from my position as a software developer at Fanfare Corporation effective February 14, 2020.

   I would like to thank you for the opportunity to work for such a supportive and friendly company these past five years. It has been a pleasure developing personal and professional relationships with my team at Fanfare Corporation, and I feel that the company has done a lot to help me grow as an individual.

   I hope I can make this transition as smooth as possible for Fanfare Corporation by offering to help with training my replacement. I intend to complete all my assignments and leave detailed notes on all ongoing projects to help my team continue after my departure. I know Fanfare Corporation will continue at the level of excellence I enjoyed during my time here.

   Thank you again for all the opportunities afforded to me. I wish you and the company all the best moving into the future. You can contact me at any time at elsajohnson@gmail.com or call at (555)-123-4567.

   Sincerely,

   Elsa Johnson

2. Simple resignation letter sample

   Dear Mr. Bragg,

   Please accept this email as notification that I am resigning from my position as a retail clerk with Loose Threads on August 8.

   I’ve enjoyed my time working with everyone at Loose Threads, and am grateful for the experience. Please let me know if I can be of assistance during this transition period.

   Sincerely,
   John Tolsi

   (555)-222-3333

3. Short resignation letter sample

   Dear Ms. Gaudencio,

   Please accept this letter as notification that I am leaving my position as a sales representative with ABC Corp. on July 19.

   Sincerely,
   Pedro Lucena

4. Email resignation letter sample

   Dear Ms. Wright,

   I am writing to inform you that I am resigning from my position as a digital marketing assistant at NextGen, effective May 30.

   I want to thank you for the experiences and support that you provided throughout the two years I’ve worked at NextGen. It’s been great working alongside such talented and encouraging colleagues.

   Over the next two weeks, I will complete all unfinished projects and help train others on the team to take over my tasks. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help over the transition period.

   I wish you and all of NextGen continued success and would love to stay in touch.

   Sincerely,
   Joanne Filipe

   jfilipe@email.com
   (999)-888-7777

Resignation letter tips

Follow these tips to write the best resignation letter possible and leave a good impression on your former employer:

1. Time your letter correctly. Giving two weeks’ notice is a good rule-of-thumb. Be sure to state that your intended departure date is at least two weeks after whenever you send the resignation letter.

   That being said, a resignation letter shouldn’t be your sole way of letting the company know that you’re leaving. If you have an employment contract that lays out the specific rules on resigning, adhere to those. Generally speaking, you’ll want to have a face-to-face conversation with your boss before handing in your official resignation letter.

   Just like the letter itself, you should maintain a positive tone in this meeting, keeping your intent to leave and your reasons for leaving brief and simple. This is also a good place to ask for a reference or find out what’s going on with your benefits, final paycheck, unused vacation/sick days, and your 401k.

2. Keep it positive. It’s important to remember that your resignation letter will be a part of your employment file, which might be seen by a potential future employer. Always be courteous and professional, so that it’s on record that you’re an all-around good employee, from start to finish.

   It costs you nothing to be polite, so the potential payoff is well worth it.

3. Keep it brief. There’s no need to go into great detail for any of the necessary portions listed above. Ideally, each section should only take a sentence or two to deliver.

4. Plan for an immediate departure. While giving at least two weeks’ notice is a good idea, be ready for the possibility that your employer might end your employment more quickly. Take whatever steps you think are necessary if this turns out to be the case.

What not to include in a resignation letter

• Anything negative.Just because your boss was a buffoon and your coworkers were incompetent hacks, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to lace into them in your resignation letter.

  Again, this is your official goodbye and might be shared with future employers, who might wonder if hiring such a mean-spirited grump is a good idea. Plus, you might need a reference from these people someday, so don’t go burning any bridges.

  This includes saying anything bad about the company as a whole, or its inferior service. Even mentioning that you’re moving to a company in the same field that offers a superior level of service is not very professional in this setting.

• Don’t be vague. Clearly state the specific date that you’ll be leaving — don’t leave it open to interpretation or negotiation.

• Salary grievances. If you tried to leverage another job offer into a higher salary in your current position and it didn’t work out, tough luck — don’t bring that up here. And if you never even tried to negotiate a higher salary, then bringing it up as you’re walking out the door isn’t the most professional way of going about things.

• Fluff. As stated above, you want to keep this letter short and to the point: state the facts and express a bit of gratitude, but don’t go over the top praising your supervisor, talking about your new job, and reasons for leaving, or giving a status update on every project in your workload.

  The letter isn’t the only way you’re communicating your departure to your manager, so save all that stuff for conversations with relevant individuals.

• Errors. It goes without saying that you want your last impression to be error-free, so give your letter a careful proofread to make sure there are no typos or grammatical mistakes.

Resignation letter FAQ

1. Do I need to write a resignation letter?

   Technically, no — the United States has an “at-will” employment system, meaning that you or your employer can terminate the relationship at any time, for almost any reason (barring discrimination or other illegal practices).

   That being said, failing to submit a resignation letter will reflect poorly on you as a professional, just as it would reflect poorly on a company for firing people randomly and without reason. Also, note that some company policies may require official documentation of your resignation.

2. How is a resignation letter different than a two weeks’ notice letter?

   There isn’t much of a difference between a resignation letter and a two weeks’ notice letter. A two weeks’ notice letter is just a resignation letter that’s handed in two weeks prior to an employee’s final workday. Two weeks is the cultural norm for advanced notice of quitting, so do try to stick to that practice or give more notice if practical.

3. Should I include my reasons for leaving?

   Generally speaking, no, you shouldn’t include a reason for leaving. It’s unnecessary information, and it can only hurt you, never help you. Plus, you can discuss reasons more thoroughly at your exit interview or in informal discussions with relevant staff.

4. Should I hand in my resignation letter before or after talking to my boss?

   We recommend either chatting with your boss beforehand or scheduling a meeting where you tell your boss and hand over your resignation letter simultaneously.

   Above all, make sure your boss is the first person at your workplace to hear the news — you don’t want word of your decision to quit to reach them through gossip rather than official channels.

Author

Matthew Zane

Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.