Resignation letter question

For an employer I've been with for a few years, should I keep it quick and simple or include information such as new job title and new company I would be going to?

Find more posts tagged with

Free for TechExams community: Cybersecurity salary guide

Compare cert salaries and plan your next career move

Button

Comments

networker050184

Keep it simple. I wouldn't add the new company or anything in any kind of official letter of resignation. Just one or two lines.

blargoe

Keep it short and direct. You are leaving their employ to pursue another position, thank them for the opportunity to work there, and state your last day of working for them.

Jad207

If figured that, I was told by a friend I should include new job title but I was hesitant about why I would. Thanks

Mrock4

Yeah. Don't forget this thing will go on file with them, so if you ever want to come back it should be as simple as possible to prevent them from holding it against you someday. Kind of a CYA thing.

Jad207

Knowing the type of company I work for they will probably counter offer with a position I want & more money..based what happened when other guys have filed their notice.

Mrock4

Probably! Just be careful. If they countered and you accepted and stayed, they now know you want to leave. On some level, some trust is lost (as you become the guy who's been trying to leave). Not saying there's no way to stay and be successful, but it's something I've personally thought about.

paul78

Good advice mrock - and besides trust. I have always questioned someone's judgement who is able to be swayed by a counter-offer. It implies a lack of conviction in decision-making. And on the flip-side, I would never accept a counter-offer unless its for a different job. It implies that my employer have not been forthright in their value of my services.

PCHoldmann

Keep it short:

To whom it may concern,

I hereby resign my position as <Position>, effective <some> weeks from today, <Date>.

<me>

You will probably have an exit interview, and you can definitely talk things over with your manager, but that doesn't need to go on file.

It sounds kind of cold, but as has been stated, you don't want something that will be held against you later.

Regarding counter offers, be careful. It can really put you in a bad place going forward.

In terms of notice, while two weeks is usually customary, but depending on your position, more might be a good step. Be careful, however, because that time can end up being very uncomfortable. At my last job, I ended up giving 3 weeks notice, which stretched into 5. There were extenuating circumstances, including business relationships between the two employers, but it ended up not being very profitable for any of us.

Hopefully you are leaving on good terms, but be careful burning bridges, IT is a very fluid business, and that coworker or boss you told off may show up somewhere in the future.

NetworkVeteran

paul78 wrote: »

And on the flip-side, I would never accept a counter-offer unless its for a different job. It implies that my employer have not been forthright in their value of my services.

+1. That's my policy as well. I would personally write a 2-liner.. one line covering the fact and date that I'm resigning, and the other thanking them for the opportunity to work there.

Jad207

Well...like I suspected they were upset that I was leaving and they offered me a cisco voice position. Should I be upset that they didn't offer it to me when I wasn't leaving or should I consider taking it?

jdancer

Never accept a counter-offer. It's just a belated recognition of your skills from your soon to be ex-employer. Just MOVE on.

Just think of it these way: you just learned how valuable your skills are to another employer who obviously appreciates your skills.

NetworkVeteran

Jad207 wrote: »

Well...like I suspected they were upset that I was leaving and they offered me a cisco voice position. Should I be upset

No way! What is there for you to be upset about? You have two job offers in front of you.

should I consider taking it?

Again, it would strongly weigh against them that you had to threaten to leave before they offered you better. This indicates either they knew they were short-changing you and had to be pushed to offer you a fair rate (strong negative), or they are simply buying enough time to find your replacement (strong negative for you). Either way, I'd be unlikely to stay. Still, if it's an "offer you can't refuse" such as a guaranteed one-year contract with 50% more pay than the other place was offering, I wouldn't refuse. The key here is the offer would need to be much better than the other with solid guarantees, which is unlikely to happen.

Plantwiz

Letter, as mentioned, should be short and sweet. Couple good examples already given. Date of separation and a thank you. Remember, it is only business.

NEVER accept a counter offer.
1. I have NEVER encountered anyone who accepted the counter offer happy after they took the offer and with in six months to two years they leave the company anyway.
2. You were unhappy about several things prior to looking for a new job...most of those things will remain. Being unhappy in a job is almost never about the money. Respect, co-workers, environment, drive to and from job, scheduling....but the money typically is not the motivating factor to stay or go...more money does not make the stay better.
3. Your employer will ALWAYS know you for someone who is willing to 'quit' unless they get what they want. Simply not a flattering positing to be in. And IF they give you more money, you can bet they will look at your first when they need to re-organize and you may simply find yourself out of luck.

***
keep it simple.
When you decide you want to look for something else, you already have your answer about if you are happy at a place or not.

FloOz

Keep it short, sweet, and professional. I also agree with not accepting the counter offer.

Gorby

I'm in a situation like you OP, I would NOT take that counter offer. If they weren't willing to give you the money and promotion you deserved while you were employed there, what do you think will happen once you take the new position? I'd leave and take my chances with the new company, you might have better opportunities anyway.

dave330i

Normally I don't accept a counter offer, but I did accept the last one and it worked out well. You should go with the offer that'll give you a better career growth. Sometimes that's the counter offer.

About7Narwhal

If I remember I will post my old one tonight. No need to include anything about the new job. Ideally you will give resignation in person and provide the letter at the end of the meeting anyway. If they want to know, or if your boss really cares, they will likely ask. lol

Counter offers are discussed a lot around here. I always like to assume that my boss wanted to pay me more but couldn't swing the upper management until they heard I was leaving. That said, the company will now expect you to leave asap and you will have that bitter taste in your mouth about how you could have been making this much all along.

General rule of thumb, dont take counter offers.

Cpl.Klinger

Short, sweet, simple. When I submitted mine a few weeks ago, it was only three lines.

To Whom It May Concern:
As of the date listed above, I render my two weeks’ notice to the [redacted] company. While I have enjoyed my time with [again], and feel that I have learned a great deal, I have made this decision in order to advance both my wife’s and my own career further. I intend for Sunday, June 23^rd to be my last day.

Don't rant or be angry, and don't accept a counter offer.