Writing a resignation letter is no easy task. Quitting a job is always a dramatic process, so it can be difficult to find the right words to avoid escalating tension. Additionally, if you are unhappy with your current job, it can be easy to accidentally have negative emotions slip into your letter. It is important that your letter is strong, however, or you may inadvertently burn bridges you did not intend to. Before you begin writing, take a look at our resignation letter with 30 days notice period templates. These templates, plus the included writing guide, will help you tackle this challenge.Resignation Letter With 30 Days Notice Period Template
Below you see an example resignation letter written by George Halbert. George works as a service captain, but he has received an offer for a job in the field in which he eventually wants to make a career. He is choosing to take this opportunity and is writing his current employer. His letter effectively captures the parts of his job that will benefit his long-term plans, even though it was not in his preferred field.
Dear George Halbert,
Please accept this letter as my formal resignation from the position of service captain. As per the contract I signed when I began, I am submitting my resignation 30 days prior to my final date. Therefore, my last day working as service captain will be April 3rd.
I am excited to advance my career and move closer to fulfilling my long-term career goals. As I move forward, I will utilize the skills I developed in this position, including management, service, communication, and administration. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to build these skills, as well as the relationships I established here.
Of course, I would like to do anything I can during these final 30 days to make the transition as simple as possible. As soon as you have chosen which employee will be my replacement, I would be happy to help train him or her to fill my role. In particular, I feel Emily has the skills necessary to thrive as the new service captain.
Thank you again for the four years I have spent with this company. I appreciate all the help I have received.
Respectfully yours,
Caleb Tailor
A resignation letter serves multiple purposes. First and foremost, it acts as an official documentation of your intent to leave. It also informs employers of your plans, sets an official final date for yourself, and helps establish the relationship you have with others before leaving. Your goal should be to minimize negative feelings, so be respectful, professional, and tactful.
As you see in this resignation letter with 30 days notice period template, it is best to state your intentions immediately and directly. Begin by stating your name and your position, as well as the final day you intend to work. You do not need to apologize for leaving, and in fact, doing so weakens your document. You should keep your audience in mind and think about who specifically will be reading your letter. Review your contract before you submit a resignation letter. The specifics of your contract will determine the dynamics in your letter. If your contract requires you to stay in your position, you need to meet with your HR manager before writing and discuss how you can leave. Submitting a resignation letter with a notice period is courteous, although not always required.
We recommend keeping your resignation letter brief. It should have an introduction, body, and conclusion paragraph. All three of these paragraphs together should be less than a page. In this case, less is more. Keep your letter simple, concise, focused, and professional. If you follow all these writing tips, you can create a resignation letter that elegantly closes your time working in your current position.
The biggest mistake made when writing a resignation letter is destroying your relationships. It can be tempting to try to make your departure as permanent as possible, but this is foolish because you never know what the future holds. To keep your letter positive and professional, thank the reader for the opportunity to work in this position. It is best to mention the aspects that benefitted you. If you did not enjoy the position, do not let any negative emotions manifest themselves in your writing. Be especially careful to avoid any passive aggressive writing. Even if you can honestly say that you did not benefit from the position in any way, writing a neutral letter is much better than a negative one. In this case, you should still thank the reader, but you do not need to get into details about what you enjoyed or why you appreciated the opportunity.
There is very little follow up required when submitting a resignation letter. You do, however, need to meet with your employer to make sure you are both on the same page. This meeting can actually happen before you submit your letter if you so choose. The specifics of what you discuss with your employer depend on your unique contract. In some cases, you may need to discuss the legality of your resignation. Additionally, it is courteous to let your colleagues know about your departure. This is not a requirement, but some may take offense if you disappear without even saying anything.
1. Give proper notice ahead of time
Some contracts require employees to give prior notice to resigning. The standard is two weeks, although sometimes the requirement is as many as 30 days. Even if you are not obligated to give prior notice, it is courteous to do so.
2. Thank your employers for the working opportunity
No matter what your actual feelings for the position or your co-workers are, your letter should be thankful and positive. Do not think about the aspects you did not enjoy when writing. If at all possible, try to mention a few aspects you genuinely enjoyed about the position.
3. Avoid apologizing or being indirect
While resigning can be dramatic or tense, you are not doing anyone wrong by quitting. You do not need to and should not apologize. Likewise, beating around the bush in your letter does no one any favors.
4. Make the transition as easy as possible
It is courteous to do whatever you can to smooth out the transition period. You may offer to train your replacement or even simply ask what you could do to help.
5. Include respectful and tactful writing
Even if you never intend to return to this position, it is beneficial to maintain your relationships as a part of your network or as references.