Write a Resignation Letter and Quit Without Harm Feelings

Remember that when you write a letter, whatever you put in there and submit can never be undone. Regardless of the circumstances, you must always be professional in your dealings with the company. To make sure your resignation is well received, you can also check some resignation letter samples before starting to write yours.

Before you write a resignation letter, go through a process of clearing your mind :

Ask yourself if you really want to resign : Sometimes emotions will get the best of us. Feelings of frustration and anger leave us vulnerable to moments of weakness. Assess your situation and find out if a resignation will be the best decision for everyone involved.

Review your job contract : There are stipulations in your job contract that have to do with resignations. Review these carefully and if uncertain of the repercussions, clarify the provisions with your company’s Human Resources group or a lawyer.

Talk to a trusted friend or confidante : If your mind remains unclear, invite a close friend or confidante out for coffee and talk to him or her about your situation. Choose a friend who will not hesitate to speak his or her mind. You want someone who can give you sound advice; not an enabler.

Talk to your supervisor : It may even be a good idea to talk to your supervisor especially if you have a good working relationship with him or her. If you are resigning out of health reasons or because you want to spend more time with your family, a supervisor may help find a win-win situation for everyone.

Take some time off : When you received all the advice and opinions you need, take some time off to process everything. Determine the consequences of your decision. In the end, it has to benefit everyone: you, your family and the company itself.

You know you are ready to write the resignation letter when you feel more comfortable about the idea of resignation without feeling anger toward the company.

When Writing Your Resignation Letter

Even if you woke up smiling and feeling good about yourself, the moment of finally writing down the resignation letter may still trigger spiteful emotions.

It is always a good idea to write the draft of your resignation letter with pen and paper instead of a word processor. Writing with pen and paper creates a direct link between your mind, the heart and your hand. There are no other filters; everything is done in real time.

The link between heart and mind will often result in conflict; which one will rule the other? Even with a template as a guide, there will always be the urge to mix ink with venom. The end result will cascade down to your hand and manifest itself on the piece of paper.

A resignation letter can be straight-forward but there are sections which may trigger emotional cues :

• The usual company policy is to allow a 30- day grace period prior to the effective date of resignation to allow management to find and train a replacement.

Be a professional and offer to complete all tasks on or before the conclusion of the grace period. Go one step further and offer to help management train the replacement.

• You should always conclude the resignation letter by extending well wishes to your former company.

• It is within reason to state the reason or reasons of the resignation. The purpose is to iron out strained feelings and elucidate points that do not allude to ill will toward the company.

The problem when writing a resignation letter with emotion is that while the intent is sincere, the execution may become compromised.

The rule is if you plan to cite your reasons, keep it short and to the point. Most of all do not lambast or denigrate any personality from the company.Read every draft and make an honest review of your content. It may take awhile especially if you continue to wrestle with emotions.

Once you have come up with the best draft, ask your trusted friend or confidante to give it a look over. Ask him or her to assess the level of professionalism and to check if it leaves a positive impression.If you are comfortable with the content, then prepare to put it to print.

After You Have Printed Out Your Resignation Letter

The day has come to submit your resignation letter to the company. Make sure to print 2 to 3 copies. The procedure is to submit one for Human Resources and the other to your immediate supervisor. The third copy is the receiving copy; this has to be signed by the recipients of the other letters as your proof that protocol was observed.

You should leave the company the same way you got in. Always hand-carry the resignation letters to your company. Submit them personally to Human Resources and take the time to thank them for the opportunity extended to you.Try to see your immediate supervisor and have a final talk with him or her before you walk through the office for the final time. It’s not just about submitting your resignation letter personally. It is also about ensuring bridges are not burned with your company.

If the supervisor was integral to your reason for resigning, consider the final meeting as an opportunity to thank him or her for the experiences, both good and bad. Do not bring up the incident as your decision to resign has already been made.

A resignation presents new challenges in the horizon. In the next 24 hours, your life will be different. Thus, resignation does not mean the end of a chapter but in ways represents the beginning of a new one.