Writing a resignation letter to tell your boss you have to leave for personal reasons is difficult. Your emotions are at the surface, but you must maintain a professional tone to protect your future employment opportunities.Maybe you’re working through a divorce or struggling with a debilitating health condition. For whatever reason you’re leaving, you must not allow your distress to influence the professionalism of your resignation. You may say things you will regret later. This simple mistake could put you in a position where it is difficult to get new work when things have calmed down in your life.Eliminate the risk of emotional clouding with one of our resignation letter due to personal reasons templates. We’ll walk you through word selection and formatting, so you are confident you’ve written an appropriate letter. Review our template below.
Tanner Scott is writing to let her boss know she’s leaving her position as leader of a competitive team so she can spend more time with her dying mother. Tanner’s current job requires hours of overtime weekly and time off is not an option. Tanner loves her job and really struggled with the decision to take a job with less responsibility. Tanner does a great job of maintaining a positive, professional tone throughout her letter.
Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation. I’m leaving my position with the publicity group at Trumpet International Broadcast Group. As per our agreement in my contract, I am giving a two-week notice. My last day with TIBG will be October 27th.
Thank you for the opportunity to work at TIBG for the past 16 years. I am grateful for challenging opportunities and growth presented to me as an individual and as a team leader. I enjoyed the chance to interact with other professionals and clients, learning more about the importance of visibility, and ongoing communication. I have gained valuable skills related to the use of social media, television, and radio spots. This growth and these skills will stay with me throughout my career.
During my remaining time, I plan to work closely with Joe Simmons who will be taking over my position as team leader. I will also assist Joe in training his replacement, Daisy Ricardo, who is a new hire. Before I leave, I’ll have time to wrap up the Litwick project and divert incoming projects to the appropriate teams. Please let me know how I can help TIBG in any other way.
I wish all the best to the company and its employees. I look forward to tracking the progress of TIBG in the future.
Sincerely,
Tanner Scott
The purpose of this letter is to accomplish three things: let your employers know you’re leaving, express appreciation for mentoring and growth, and outline your plan for transitioning your duties to other employees. A resignation letter could affect your reputation with the company you’re leaving and possibly with future employers, so it’s important to write carefully. Remember to keep your present and future employers in mind as you write this letter.
First, include three main elements: the opening, body, and conclusion. Keep these three sections brief, tactful, and positive, as in the resignation letter due to personal reasons template. In most cases, the letter should be no more than one page. Use the introduction to get right to the point. State your intent to resign and include the date you intend to leave.
Within the body, discuss the positive aspects of your time with your employer. You may refer to things you’ve learned or happy memories you’ve made. Be sure to thank your employers politely and leave your best wishes.
Finally, use the conclusion to detail how you intend to complete any tasks that remain. Give the names of colleagues who will fill your role and describe how you plan to prepare them to take over. You should identify any projects you intend to complete.
If you feel your emotions are overwhelming you and may affect the tone of the letter, take a break and return to your writing when you are calm. This isn’t a letter you should write when your feelings are out of control. Your actions upon leaving could establish your reputation for being a reliable worker.
Little mistakes can have long term consequences. If there were things that bothered you about your existing job, only address them politely. For example, you may have felt you didn’t have enough opportunities for advancement. You may share this in your letter, but work the comment in as a positive thing, if possible. Really try to focus on maintaining a positive tone without insulting your boss or coworkers.
When resigning for personal reasons, carefully consider how much you should share with your employer. You aren’t compelled to share the details of your personal life. If you choose to share, carefully weigh the impact of the information.
Don’t give in to the temptation to use your resignation letter to lash out about factors you didn’t like about the workplace. Burning bridges as you leave can harm your future employment and professional opportunities. Stick to positive facts, express gratitude honestly, and maintain your professionalism.
After writing your letter, it is appropriate to have a one-on-one discussion with your boss, alerting her or him that you’re leaving. If you haven’t already done so, it is vital that you have the conversation after you’ve turned in the letter.
When speaking with your employer, discuss how you plan to transfer your duties and projects to other employees. Ask how you can help your employer and offer your assistance to coworkers. If you plan to train new employees, discuss how to start immediately.
You aren’t required to tell your coworkers you’re leaving, but it is polite to do so. You don’t have to share your personal reasons for leaving, but you may want to prepare a statement, such as “I’m ready for new opportunities.” Your colleagues will appreciate this thoughtfulness and may offer to provide references for future job applications.
1. Keep your tone professional and emotions in check
Take note of the friendly, thoughtful tone in the resignation letter template. Your letter should also sound sincere and professional. Keep your future employment in mind as you write.
2. Get straight to the point
The template above begins immediately with the notice of resignation. Your message should also be direct, clearly detailing the primary purpose of the letter.
3. Check your contract to ensure you follow appropriate protocol
Before you get too serious with your new employer, read through your contract. Fulfill all of the requirements laid out in that document. Address any terms, such as giving two weeks’ notice, either fulfilling those terms or detailing how you plan to accomplish them.
4. Remember to be sincere
If you’re excited to leave this position, it is still important to leave on a positive note. Just be careful to be sincere. You may feel there’s nothing positive to say. If this is the case, carefully consider any skills you’ve learned or opportunities that provided growth. At the very least, thank your employer for the chance to work with the company.
5. Review your letter for any mistakes
It’s a good rule of thumb to always review official documents for spelling or grammatical errors. This is especially important as this may be the final document to go in your official file. Make sure you leave the best impression possible with your previous employer.