Resignation and Letter Construction

1. You should always resign on a Friday…its less awkward on all fronts…and puts space between you and your current employer
2. When resigning, do it verbally and have a typed letter in your hand and do it first thing in the morning
3. Keep the letter short and direct… The letter should include:
   This letter serves as_________________
   Effective Date_____________________
   My last day of employment is_____________
   Something nice about your experience with the company…Such as “I have enjoyed my time here”
   Most importantly…”Please let me know what I can do to make this transition as smooth as possible”.
   Remember, you do not need to thank them. That is your choice, but you have done a great job for this company and they too have benefited from your employment.
4. You are not required or obligated to tell the current employer where you are going. If they ask, it is best to say “I’m not going to the competition (since that will be the employers biggest fear)…however, I am not comfortable sharing that information at this time. Once I get settled in, I will drop you a line with all of my contact information”.
5. Remember that if you tell your current employer where you are going it opens the door for a frustrated “sour grapes” manager to bash your new company and play into the normal fear you have when making a job change. It is perfectly normal to have a hint of “cold feet” when making a move, no matter how wonderful the new opportunity may be. The employer, upon hearing your resignation, will likely be surprised, disappointed and sometimes even angry to lose such a valuable member of his/her team. Understand that you are coming to them with a statement, a declaration, and not a request. You have made the decision to leave and your only focus is what you can do to “make this transition go smoothly, as to not disrupt the current team environment”

View our sample resignation letter here.