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So you're handing in your resignation?
Well assuming they don't escort you off the premises
straight away, they will probably ask you to hand
in your resignation letter. Clearly you can't say,
"I hated my boss, I was offered more money
elsewhere" when writing a letter of resignation!
Well, you could, but you would end up burning some
bridges.
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This article will cover how to write
a resignation letter so you don't end up killing
your career a few years down the line!
An example of why you need to write
a good resignation letter
A hypothetical situation:
You are in a job you hate. Your boss is a tyrant
and the pay sucks. So you start looking for another
job and after a while of ducking out for interviews,
you are made an offer.
You walk out without a word - you don't
leave a resignation letter.
That's fine at the time, but a few years down
the line, your new employer has expanded and you
have been promoted. You are going for a new contract
for the firm, which will mean big money (and big
commission). You head out to meet your new potential
client and who are you faced with? Your
old boss, now in charge of a new department /
company / whatever.
Many careers these days are built and broken
on personal relationships, so by writing a letter
of resignation when you leave a job can help protect
possible future relationships.
In the short term, writing a letter of resignation
can ensure you receive a decent reference from
your ex-employer.
How to write a resignation letter
Writing a letter of resignation can be tough.
You are handing in your resignation for
a reason - either you don't like your
job or you have beeen offered a better one.
So it's going to be tough to try and write an
amicable letter that won't anger your boss. A
lot of employers do take a personal interest in
their staff and can take it as a personal failure
if a valued member of staff leaves. Remember,
they also have to report to their boss and explain
why their team / department / office is a member
of staff down.
Your aim when writing a letter of resignation
should be to create a document which your boss
can hold in his / her hand and feel absolved of
any blame or fault over your departure.
It doesn't matter that they were wrong! You need
to put your personal feelings behind you - now
isn't the time to say what you "really"
feel!
Some areas you should cover when you write
your letter of resignation:
- Thank your employer for your time there.
- Explain briefly why you are leaving.
- If your reasons for leaving are going to cause
more ill-feeling then make something up!
- If you can't think of anything then just use
the catch-all excuse of being offered a better
package elsewhere!
Example of a resignation letter
It's hard to come up with an example of a resignation
letter, because like covering letters and CV or
resumes, they are fairly personal documents. But
there are some general points you can remember.
- Personal opening.You know
your bosses name, so use it. Open your letter
with Dear John, etc.
- Get to the point.Your opening
sentence (and subject line) should be brief
and to the point. Subject: Letter of Resignation
- Briefly state your reasons.Note
the points in the previous section about this.
- Make sure you have tied up loose ends.If
you have work that someone will need to take
over, create a separate document to attach to
your resignation later which lists important
stuff like urgent work or passwords, etc.
- Offer to stay a reasonable amount
of time.More often than not, it won't
be taken up on, but it is a good parting gesture
to make. Offering time to train up a replacement
(or hire one) is a good way for your employer
to remember you (ie, as oppose to just walking
out).
- End professionally.Thank
your employer for your time with the company,
stating how much you appreciate it.
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