How To Write A Resignation Letter

When you know it’s time to move on in your career, and you want to graciously and confidently inform your employer of your intent to leave your job, it’s often difficult to find the right words. You may have had some difficulties in the job, or found yourself unchallenged or your skills overlooked; or maybe you have just become demotivated over time. Maybe things have been even worse!

Regardless, all of that will soon be behind you, and so your resignation letter should be written in magnanimous fashion, with a view to showing gratitude for the experience and opportunity, and wishing your employer and their company the best for the future.

Here below is a structural breakdown of suggestions for composing a respectful and confident resignation letter.

OPENING

Here are some suggestions for opening your resignation letter:

GREETING	INTRODUCTION	PURPOSE
Dear Mr. Mrs. Ms.* Miss + Surname/Family Name Dear HR/Personnel Manager Dear A. B. Smith*	It is with regret that… I regret to inform you that… This letter confirms my intention to resign…	…I (hereby) tender my resignation… (+see next table) …I will be terminating my contract of employment…
'Ms.' (pronounced ‘miz’) is a considerably old term, intended for use when you don’t know the marital status of a woman. ‘Miss’ indicates that the woman is unmarried, while ‘Mrs.' (missus) indicates a married woman. Note that there are no such distinctions for addressing a man. It is highly likely that you will know the name of the person you are addressing. **In the case of non-binary recipients or if you are unsure as to the gender of the recipient, simply omit the preceding title (Mr. Mrs., etc.) and use the recipient’s full name, using either their initials relating to their forename, or their forename in full.

GREETING

INTRODUCTION

PURPOSE

Dear Mr. Mrs. Ms.* Miss + Surname/Family Name**
Dear HR/Personnel Manager
Dear A. B. Smith***

It is with regret that…
I regret to inform you that…
This letter confirms my intention to resign…

…I (hereby) tender my resignation… (+see next table)
…I will be terminating my contract of employment…

*'Ms.' (pronounced ‘miz’) is a considerably old term, intended for use when you don’t know the marital status of a woman. ‘Miss’ indicates that the woman is unmarried, while ‘Mrs.' (missus) indicates a married woman. Note that there are no such distinctions for addressing a man.

**It is highly likely that you will know the name of the person you are addressing.

***In the case of non-binary recipients or if you are unsure as to the gender of the recipient, simply omit the preceding title (Mr. Mrs., etc.) and use the recipient’s full name, using either their initials relating to their forename, or their forename in full.

One of the introductions above uses the word ‘confirms’. This implies that resignation had been previously discussed, or that your manager/employer will not be surprised by your letter of intent. Here are some suggestions for elaboration on the terms of your resignation:

FOLLOW ON

PURPOSE	ELABORATION
…I tender (herewith) my resignation… (+see next table) …I will be terminating my contract of employment…	…effective from the end of the/this month (or specify a date). …with effect from (e.g.) Friday 20th August …pending an exit interview, as discussed…
*Remember that your contract will specify the amount of notice you are required to provide. Sometimes it can be related to the frequency of salary payment. For example, here in Ireland, if you get paid on a monthly basis, you must give one month’s notice for the cessation of employment.

REASONING

It is helpful to outline your reasoning for ceasing your employment. From a HR (Human Resources) perspective, they will appreciate an opportunity to address any issues which might arise, particularly if you outline a grievance. Of course, there are also positive reasons for leaving a job; and a company will also want to know if there is (or was) a way they could (or could have) kept that employee:

POTENTIAL REASONS FOR RESIGNATION
NEGATIVE REASONS	I have previously brought to your attention the issues I have/had with… Despite repeated conversations with my manager/supervisor regarding (issue), I have not had this issue resolved to my satisfaction.* Following…I have been left with no option but to bring my employment/position here/in this company to an end.
POSITIVE REASONS	I have been fortunate enough to be offered a position… Following a successful interview process… I will be pursuing studies…
This sentence could follow the opening greeting of your letter, and you could continue with something like…”I therefore am left with no other option/choice but to tender my resignation…” (+Elaboration*)

SAMPLES

Here, we put all this together with two sample resignation letters:

NEGATIVE SAMPLE
Dear HR Manager, This letter is to confirm my intention to terminate my contract of employment, providing one month’s notice as per my contract, with a view to ceasing employment on Friday 31st September. Having previously made my grievances clear regarding our workplace facilities, and following numerous unsuccessful and unsatisfactory meetings, it is with regret that I tender herewith my resignation. I trust that these grievances do not remain ignored following my departure, as several colleagues have also made their feelings clear to me but are reluctant to present themselves to management on this matter. While I have enjoyed my time working for (company name), I have arrived at this unfortunate juncture in my career due to the matters outlined above. Apart from these matters, I will look back at these years fondly, and I would like to thank management for the opportunities provided to me and for the experience gained. Yours sincerely Ronald A. Geobey

NEGATIVE SAMPLE

Dear HR Manager,

This letter is to confirm my intention to terminate my contract of employment, providing one month’s notice as per my contract, with a view to ceasing employment on Friday 31st September.

Having previously made my grievances clear regarding our workplace facilities, and following numerous unsuccessful and unsatisfactory meetings, it is with regret that I tender herewith my resignation.

I trust that these grievances do not remain ignored following my departure, as several colleagues have also made their feelings clear to me but are reluctant to present themselves to management on this matter.

While I have enjoyed my time working for (company name), I have arrived at this unfortunate juncture in my career due to the matters outlined above. Apart from these matters, I will look back at these years fondly, and I would like to thank management for the opportunities provided to me and for the experience gained.

Yours sincerely

Ronald A. Geobey

POSITIVE SAMPLE
Dear Mr. Smith, I hereby tender my resignation from my position as (position/title), effective from the end of this month. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you and the company for allowing me to pursue my studies while I worked, as this has enabled me not only to achieve my qualifications, but also to gain invaluable knowledge and workplace experience that I can take with me as I progress in my career. It will be difficult to say goodbye to everyone, but I wish you and my colleagues all the best in the future. Warm regards Ronald A. Geobey

POSITIVE SAMPLE

Dear Mr. Smith,

I hereby tender my resignation from my position as (position/title), effective from the end of this month.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to you and the company for allowing me to pursue my studies while I worked, as this has enabled me not only to achieve my qualifications, but also to gain invaluable knowledge and workplace experience that I can take with me as I progress in my career.

It will be difficult to say goodbye to everyone, but I wish you and my colleagues all the best in the future.

Warm regards

Ronald A. Geobey

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