A job resignation letter can be one of the trickiest professional documents you’ll ever have to write, so it’s no wonder that people look for samples and templates to help craft their copy.
After all, there’s lots to consider when writing this kind of letter. You need to explain that you’re leaving, get the dates right, thank the company and you might even want to offer to help with the recruitment of your replacement.
Happily, there’s plenty of help around if you’d like to use a template or example as the basis for a great resignation letter. We’ve rounded up twenty of the best sites here.
Once the letter is delivered, look no further for help finding your next opportunity: head here for our picks of the best US job sites, and check out the essential skills that you need to include on your resume.
Novoresume
This site might specialize in resumes and cover letters, but it has a detailed career hub and excellent resources for writing your next resignation letter.
On this site you’ll find a step-by-step guide to writing a resignation letter, a clear explanation of why these letters matter, and several different resignation letter samples that cover several situations. The site also has a module to create a resignation letter based with information you supply.
Morgan McKinley
This recruitment consultancy business has plenty of free resources on its website – including a comprehensive guide to writing a recruitment letter.
Head to this site and you’ll find in-depth information and tips for creating your own document from scratch. The site has five free templates, including ones that specialize in situations where people want to resign for personal reasons, or if they want to find career progression elsewhere.
ResumeGenius
This site has more resignation letter samples than most of its contemporaries, although bear in mind that its writing guide doesn’t go into the same level as depth as some other destinations.
Still, you’ve come to the right place if you want to grab a resignation letter example. You’ll find simple templates, samples tailored to different life situations and ages, other options that are suitable for specific careers, and a module to build your own resignation letter.
eForms
It’s no surprise that a site called eForms has plenty of samples for every kind of business and personal document – including resignation letters.
You’ll find three basic, customizable templates here that are easy to copy and paste into your word processor or email client. If you’d like something more specialized, you’re in luck: eForms also provides templates for several situations, from board resignations and retirement letters to documents for teachers, police officers and academics.
Betterteam
The resource hub at Betterteam has a straightforward guide to creating your own resignation letter. Its resignation letter template can be downloaded in Word or plain text formats and is very easy to use, and the page has a step-by-step instructions on writing a resignation letter alongside frequently asked questions and a list of mistakes you need to avoid.
Hays
This global recruitment company, based in Australia, has a great resignation letter template. It’s available to download as a Word document, and you can input your basic details into the page and it’ll add those to the file before the download begins – which saves you some time.
Elsewhere, the Hays website has instructions on writing your own resignation letter and tips on customizing the template.
Career Contessa
This blog covers the theory behind resignation letters, explains what not to do when writing your own document, and has a guide that’s easy to follow – perfect if you want to customize a template or write your own letter. Career Contessa also has several templates, from a basic document to letters that address specific situations.
The Balance Careers
The Balance is one of the best professional sites around, and it supplies dozens of templates that suit most situations. This page has basic letters, job-specific documents, emotionally-charged letters for different situations and a large swathe of letters that include varied reasons for leaving a job.
The resignation letter templates all come with notes on how to make them effective and add your own information, and they’re supplied in plain text format so they’re usable in any text editor or email app.
Michael Page
This UK-based recruitment site includes resignation letter templates suited to various situations – you’ll find a basic note here alongside letters for giving advance notice, leaving to find more career progression and departing because a company isn’t a good fit. They’re easy to use, although bear in mind that this site doesn’t include a guide like many other pages.
ACAS
This organization specializes in workplace relationships, solving disputes and providing arbitration, so it’s no wonder that it has excellent advice on resignation letters.
Head to this page and you’ll find a basic template in Microsoft Word and Open Document formats. It’s easy to customize, and the template includes notes that can help you add pertinent information.
Reed
UK-based job experts Reed have a comprehensive guide to resignation letters. You’ll find the key points you need to cover here alongside tips for producing the best document possible.
Reed’s site has three templates that cover basic, new job and career progression resignation templates, and beyond those you’ll find straightforward tips on how to write a resignation letter and what mistakes to avoid.
Monster
Monster is one of the biggest job sites around, so it’s a good choice if you need resignation letter examples. The site’s main resignation template is available in Word, PDF, and plain text formats, and a second page has templates for specific situations, from immediate resignations to retirement.
The Muse
The Muse is a go-to option for considered, helpful career advice, and its page that covers resignation letters includes an impressive, straightforward guide that explains everything that should be included in your resignation document – along with examples.
On this site you’ll also find two examples that you can copy and paste into your own word processor, which means the text is easy to modify for your own situation.
TotalJobs
TotalJobs offers plenty of advice for resigning from your job across several helpful articles. If you want to get started with a resignation letter immediately, then don’t worry – the site has a great template with loads of customizable options, and dedicated buttons can launch the letter in your email app or copy it to your clipboard.
Elsewhere, TotalJobs has articles that cover the ins and outs of resigning, retiring, planning exit strategies and more.
Indeed
Indeed offers more help than most sites when it comes to writing resignation letters, and it’s suitable if you’re a beginner or want a step-by-step guide to writing or customizing a letter from the ground up.
As well as a great guide, Indeed has a basic resignation letter template alongside documents that are well-suited to specific situations, from changing career to heading back to school – alongside tips on perfecting your letter and templates that are designed for different industries.
Vertex42
This site claims to help users “excel in everything”, and it lives up to its name with great resignation letter templates. Its primary template is available in a huge variety of formats, including different versions of Word, OpenOffice and Google Docs, and you’ll find tips for customizing the document and writing a professional, appropriate document.
Beyond this, Vertex24 has resignation letter templates for different situations and key advice on what facts and statements to never include in your resignation letter.
Best Job Interview
It’s no surprise that a site with a straightforward name has great career advice. You’ll find several great templates here that cover different situations, from basic resignations to more detailed documents.
Beyond those templates, Best Job Interview has resignation checklists, farewell emails to your colleagues and guidance for exit interviews, so it’s a great choice if you want a site to tackle every aspect of leaving your job.
AngelList
AngelList is a high-end job site that caters towards the business world’s movers and shakers, and you can use the templates and guides here to produce a perfect resignation letter that’ll satisfy any boardroom.
This page’s step-by-step guide tells you exactly what you need to include in your letter, and it has loads of templates that are easy to download – as well as loads of data about resignations and changes in the employment market.
Corporate Finance Institute
This page might specialize in the financial industry, but a good registration letter is valuable in all sorts of jobs and companies. The basic template here is available in plain text and is very easy to access and customize, and it can be downloaded as a Word file too.
The CFI’s page also has tips and things to avoid when writing your resignation letter, and it links to resume guides and lists of notable resignation letters through the ages.
Seek
This is another Australian site with excellent resignation letter resources. Head here and you can download Seek’s basic template as a Word document, and the file can also be opened as a Google Doc file.
Elsewhere on Seek’s resignation letter page you’ll find tips on how to approach the topic of resignation with your manager, so you’ll find plenty of advice on how to leave your job as smoothly as possible.
