Resignation Letter

What is a Resignation Letter?

A resignation letter is an official letter sent by an employee to their employer giving notice they will no longer be working at the company. In other words, it’s an official form of quitting. The goal of a letter of resignation is to create an official record of notice, provide details about the employee’s last day, outline any next steps, and maintain a positive relationship with the employer. Use CFI’s free resignation letter template to quit as professionally as possible.

Tips for Writing a Resignation Letter

The general consensus on letters of resignation is, the shorter the better.  There is no need to provide a long-winded explanation of why you are quitting.  Instead, it’s best to be direct, professional, and outline any important information about the termination process.

Here are some helpful tips for writing your resignation letter:

• Be direct and to the point – mention that you are quitting in the first paragraph (or even the first sentence)
• Be professional – do not use it as an opportunity to complain, insult, or criticize the company or other employees
• Give notice of your last day – provide the specific date you are agreeing to work until
• Provide information about the transition – you may offer to help find your replacement, or agree to finish certain projects and tasks before your last day
• Proofread and spell check – be sure to thoroughly proofread the letter before submitting to make sure all information is accurate and there are no typos
• Seek legal advice – depending on the nature of your position, you may wish to seek professional legal advice about your resignation process

How to use a Resignation Letter Template

You may wish to use this resignation letter template to help you efficiently write your letter.

To use this template effectively, follow these steps:

1. Copy and paste the resignation letter template into an MS Word Document, Google Doc, or email
2. Add all your personal details and contact information
3. Rewrite the paragraphs with your own words describing your situation
4. Proofread and spell check
5. Submit the letter via email, mail, or in-person

Resignation Letter Template

Copy and paste the below text into a Word document or an email as the starting point for own letter.

[Your Name]

[Your Street Address]

[Your City, State/Province, Country]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Today’s Date]

[Employer Contact Name]

[Employer Title]

[Employer Company Name]

Dear [Employer Contact Name],

[First paragraph: I am writing to provide you with my formal notice of resignation from The Company.  My last day will be January 19, 2018, two weeks from today.]

[Second paragraph: This was not an easy decision to make, and I appreciate your support over the course of my employment at The Company.  I truly value the experience, training, and knowledge I gained over the past 5 years. It has been a pleasure working with you and the team.

[Third paragraph: Please let me know how I can help during this transition. I wish you all the best as the company continues to grow.]

Sincerely,

[Image of Signature]

[Your Name]

Download the Resignation Letter Template

Download CFI’s free template below.

Resignation Letter Best Practices

When you deliver your resignation letter to your boss it’s important to remember what you should and shouldn’t do.  Here are the most important points and best practices to remember.

Be sure to:

• Deliver both a printed copy with your signature and an email copy
• Discuss the final details of your employment (the last few days on the job)
• Offer to help transition the role to someone else at the company
• Provide the required amount of notice (the number of days will be listed in your original employment agreement)
• Organize your desk and personal affairs in the event the company asks you to leave immediately

Try to avoid:

• Criticizing the company or any people that work there
• Refusing to come in and work for the duration of your notice period (unless you are asked not to come back)
• Bragging about some amazing new opportunity of a job you found
• Avoiding your boss and refusing to talk about transition planning
• Convincing co-workers that they should resign too
• Spreading rumors or misinformation

Learn more about How to Quit Your Job.

Examples of Public Resignation Letters

If you’d like to see some high-profile, public examples of resignation letters, Business Insider has compiled a list of the 13 greatest resignation letters of all time. These may serve as an example of what not to do for most people, but they are very entertaining to read, nonetheless. If you have the time, you may enjoy reading these great examples of resignation letters.

Additional Resources

Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to writing a resignation letter. To ensure you’re fully prepared for managing your career path, these additional resources will be helpful:

• Cover Letter Template
• Resume Guides
• Interactive Career Map
• How to Get a Job in…
• See all career resources