How to Write a Resignation Letter (With Example)
A resignation letter has one job: to create a clear, dated, professional record that you are leaving and when. It is not the place to negotiate, settle scores or explain your life decisions. The best resignation letters are short, warm and completely unambiguous.
What a resignation letter must include
Only four things are essential: a clear statement that you are resigning, your job title, your last working day (calculated from your notice period), and the date of the letter itself. Everything else is optional. The last working day matters most — it starts the clock on your notice period and prevents disputes later, so state it as a specific date rather than "in 30 days".
What to add if you want to leave well
Two optional ingredients turn a functional letter into a graceful one. First, a sentence of genuine thanks — name something specific you valued, such as a project you grew on or support you received. Second, an offer to help with the transition: finishing key work, documenting your responsibilities, or training a successor. Neither costs you anything, and both protect the relationship — managers move companies too, and references outlast jobs.
What to leave out
Do not include criticism of the company, colleagues or your manager, even if justified — a resignation letter sits in your permanent HR file and gains you nothing once you have decided to leave. Save honest feedback for the exit interview, where it can be delivered in person and in context. Also avoid explaining where you are going or why; "I have decided to move on" is reason enough on paper.
How much notice should you give?
Check your employment contract first — it usually states a notice period, commonly 30 days or one month, sometimes more for senior roles. If no contract exists, follow the legal minimum in your country or the local convention. Giving the contractual notice is not just courtesy: leaving early without agreement can affect your final settlement, end-of-service benefits and references.
Example resignation letter
Here is the core of a clean resignation letter: "Please accept this letter as formal notice of my resignation from my position as Senior Accountant at Almeida Trading. In accordance with my 30-day notice period, my last working day will be 15 July. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had here, particularly the chance to lead the audit automation project. During my remaining time I will complete the quarterly close and document my processes for a smooth handover."
Delivering it
Tell your manager in person (or on a call) before the letter arrives — nobody should learn of a resignation from an email. Then send the letter by email with the signed document attached, so there is a timestamped record. Keep a copy.
