So, you’ve been offered a new job and have signed on the dotted line to accept. Now all that is standing in between you and your shiny new role is handing in your resignation letter to your current employer.

While this isn’t usually the first step of quitting your job, you will no doubt have had an initial conversation with your boss either in-person or over a video call, it’s still important to get it right.

Your resignation letter is the official document that will be sent to the HR team. It helps to set the tone for your notice period and your relationship with the company after you leave. Bear in mind that you are more than likely to require a reference from this employer in the future, so it’s worth your while to spend some time getting it right.

To help you out, here’s a step-by-step resignation letter template to use.

Part 1: Your opening lines

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here, you just need to simply state the position you’re resigning from and the date that you will be leaving. You may have already shared the reasons why you are leaving with your boss, but even if you haven’t, you don’t need to list them here – keeping it nice and simple is fine.

For example:

Dear [Your Manager’s Name],

Please accept this letter as formal notification that I am resigning from my role as [Your Job Title] at [Company Name]. My last day will be [Date].

Part 2: Saying thank you

It’s a good idea to take the time to thank your employer for the opportunity. Even if you haven’t had a great experience working for the company, it’s best to be polite and leave a positive impression as you go.

For example:

Thank you for the opportunity to work in this position for the past [length of time you have been employed by the company]. I’ve greatly enjoyed working with you and the wider team and I appreciate the opportunities I have had to develop and grow professionally.

Part 3: Planning your handover

The last section of your letter should demonstrate that you are willing to make the transition as smooth as possible. You don’t need to go into a great amount of detail here as you can discuss the exact plan with your manager.

For example:

During my notice period, I’ll do everything possible to wrap up my duties and train other team members as required. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to make the transition as seamless as possible.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Whilst this letter may end up buried deep in the HR department’s files, getting it right will ensure that your boss, and future reference, will feel treated with respect. It also means that if you wind up coming back to the company later in your career, you’ve left things on a professional note.

Happy quitting!