It turns out that "tips and templates on how to write resignation letters" is the third most sought-after information at my Writing Help Central Web site.
So, when I looked into the subject more closely, I was surprised to find that there is not a lot of guidance available in guide book form on how to write a proper and appropriate resignation letter. In fact, a recent visit to the world's largest bookstore www.amazon.com revealed that there are no "how to" books available there that deal with the art of writing resignation letters.
Surprising, but true.
This is interesting, because when you really look into it, you realize that whether you leave a job gracefully and appropriately will almost certainly have career and personal implications, and can be almost as important as writing a resume/cv or a cover letter.
THE EMOTIONS BEHIND RESIGNATION LETTERS
A resignation letter will be one of the most emotionally- charged business letters that you will ever write. The sentiments behind it are invariably volatile because of what it represents. In fact, studies have found that leaving a job can be almost as stressful as the breakup of a marriage.
Nevertheless, it is highly advisable that not too many of those emotions, especially any negative feelings, get transferred to the written page. As much as possible, a resignation letter should be treated as a business letter, just like any other business letter.
There are a number of reasons why resignation letters have more emotional implications than most other personal or business letters. Here are the obvious ones:
- They are highly personal because they normally mark the
severance of both professional and personal relationships,
sometimes of a long-term nature.
- They typically signify the end of a period in a person's
professional and/or personal life.
- They represent the beginning of a new period or phase in
someone's personal and professional life, conjuring up
the fears that often arise with an uncertain future.
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF RESIGNATION LETTERS
Following are a number of primary characteristics that are unique to resignation letters.
Not Just Job-Related
Mention "resignation letter" and 99 of 100 people will think exclusively about job-related situations. In reality, there are a number of areas and circumstances for which recommendation letters can be required. For example, in addition to leaving jobs, resignation letters can be required for such situations as: stepping down from a committee, opting out of a course at school, leaving a club or fellowship, and others.
Sensitive and Delicate
When you submit your resignation letter it will have implications for you, the organization you are leaving, and the colleagues and friends you are leaving behind. You must realize that regardless of the real reasons behind your departure, the message received by many will be that you're leaving because the organization and/or people just don't measure up any more. This is a natural human reaction for many people and can't be entirely avoided. Just be sensitive to it and don't say, do, or write anything that unnecessarily aggravates such feelings of abandonment.
Simple Formality or Big Surprise
A resignation letter can simply be the formalization of a conversation that already took place with your boss, or an announcement you made in a meeting. On the other hand, a resignation letter can be tendered completely unannounced, as a total surprise. In fact, this is often the case in the real world. If this latter case applies in your situation, you will have to be prepared to deal with any one of a number of possible reactions from the organization and your colleagues, ranging from total acceptance, to anger, bargaining, and resentment.
Positive Beats Negative
The way in which you resign from an organization can have significant implications, both career-wise, and personally. Regardless of the circumstances and/or atmosphere surrounding your departure, you will be well-advised to take whatever measures you can to neutralize any negative factors that may be in play. The approach and wording used in the resignation letter can go a long way towards achieving this aim.
Always A Balancing Act
Writing a letter of resignation can be a bit of a balancing act. You want to be honest, clear, and firm regarding your intentions to leave, while at the same time you don't want to alienate the employer you are leaving. It would be nice for that door to remain open, or at least ajar, just in case you want to enter it in the future. After all, you never know what may happen down the road. For all you know, your current employer could end up buying the company you are moving to. So be careful about limiting your future options.
Backlash Can Be Swift
Negative impacts from a poorly written or inappropriately worded resignation letter can be almost immediate. For
example, if you are hoping to get a good recommendation or reference from the employer you're leaving, a negative resignation letter can only hurt your letter of recommendation/reference. Also, even if you don't request a recommendation letter there is nothing to stop future potential employers from checking back with organizations you have worked for.
So here's a word to to the wise. Before you blindly jump into writing a resignation letter, you might want to spend some time thinking about it and finding out how to write one that is proper and appropriate, so that it won't come back to haunt you.
To see a fully-formatted "real-life template" of a simple letter of resignation, check out the following link:
http://instantresignationletterkit.com/sampreslet.html
? 2005 by Shaun Fawcett
Shaun Fawcett, is webmaster of the popular writing help site WritingHelp-Central.com. He is also the author of several best selling "writing toolkit" eBooks. All of his eBooks and his internationally acclaimed f-r-e-e course, "Tips and Tricks For Writing Success" are available at his writing tools site: http://www.writinghelptools.com
cleaning team near Winnetka ..Suspense novels, unlike any other genre, need fast starts. Fans... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
How to get a lot of traffic to your website... Read More
What Makes a Great Headline?Headlines are far more important than... Read More
We writers are a powerful lot. We control time. We... Read More
Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire... Read More
Writing a sales letter doesn't have to be that difficult... Read More
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to... Read More
Most books aren't rejected because the stories are "bad." They're... Read More
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Complete a character questionnaire for each of... Read More
One obvious question that can get overlooked in the process... Read More
My bookcase take up one whole wall in the family... Read More
If your cash is running out fast and you have... Read More
Just about everyone is familiar with this beginning: "In the... Read More
You can create a great headline, a dynamic first sentence,... Read More
SALE, SAIL Sale is either offering something for purchase... Read More
FIVE MINUTES ... Is All You Need ........to phone a... Read More
If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel... Read More
There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More
Compiling a list of the history's ten best writers is... Read More
WRITING THE PERSONAL STATEMENT TO GET INTO UK UNIVERSITYHOW DO... Read More
As a child, I loved to write. I can't remember... Read More
A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More
You've decided to write your very own Newsletter to promote... Read More
family-safe home cleaners Northbrook ..The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?For a theme to work and the... Read More
Whether you are writing a magazine article, composing a press... Read More
Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More
I went to school to be a teacher. In fact,... Read More
Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can... Read More
Q and A.Best choice when subject is very verbal or... Read More
Good writing requires self-examination. Why is one writing? What part... Read More
Poems. Just the mention of them makes me smile. Why?... Read More
Plotting a book can seem an overwhelming task when you're... Read More
A good white paper is a paper that makes you... Read More
Hands up all those who'd like to have a successful... Read More
User documentation is all too often written by programmers for... Read More
Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More
If you haven't realized the success you wanted last year,... Read More
Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More
ESSAYS ON AUTOBIOGRAPHY: NUMBER 1Preamble:Nearly seven years ago I wrote... Read More
If you have an online home based business you know... Read More
Back in the mid to late 1980s I was a... Read More
Op-ed articles, also known as opinion/editorial articles, are a great... Read More
Tips for your writing journeySo, you'd like to be a... Read More
Writing better is critical for students. But it's even more... Read More
Authors need to write their book according to their target... Read More
Writing |