Want to Leave Your Job? Here’s How to Write a Two Weeks Notice
While we would all like to have the financial freedom to do whatever we want whenever we want, the reality is that most of us need a job. That doesn’t mean you just have to suck it up and take the abuse of any minimum-wage job though.
Sometimes, you might want to keep a good relationship with those at your work, just not in an employed capacity. Whether you found a better opportunity or just can’t stand another minute longer at your current job, here’s how to write a two weeks notice without burning any bridges.
What’s a Two Weeks Notice Letter?
As the name suggests, a two weeks notice letter is a letter that informs your boss or company of your intention to quit working for them. The letter usually addresses a single person, informs said person about the last day you will be working for them, and sometimes provides a reason why you are quitting.
That being said, the variety in this kind of letter is huge, from rude wording and expletives to overly formal apologies. You can even find examples of people giving longer notices if they know their plans well in advance.
In today’s world and economy, the best advice is to keep it short and professional – there’s no telling when a prospective job will call up previous employers to see whether or not you are a good candidate.
How to Write a Two Weeks Notice: 9 Rules and Examples
6 Rules
1. Send It to the Right People
You need to make sure you send your letter of resignation to the right people to make sure they know your intent. Ideally, this is your direct superior or whoever is the highest level of management at your branch. You should also send a notice to the human resources department if your job has one.
2. Clearly State the Date
After appropriately addressing whoever you are sending the notice to, cut to the chase and give an exact date of when your last day will be. This is typically 14 days or 10 business days after you send the notice but it can be longer (although ill-advised in most situations).
3. Short Is Best
There’s no reason to write an overly verbose letter with all sorts of adjectives and adverbs about your resignation. You should also avoid making long stories out of valid reasons why you are leaving – this usually leaves a bad impression.
4. Stay Positive
While it may be tempting to list every reason you hated working at the job or to point out the physical flaws of an overbearing manager, you should try to keep the letter positive. You can write a brief note of gratitude for the experience the job provided, or the opportunity to work with the company.
If you can’t bring yourself to be positive in your letter, keeping your letter short should help keep you out of trouble.
5. Outline the Transition Period
In the final section of your resignation notice, you should suggest possible courses of action for your last days of work. Mention things like being willing to train your replacement, state that you will finish current projects before your last day, or just generally say that you will maintain your high-quality work standards.
You should be forewarned, though, that some types of employment will terminate you as soon as you send in a two weeks notice. Be certain that you don’t wish to work there anymore and that you can afford to quit financially if you are separated immediately.
6. Sign off Professionally
Part of leaving on good terms is remaining professional. A simple “sincerely” and your name will go a long way.
3 Examples
1. Simple Letter Format
[Today’s Date]
[Company]
Dear [Supervisor’s Name],
I would like to inform you of my intention to resign from [Position Title] at [Company], effective two weeks from today, [Today’s Date].
I appreciate the opportunities you’ve given me during my time at [Company].
Please let me know what assistance you need from me during the resignation notice period.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
2. Business Letter Format
[Today’s Date]
[Supervisor’s Name]
[Company]
[Company Address]
Dear [Supervisor’s Name],
This is my formal resignation from [Position] with [Company]. My last day will be [Final Day of Work], two weeks from today.
[Optional Reasons For Your Resignation]
I appreciate the opportunities for growth and the valuable experiences I have had during my tenure here. It has been a pleasure working with you and the rest of the team.
Please let me know how I can help make this transition as smooth as possible.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
3. Professional Email Format
In the subject line, include something along the lines of “Resignation Letter – [Your Name]” or “Two Weeks Notice – [Your Name]”.
Dear [Supervisor’s Name],
Please accept this as my formal letter of resignation from [Company]. My last day will be [Final Day of Work], two weeks from today.
[Optional Reasons For Your Resignation]
I appreciate your support and the experience I have gained here at [Company]. It has been a pleasure to work with you and the others.
Please know I fully intend to finish [Current Project] before I leave. If needed, I can also train my replacement to make the transition as smooth as possible. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
