How to Write a Resignation Letter (Templates & Examples)

Writing a resignation letter feels high-stakes because it is. The letter becomes part of your employee record, shapes your manager’s final impression of you, and can influence future references for years. A sloppy or emotionally charged letter undermines months or years of good work.

The good news: resignation letters follow a predictable structure. Once you know what to include, what to leave out, and how to handle the conversations that follow, the process is manageable. This guide walks through everything, from timing your resignation to handling a counteroffer. If you want to skip ahead and generate your letter now, our free Resignation Letter Generator produces polished letters in five different templates.

When to Submit Your Resignation

Timing matters more than most people realize. Resign too early and you spend weeks in an awkward limbo. Resign too late and you burn a bridge with your new employer before you even start.

Wait for the Signed Offer

Never resign based on a verbal offer. Verbal promises can evaporate. Budget freezes, hiring manager changes, and internal restructuring can all kill an offer between the handshake and the paperwork. Wait until you have a written offer letter with a start date, salary, and any negotiated terms confirmed in writing. Only then should you begin the resignation process.

Calculate Your Notice Period

Two weeks is the standard in most U.S. industries. However, several factors may extend that:

• Your employment contract: Some contracts specify 30, 60, or even 90 days notice. Violating this can trigger financial penalties or forfeit certain benefits.
• Your seniority: Senior managers and executives typically give 30 days. Directors and C-suite may give 60-90 days to allow for succession planning.
• Your industry: Some fields (healthcare, education, government) have longer standard notice periods.
• Ongoing projects: If you’re leading a critical project near completion, extending your notice by a week or two can preserve the relationship.

Work backward from your new employer’s start date. If your new job starts on March 15 and you owe two weeks notice, submit your resignation no later than March 1. Build in a few days of buffer between your last day at the old job and your first day at the new one.

Choose the Right Day

Submit your resignation at the beginning of the week, not on a Friday. This gives your manager the full week to process the news, consult with HR, and begin transition planning. Resigning on a Friday leaves your manager stewing over the weekend with no way to take action.

What to Include in Your Resignation Letter

A resignation letter has four core elements. Every effective letter covers all four without going beyond a single page.

1. Clear Statement of Resignation

Open with an unambiguous declaration. The reader should know your intention within the first sentence:

I am writing to formally notify you of my resignation from my
position as Marketing Manager at Acme Corporation. My last day
of work will be March 14, 2025.

State your position title and your last working day. This prevents any confusion about which role you’re leaving and when the company needs a replacement.

2. Gratitude and Positive Reflection

Even if your experience was mixed, find something genuine to appreciate. The skills you developed, a project you’re proud of, a mentor who helped you grow — mention one or two specific positives:

The three years I have spent at Acme have been formative for my
career. Working on the product launch in 2023 taught me how to
manage cross-functional teams under tight deadlines, and that
experience shaped who I am as a professional today.

This isn’t about being dishonest. It’s about leaving a record that reflects well on you. Hiring managers at future companies may contact your former employer. What they hear about your departure often matters more than what they hear about your performance.

3. Offer to Assist the Transition

Volunteering to help with the handover is the single most appreciated gesture in a resignation. It shows professionalism and consideration:

During my remaining two weeks, I am happy to assist in training
my replacement, documenting my current projects, and ensuring a
smooth transition for the team.

Follow through on this offer. Create handover documents listing your ongoing projects, key contacts, passwords for shared accounts, and upcoming deadlines. This final act of thoroughness often cements a positive reference.

4. Professional Closing

End warmly but briefly. Wish the team success and offer to stay in touch:

Thank you for the opportunities and support during my time here.
I wish you and the team continued success.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

What to Leave Out

What you exclude from a resignation letter is as valuable as what you include.

Complaints and Grievances

Your resignation letter isn’t the place to air frustrations about management, compensation, workload, or office politics. These complaints become part of your permanent file and can be shared with people you didn’t intend to read them. If you have constructive feedback, deliver it verbally during the exit interview where it can be discussed in context.

Detailed Reasons for Leaving

You’re not required to explain why you’re leaving. A vague reference is sufficient: “pursuing a new opportunity” or “for personal reasons.” Detailed explanations often create awkward situations. If you mention a higher salary at the new company, it invites a counteroffer conversation you may not want. If you cite management issues, it creates defensiveness.

Negative Comparisons

Never mention your new employer by name or compare it favorably to your current company. Statements like “Company X offers better work-life balance” or “I am joining a company that values innovation” are thinly veiled insults that achieve nothing positive.

Apologies for Leaving

Don’t apologize for your decision. Resignation is a normal part of professional life. Excessive apologizing signals that you feel guilty, which shifts the power dynamic in conversations that follow.

Handling the Resignation Conversation

Submit the letter after speaking with your manager face-to-face. Not the other way around. Your manager shouldn’t learn about your resignation by reading a letter on their desk or an email in their inbox.

The In-Person Meeting

Request a brief private meeting. Keep it short and professional:

1. State that you’re resigning and provide your last day
2. Express gratitude for your time at the company
3. Offer to help with the transition
4. Hand over or email the written letter

Most managers appreciate honesty and direct communication. Avoid lengthy explanations or emotional speeches. If your manager asks why you’re leaving, a brief answer is appropriate: “I accepted a position that aligns with my long-term career goals.” You’re not obligated to share details.

If You Work Remotely

Request a video call rather than breaking the news over Slack or email. The personal element matters. After the call, send the written letter via email with your manager and HR copied.

Handling a Counteroffer

If you’re a valued employee, there’s a reasonable chance your employer will try to keep you. Counteroffers come in many forms: salary increases, promotions, schedule flexibility, new projects, or promises of future changes.

Decide Before the Conversation

Make your decision about counteroffers before you resign, not in the moment. Research consistently shows that employees who accept counteroffers leave within 12 months anyway. The underlying reasons for leaving (lack of growth, cultural fit, management issues) rarely change just because the salary goes up.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• If they could offer this all along, why did it take my resignation to get it?
• Will my loyalty be questioned going forward?
• Will the reasons I wanted to leave still exist in six months?
• How will my team perceive me if I stay after announcing my departure?

Declining Gracefully

If you decide not to accept: “I appreciate the offer and it means a lot that you value my contribution. However, I have given this careful thought and believe this transition is the right move for my career at this point.”

Special Situations

Immediate Resignation

Sometimes circumstances force a resignation without standard notice: health emergencies, unsafe working conditions, family crises, or relocating for a partner’s job. In these cases, acknowledge the disruption:

Due to unforeseen personal circumstances, I am unable to provide
the standard notice period. I understand the inconvenience this
creates and am willing to assist remotely during the transition
where possible.

Be aware that resigning without notice may forfeit certain benefits (unused PTO payouts, bonuses) depending on company policy and state law. Check your employee handbook.

Resignation During Probation

If you’re still in a probationary period, the standard notice requirement may be shorter or waived entirely. Check your offer letter and employee handbook. A brief, professional letter is still appropriate even if no notice is required.

Retirement

Retirement letters carry a different emotional weight. They celebrate a career’s contributions while acknowledging the relationships built over time. Give longer notice when possible (30-60 days) to allow for proper succession planning and a farewell that honors your tenure.

After You Resign: The Final Weeks

Maintain Your Performance

The temptation to mentally check out after resigning is strong. Resist it. Your final weeks leave a lasting impression. Continue meeting deadlines, attending meetings, and contributing to the team. Colleagues notice when someone coasts to the finish line, and that impression follows you.

Complete Your Handover

Create documentation covering:

• Status of all ongoing projects
• Key contacts (internal and external)
• Recurring tasks and their schedules
• Login credentials for shared accounts
• Locations of important files and resources

The Exit Interview

Most companies conduct exit interviews through HR. This is your chance to provide constructive feedback about processes, culture, and management. Be honest but diplomatic. Focus on systemic improvements rather than personal grievances. What you say here may influence the experience of those who come after you.

Connect with Colleagues

Before your last day, connect with colleagues on LinkedIn and send personal thank-you messages to people who supported your growth. Professional networks compound over decades. The colleague sitting next to you today may become a client, business partner, or reference ten years from now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a resignation letter legally required?

No federal law mandates a written resignation. However, most companies expect written notice as part of the offboarding process. The written record protects both you and the employer by documenting the resignation date, your last working day, and the voluntary nature of your departure. If a dispute arises about unemployment benefits or final pay, the letter serves as evidence.

Can my employer fire me after I resign?

In at-will employment states (which cover most of the U.S.), yes. Some employers accept your resignation effective immediately, in which case you lose the remaining notice period’s pay. Others continue to pay you through your notice period but ask you to stop working (“garden leave”). If immediate termination is a concern, plan your finances accordingly before resigning.

Should I resign via email or in person?

Always start with an in-person conversation (or video call for remote workers), then follow up with the written letter via email. Your manager should hear the news from you directly, not from a piece of paper. The email creates the paper trail that HR needs for processing.

How do I resign from a toxic workplace?

Keep the letter especially brief and professional. Resist the urge to document everything wrong with the company. A simple “Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation, effective [date]” is sufficient. Save detailed grievances for any legal consultation you may pursue separately. The resignation letter should never be used as evidence in a dispute — it’s not the right forum.

What if my manager tries to guilt me into staying?

Emotional manipulation during a resignation conversation is a sign of poor management. Remain calm, reaffirm your decision, and redirect to the transition: “I understand this is unexpected, and I want to make the transition as smooth as possible. Let me walk you through my current projects and how I plan to hand them over.”

Generate Your Letter Now

Our free Resignation Letter Generator offers five professional templates: standard two-weeks notice, immediate resignation, career change, retirement, and short professional. Choose a template, select your tone, fill in your details, and download a polished PDF in under two minutes. No signup required.