The Graceful Resignation
When leaving a job, even a terrible one, it’s important to maintain the best possible relationship with your soon-to-be former employer. A well-written resignation letter can ensure that you’ll be able to use your supervisor as a reference in the future. While these letters rightly tend to be short and unimaginative, the following tips will assist in paving the way to a smooth resignation.
- Resigning from a company using its own letterhead would be bad form. A printed resignation is far better than an e-mailed version, but use plain paper.
- Resignations should be brief and formal. State that you are resigning from your position and give an effective date.
- While it may be appropriate to provide a reason for your departure, in no instance should the letter itself become a list of complaints. This letter may be kept on file for future employment references; therefore, do not make negative statements about your tenure with the company. If there is a possibility of legal action related to your employment with this company, provide as little information on your reasons for leaving as possible.
- Thank the employer for the opportunities and assistance that were provided to you during your tenure. Try to be genuine without gushing.
- If you are willing to do so, offer to assist with the transition to your replacement. Apologize if you are unwilling or unable to do so, or if you are giving your employer less than two weeks’ notice or leaving a fixed-term position earlier than agreed upon. Do your best to offer your employer a reasonable notice in order to train someone to take over your duties, especially if you have accrued a lot of knowledge that is not understood by anyone else in the company.
- Include any requests related to your departure, such as where to forward your last paycheck.
- Wish the employer well for the future.
That’s it! The best resignation letters are short and to the point. Be sure to make a copy of the letter for your records, and be prepared to be terminated immediately upon resignation, regardless of the notice you have offered.
How to Resign From Your Job
There are some days at any job that are simply the worst. Sometimes these days are few and far between, and can be dealt with and forgotten about, but sometimes these bad days turn into weeks and months, and suddenly you find yourself in a bad job situation. Being trapped in an unhappy work situation can be one of the most unpleasant situations of your life because you spend the majority of your time there. You can suffer severe physical, mental, and emotional symptoms from staying in a bad job, and if things are really that bad, the most healthy thing for you do to is get out. The first step to resigning from your job is knowing when it’s time to go. A surprising amount of people hang on to a bad job for the same reasons that they hang on to bad personal relationships, because they’re sacred of the unknown. Sometimes it’s time to get over those fears, and move on.
Once you know that you’re ready to leave, you need a backup plan. You need to start searching for your next job, so you can leave knowing that you’re looking after your own security. Searching for a job while being employed full time can be tough. It’s hard to find the time to search for jobs, and it can be even more difficult to schedule interviews. If you have any vacation time saved up, you can take the opportunity to use some of those for your job search if necessary. Keep your personal happiness a priority in this situation.
If you’ve managed to finagle interviews and set yourself up with a new job prospect, then congratulations! You’ve shown intelligence and courage by understanding that you were in a bad situation, and then having the ability to take action to change that situation. You are ultimately the master of your own circumstances. But there are few things left to do, like resign. Sometimes you’ve formed some really meaningful relationships with coworkers, or even your boss, so it’s going to be hard to tell them your leaving, but it is necessary, and you can still keep in touch.
Before you tell anyone you’re going to resign, make sure you have a well crafted and respectfully written resignation letter. Keep all feelings of resentment and bitterness out of this letter. Don’t accuse anyone of anything, even if there were some shady deals going down. It is a best practice to always present yourself as a professional in all matters of business, no matter how shoddily anyone else might be treating you. You will retain your own dignity and sense of honor, as well as avoiding burning any bridges, you may never know when you might need a recommendation or networking benefits from this source. All this will be behind you soon, so this is no time to be bitter.
After you present your resignation letter, sometimes you will be escorted out of the office immediately with your belongings, so be prepared to leave. If this doesn’t happen, then act professionally and cordially and stay for the remainder of time you specified in your resignation letter. Keep this in mind when crafting your letter so you don’t make promises you won’t keep.
Finally, whether you are escorted out, or you stay another two days, two weeks, or a month, continue to act professionally and do your job to the best of your abilities. It is very easy to get lazy, or impolite during these times, but it is essential to your future success that you keep your composure, present high quality work, and maintain as good relationships as possible during this precarious time. This may test your character, but it will all soon be over, and you will be better for conducting yourself with control, wisdom, and grace throughout the entire process.
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How to Write a Letter of Resignation
Our grandparents often expected to retire with a solid 40 years of commitment to their employer. Contemporary workers are more dedicated to the best way to achieve his/her own goals, than concerned with company loyalty. This new outlook is more beneficial to the individual and less so to the companies they work for. According to statistics generated by the United States Department of Labor, the average person between the ages of 18 and 38 will change jobs 10 times before they finally retire; (although, the general consensus is that number is more like 3.) Either way, odds are you won’t always be at your present position; however, viewing each job as its own entity, having no bearing on what comes before or after, is not advisable. Every occupation should be regarded as a stepping stone for what comes next; therefore, the manner in which you detach from your current position is vital to your level of future employability. Much of this value depends on how you go about your resignation. Your behavior and, more importantly, your letter of resignation itself must be deployed with attention to detail. The following are some things to consider as you write your letter of resignation.
First, you must make certain that you are absolutely sure you want to leave your job. If a sudden change has taken place or emotions are involved, it might be best to wait until things calm down in order to have the most lucid perspective. You also may want to have another job lined up. Unemployment is stressful in and of itself, so hopefully you have a plan in place to carry on with paying bills and other responsibilities. Once you have made the decision to move on, it is time to draft a letter of resignation to your immediate supervisor.
Before you write a word you should go over your employee handbook and make sure you understand your company’s exit policy. Knowing how much notice is required will help you compose your resignation. If no policy exists, the standard amount of time is two weeks; however, you should be prepared to be released immediately. Immediate dismissal is rare but it has been known to happen. A letter of resignation should be clear and brief. Saying too little may be misleading. Your employer may not even understand that you are trying to resign at all. Saying too much can lead to all sorts of problems including hurt feelings, uncomfortable inquiries, and even an argument. You are not required to give a reason for your decision and it is advisable not to. Your letter should include a clear statement of resignation along with your last date of employment. For example, “I offer my resignation effective (date of your last day.)”
Finally, it is always good policy to show appreciation to your supervisor and to the company itself. A short “thank you,” and an expression of how much you enjoyed being there will do the trick.
Finally, make sure to make three copies. One copy is for your supervisor, one is for Human Resources and the final is for your own files.
When your letter is finished, and before you tell any of your coworkers, you should schedule an appointment with your boss to hand him/her the letter in person. You may be questioned about your reasons; but, you do not have to give up any new information. Be polite and reasonable. Do not lay blame, or insult anyone. Be as positive as possible and, of course, say thank you. Remember, the best exit strategy is one that burns no bridges.