3 Resignation Letter Templates To Use

After deciding to leave your firm, you would need to make this official by submitting a formal resignation letter. A resignation letter informs your manager that you are leaving, and sets out key details such as your notice period, your last day, reasons for leaving and more. More importantly, a polite and appropriate resignation letter allows you to leave your company on a positive note. What better way to craft your resignation letter than by working off proven resignation letter templates?

In fact, with the right resignation letter examples and samples, writing a resignation letter shouldn’t be difficult. In this article, we explain the basic structure of the resignation letter template, tips when crafting your resignation letter and set out some resignation letter templates. Regardless of the reasons for your resignation, we provide different examples to help you write a respectful resignation letter that you can then modify to suit your needs.

1. Basic Structure Of Resignation Letter Templates

State your name and job position

You may be thinking, why do I have to state my name and job position? Shouldn’t my boss already know that information?

Technically, yes. However, a resignation letter is usually also sent to the human resources department for further processing and recording. Therefore, it is critical for you to clearly state your name and job title so that your resignation is well documented. 

Express your gratitude

Furthermore, it is good to write a short paragraph thanking your boss and colleagues for their support during your time in the company. You can also consider wishing the company well for the future. This allows you to leave a positive impression before you leave and to part ways in a friendly manner. 

Housekeeping matters 

There are some important housekeeping matters you should state in your resignation letter. Firstly, you should clearly set out the length of your resignation notice period, as stated in your employment contract. This could range from 1 week to several months. Accordingly, you should also provide the last day at the company. 

Additionally, you can also consider listing the steps you will take to assist with the transition of the job to your replacement. For instance, ensuring that all outstanding tasks are completed and that you will provide a proper handover list for your replacement.

Provide your reasons for resigning (Optional)

There may be many reasons why you may want to resign from your current company. In fact, a lot of them could be negative. However, as you write your resignation letter, you may want to refrain from focusing on the unpleasant or negative ones. If you do want to provide some negative feedback, you can always do so during the exit interview with your human resources staff.

By doing this, you potentially avoid burning any bridges and leave the firm on a good note.

Here are some common and valid reasons for leaving:

1. Changing careers into a new industry
2. Seeking different career options (for example, more travel opportunities)
3. Exploring a different working environment
4. Personal or family circumstances
5. Furthering your education

Provide your personal contact information (Optional)

If you treasure the relationships you’ve developed at your company, you can consider sharing your personal contact details in the letter. This will allow you to stay in touch with your old employer and maintain your professional network.

2. Tips When Writing Your Resignation Letter

Be upfront

It is important to be upfront and direct about the purpose of your letter. You should mention that you are resigning at the start of the resignation letter.  

Maintain professionalism

Even until your last day, you should remain professional. This means strictly no badmouthing of your manager, colleagues and the firm in general. You may be surprised at how fast negative news spreads. The same goes for your resignation letter. There shouldn’t be criticisms, insults and complaints in your resignation letter.

Proofread your resignation letter

The resignation letter may very well be one of the last documents that you provide in the company. Thus, you would want to leave a good last impression. You can do this by proofreading your resignation letter to avoid obvious and glaring grammatical and typographical errors. 

Get a second opinion

It is helpful to seek a second opinion on your resignation letter, whether from friends or family. They might be able to offer you objective advice on your letter. This could allow you to further improve and refine your resignation letter to make it sound more polite and appropriate.

In some cases, you can consider seeking legal advice. For instance, if you were unfairly treated or forced to resign, there may be certain items you would want to include in your resignation letter for that will aid your legal case in the future. Additionally, you can consider getting expert legal advice if you are unsure of your rights and benefits relating to resignation and want to have more clarity.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the different resignation letter templates!

3. Resignation Letter Samples

Template 1 — Basic Resignation Letter Template

To: [Manager’s Name]
[Date of Letter]

Dear [Manager’s Name],

Please accept this letter as official notice of my formal resignation from my position as [your position] in [company’s name]. I intend for this notice to be effective as of today’s date and accordingly, my last day will be [date of last day].

This was not an easy decision for me to make, and I am grateful for all the support and help that you and our other colleagues have given me along the way. I have learnt a lot here and have enjoyed working with everyone in the team.

Thank you for the opportunities and help that you have provided me during my time with the firm and I wish the company every success in the future.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Name]

Template 2 — Comprehensive Resignation Letter Template

To: [Manager’s name]
[Date of Letter]

Dear [Manager’s name],

I am writing to provide you with formal notice of my resignation from the position as [your position] in [company’s name]. I would like to give [notice period eg 2 weeks] of notice, effective from today’s date. Therefore, my last day in the company will be [date of last day].

I have decided to resign because of [your reason for resigning eg you’ve an offer at a fast-growing startup, you’re looking to change industry, further your studies etc]. This was not a decision I’ve taken lightly. However, after much consideration, I am ready to pursue this new opportunity as [further elaborate on your chosen reason for resigning eg you would like to experience a different working environment, to challenge yourself in new ways etc]. 

Working with the team has been such a positive experience and one which I am very grateful for. I am highly appreciative of all the guidance and support that you and the other colleagues have given me along the way. I have learnt a lot here and cherish the professional relationships I have developed with you and the rest of our colleagues in the company.

During this [notice period eg 2 weeks], I will provide all the necessary assistance for a smooth transition of responsibilities to [your replacement’s name]. This includes ensuring that my work is completed and that my tasks are properly handed over to [your replacement’s name].

Thank you once again for the opportunities you have provided me during my time at the company. I wish you and the company all the best and look forward to staying in touch. You can reach me at [your personal email address] or [your personal telephone number].

Yours sincerely,
[Your signature]
[Your name]

Template 3 — Email Resignation Letter Template

To: [Manager’s email address]
Subject Line: Notice of resignation — [Your name]

Dear [Manager’s name],

Please accept this e-mail as my formal resignation from [company’s name]. My last day will be on [date of last day], which is [notice period eg 2 weeks] from today.

Thank you for all the help and support during my past few [months/years] in the company. It was a pleasure working with you and the rest of the team during this time. One of the key highlights of my career here was when we [elaborate on a key highlight eg how you worked together with the team to successfully achieve a shared goal].

During my last [notice period eg 2 weeks] at the company, I will do everything I can to complete my outstanding work and train other team members. I am available to assist with the recruitment and training of my replacement, and I will update all reporting and records before my last day of work. Do let me know if there’s anything else I can do to facilitate a smooth transition of responsibilities.

I very much look forward to keeping in touch with you. You can reach me anytime at my personal email [your personal email address], or on my mobile phone [your personal mobile number].

Yours sincerely,
[Your name]

Conclusion

Having a well-crafted resignation letter is important. It ensures that you leave the company on positive terms and your professional connections remain intact. Who knows, you might one day need to rely on this very professional network for future job references. Also, if you ever decide to return to your old company, at least you’ll know who you can contact. Armed with the above resignation letter templates and examples, we are confident that you will be able to create a respectful and powerful resignation letter that is uniquely yours.

Also, check out our career tips in Singapore to help you succeed faster in your professional career! 

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