Introduction
You're leaving your current job. You've worked through the process of deciding whether or not it's the right decision, and now you're ready to announce it to your team. While you have some options for how to phrase your resignation letter, resigning is still a difficult conversation. It might be tempting to just say "I quit" and move on with your life, but there are better options out there that will help everyone involved. So what do you say? We've got some tips below:
Be honest.
Be honest with yourself and your team. Be honest with the company and its shareholders. Be honest with your boss, even if you don’t think it will make a difference or if it might hurt their feelings. And be honest about what you want to do next because that is a big part of why you’re leaving!
When I asked former employees why they resigned, most said it was because they had an opportunity elsewhere or wanted to try something new (or both). If this sounds like you and there are no other reasons than those two, then say so! Tell them what led up to this decision and how confident you feel about making it happen—because in reality, they probably won't know whether or not these opportunities exist until they ask themselves some questions too.
Be polite and professional.
Be polite, but firm.
This is your boss, not a friend. As such, it's important to maintain a level of professionalism in your tone and word choice when responding to this question. That doesn't mean you can't be friendly or personable; just don't get overly familiar with your words or mannerisms. Make sure that any apologies are genuine and address them directly to them—don't use phrases like "I'm sorry," "excuse me," or "sorry about that."
Use 'I' statements instead of 'you' statements whenever possible. It may be tempting to blame your boss or the company for whatever it was that led up to this moment; however, doing so will only make them defensive and potentially damage relationships with people who could help you get back on track after leaving your current job (for example, if they happen upon an opening at another company). Instead of saying things like "The company needs better leadership," try something more neutral like:
"Leadership is crucial in any organization."
Get that feedback you've been after, so you can grow professionally.
Be professional. Avoid complaining about work or your boss to your employer—this is not a time to vent, but rather a time to ask for feedback and say goodbye in the most gracious way possible.
Ask for feedback. Asking how you can grow professionally might seem like an awkward question, but it's important in this situation because it will give you some answers as well as show that you care enough to want more from yourself and your career path than just leaving on bad terms with an employer.
Ask if they have any advice for you going forward: If they do, you may want to take their advice! You may be surprised by how much value there is in hearing what another person has learned from their experience working with different companies or people over time—and if nothing else, this is an opportunity for them to tell you exactly why so many other employees come back to work after leaving jobs themselves! It could also be invaluable information when it comes time for references!
Do what needs to be done so you can move onto the next thing for yourself.
Being honest is the best way to go about your resignation. It's a tough conversation for everyone involved, so you want to make sure that your manager knows the real reason why you're leaving. It's also important that they know how much they mean to you and how much their support has meant over the years, even if it isn't directly related to work.
Being polite is another must! You want them to feel respected and valued during this process so that they'll be able to continue caring for their employees as well as themselves in future jobs.
Your manager will also appreciate knowing any details of why you are resigning and what they can do better going forward so that they don't lose other valuable employees down the road like yourself because of similar situations (if applicable).
It may be difficult talking about these things openly but providing constructive feedback in this manner can help improve processes at companies because it gives management insight into where improvements need made before someone else leaves due solely because their personal situation wasn't handled professionally enough by upper management."
Conclusion
If you follow these steps, you should be able to write a great resignation letter that will leave your employer with good feelings about their time with you. Remember, this is a two-way street! You’ll want to make sure it’s genuinely positive for both parties involved so that everyone involved can move on from this experience with something positive and constructive.