Depending on the circumstances surrounding your decision to quit, handing that resignation letter in to your boss can be nerve-racking, satisfying, sad, or all three at once.
But no matter how you feel about clocking off and moving on, it’s important you write and deliver it properly in order to ensure you will exit the organisation on the best possible terms.
To make that happen, keep in mind that:
A resignation letter should… consider your notice period.
All full and part-time employment contracts, awards and enterprise agreements in Australia outline a notice period. As the Fair Work Ombudsman outlines, if you don’t provide the minimum prior to leaving, your employer may be entitled to withhold the equivalent wages, accrued leave and other entitlements.
Consult your contract carefully, and be prepared that when you resign your employer may either require you to work out the full duration while they search for your replacement, or opt to pay out this period so you can leave immediately.
Listen: Before you move on to your next role, take note. Post continues below…
A resignation letter should… be short and contain only the essentials.
Save the sentimentalities for the last-day company-wide email, because your letter of resignation should be strictly professional, clear and concise – four sentences should do it.
According to online legal service Lawpath, you should cover your intent to resign, details of your contract (that is, mention of your notice period) and reasons for your resignation.
There are a number of letter of resignation templates available online, most of which are variations on the following: “Dear [manager/HR officer], I am writing to inform you that I’m resigning as [position] at [organisation], effective [date of notice]. I am resigning [reason/s]. As per the [x-week/day] notice period stipulated in my contract, my last day of work will be on [date]. Regards [name and signature].”