The Resignation Letter — Three Rules
As we navigate through these unsettled times, it’s obvious the way we work and where we work is a major consideration. USA Today tells us nearly 30% of professionals won’t return to their current positions if they are required to go back to the office post-pandemic — whenever that might be. A recent Monster.com survey states that 95% of employees are thinking of quitting their jobs for various reasons, burnout being a primary consideration. They call it the “Great Resignation.” Deloitte believes two of every three millennials will change careers within the following year.
People are resigning their current positions in droves, whether it’s burnout, a hesitancy to return to the office, seeking better opportunities, or just believing there is a better quality of life available. For those too principled to simplify ghost their current employer, they all have one thing in common, they need to resign, and most will do so via the resignation letter.
We sincerely hope a text is out of the question and a phone call is more personal than professional, so the resignation letter is the vehicle of choice for most professionals. I’ll never forget my most memorable resignation letter. I was recruited by a division President of a major cosmetic company who mentored me, groomed me, and drove me to seek excellence. Due to an unfortunate family situation, I was forced to resign. I submitted my resignation letter to the division President rather than my direct report and was summarily summoned to his office. I was quite literally sweating bullets as I entered his space. “Did we teach you nothing in the past five years!” With that, he proceeded to critique my letter, line by line, as he had done to my presentations, proposals, and business plans for the past five years. He concluded in the kindest way possible, thanking me for my efforts and service.
As you prepare your resignation letter, regardless of why you are leaving, I have three rules I highly encourage you to follow:
Rule #1 — Write That Scathing Exit Letter You’ve Fantasized
Admit it. You’ve fantasized about writing a scathing resignation letter detailing each inadequacy, inequality, and ineptness of the company you are leaving. Perhaps doing so with a particular emphasis on the dolt you reported to, the one promoted far beyond their capabilities. Do it!
Rule #2 — File It
Now that you’ve gotten that out of your system don’t send it; file it on your computer, your personal computer.
Rule #3 — Now, Write a Letter as if You Had to Copy Your New Boss
Write your next resignation letter as if you were going to copy your new boss. Would your new boss think, “this is why we recruited this individual, or good lord, why did we ever engage with this cretin?”
And, before you hit the send button, spell check and grammar check the letter. We don’t want you to be traumatized when exiting as I was back in the day.
