Writing the Perfect Resignation Letter

There will come a time when you decide it is best to leave the role you’re in and wish to resign. The first step of this process is writing a resignation letter. Whatever the reasons are for your departure, you’ll need to inform your Manager of your intention to terminate your employment. Though it’s not a legal requirement, most Employers will want to have a physical copy of this document as proof that you voluntarily resigned from their organisation.

There are a couple of things you need to think about including in your resignation letter to make sure that the transition period goes smoothly and there’s no negativity around your departure. We’ve put together some useful key points to consider and included a resignation letter template for you to download and use if you’re having trouble.

Whilst you’re personalising your Resignation Letter Template, we recommend you keep the following in mind:

  • Keep your letter concise and polite.

  • Keep it in a neat MS Word document, then print it, date it and sign it, and personally hand it to your Manager.

  • When stating the reason for your resignation, make sure it is simple and clear. Don't overcomplicate it.

  • Avoid any negative comments about your time with the organisation, and leave out any criticism. As helpful as you think it might be, your resignation letter is not the place to give feedback. You'll get the chance to give any constructive criticism you'd like to give in your exit interview.

  • Give the notice period that is agreed upon in your contract. This time may vary depending on your position. Be sure to double check this when you're writing your letter to make sure you've given a long enough notice period.

  • Help your employer through the transition in any way you can, and ask if there is anything you can do to make things easier for them.

  • Finally, export your resignation letter as a PDF document and give it to your Manager, so that they can forward it to the Human Resources department. This is good practice all round and ensures that your company has your resignation letter on record.