How to write a notice

If you are looking for a new role or you have landed a new opportunity and are looking to submit your resignation, you may be wondering what the formalities are or what to include in your letter of resignation. At Michael Page, we know that handing in your formal resignation can be stressful, that is why we want to explain how to write a notice to your business to notify them that you are leaving in a professional way.

So, how do you begin to write your letter of resignation?

Who your notice should be addressed to

Your notice letter should be addressed to your line manager or the head of your team, whoever you report directly in to. It is important that you include the address, date, and full name of the person you are writing to. This letter is kept by the human resources team of the business and stored after you have left the organisation.

Once you have written your letter of resignation you should print it off, sign it. Or if you are unable to, a formal email should suffice, and pass it on to your line manager in a private meeting. During your notice period, as pre-agreed in your contract of employment it is important to remain professional.

• Do not tell others in the business before your manager
• After informing your manager, keep the correspondence private until it has been announced to the wider business by the management team
• Do not de-stabilise or slack off in your final weeks
• Create a handover document to give to your successor so the process is made smoother

If you want to see an example showing you how to write a notice, please follow the link here to read our article and have a look at examples that we have put together for you. We have templates of different types of resignation letters that you may need to give to your employer, using and adapting these to suit you are a good starting point for writing a letter of resignation.

When handing in your notice, it is important to remain polite and professional throughout the meeting. Despite the reasons why you are leaving the business, you should not highlight these within your resignation letter as these points can be discussed in person if needed.

Some businesses will offer you the chance to have an exit interview with them in order to talk through the reasons that you are leaving the business. Remember, you will still, in most cases, be required to work through your notice period before you officially leave the organisation. Therefore, having a good relationship for the remainder of your time there will be beneficial to everyone involved.

What your notice should include

Your letter of resignation should include the following as a basis:

• The date
• Your current company’s address
• The full name of the person it is addressed to
• Include the date of your last day of employment (as worked out by your contract of employment and notice period agreement)
• If you want to, include a thank you to your employer for the opportunity
• Your full name
• Your written signature/or a formal email to your line manager

If you are looking for new opportunities, get in touch with one of our specialist recruitment consultants for a confidential discussion. Our recruiters have relationships with a wide range of clients from different sectors and industries, so are well-placed to help you with your job search.