Examples of a Good Resignation Letter

There comes a time in the careers of most individuals when a new job opportunity will present itself. But, once this new position has appeared, how do you resign from your current one? This is when you’ll have the difficult task of writing a resignation letter ahead of you.

Things to Keep in Mind

A good resignation letter is a simple one. There is no real need to elaborate farther than you have to. Be clear and concise. If there is more to the story regarding why you are leaving your current role, let that be known in a face-to-face meeting with your manager or direct supervisor. 

A couple key factors in writing a good resignation letter is that you hit all the important marks: date of your notice, last date of employment, your current position, and a friendly anecdote that will leave a door open with your current company. Again, this is not the place to air your grievances; leave those notes to address in your exit interview. 

You can address the letter to either your direct supervisor or, in some instances you may have to send it straight to HR (Human Resources). Don’t know who to talk to?

You can look up your company’s handbook (if there is one) or you can ask around. If it doesn’t get to the correct person the first time, follow-up with who you sent it to, the same day you sent it, and make sure it gets into the right hands. You can check out additional tips on how to write a resignation letter here. 

Below are a couple examples of good resignation letters. 

Resignation Letter Example A:

[Header with your name]                                                         [Date]
[Address]
[Contact Information]

To [Insert name here], 

I, [state your name], am formally resigning from my position as [insert role here]. This resignation is effective immediately and my last day of employment will be [insert date here]. I have learned valuable skills in my time with [insert company name here] that I will carry through the rest of my professional career. Thank you for the opportunity to help me grow. 

Best,
[Insert name here and place your signature underneath]

Resignation Letter Example B:

[Header with your name]                                                        [Date]
[Address]
[Contact Information]

To Head of Human Resources [insert their name if you know it],

Effective as of [insert date here], I, [state your name], am putting in my official resignation as [insert role here]. I have found my time with [insert company name] most valuable and I hope to have proven an asset to the company. I look forward to my future endeavors and thank you for all the knowledge I have gained. I hope to keep our lines of communication open. My last day will be [insert date here]. 

Thank you again for this opportunity to work at [insert company name here].

Sincerely, 

[Insert name here with signature underneath]

For more tips on writing a good resignation letter, as well as other aspects of the job search process, please browse our advice section.