Formally, tendering your resignation implies that you are terminating or ending your employment with your current employer or company. Once you submit your resignation, your employment relationship ends.

Most employees submit their resignations verbally to their current employers or supervisors. But resignation in writing is at all times needed to complement your motive. With this, the employer can include your written resignation in your employee personnel file for future reference.

If you are quitting your current job, here’s how to tender your resignation professionally.

Submit Your Written Resignation to the Human Resources (HR) Department

Your human resources department needs your written resignation copy to attach to your personnel file. The process helps them keep a historical record of why you choose not to work with the company anymore. Also, it helps protect the company against future reasons such as:

• A sudden change of your mind
• Request for unemployment benefits
• Suing the company concerning your resignation

In this regard, the human resources will have the apropos documentation proving that you voluntarily submitted your resignation and that your withdrawal was not the company’s doing or decision.

Take Advantage of Your Resignation to Build Your Professional Image

Your decision to resign from your current job is not a mistake or an awkward thing. It is quite an opportunity to fashion your image and profession as an insightful, professional, and qualified employee. Note that your resignation letter becomes a permanent attachment to your employment file, and many people will have access to it. Some of which you may not know as employees have a propensity to come and go. However, make sure you are positive, straightforward, and professional when tendering your resignation.

Be Positive

Let your resignation be brief and straightforward. Avoid stating the following during your resignation event:

• How bad you think your boss treated you
• How you dislike your colleagues or team
• How the company acted unprofessionally with customers

Of course, you have the opportunity to express anything you have to say concerning your current job, manager, colleagues, and company (during your annual review). But it makes no sense to criticize a company for its apathetic approach towards your resignation. It generates a dire perception that is likely to make your tenure with the company last long.

Consider Your Future

You can’t predict when your path may cross with your current manager. Also, your current colleagues might be in a hiring position tomorrow. What goes around will, without a doubt, come around!

Have it in mind that the HR manager you are dealing with today might be in a position to rehire you for a more paying or suitable job that comes up in the current company or another firm in the future. For this reason, ensure to leave HR with a positive impression of how well-behaved you are during the resignation event.

Include the Necessary Details in Your Resignation

Your resignation should include your final date of employment and a minimum of two week’s notice. In your resignation letter, thank your managers for the opportunities they provided you during your service. Do not make your resignation letter stuffy with unnecessary content. Avoid stating negative reasons for your resignation, as it can plague you in the future. You can also offer some help in training a new employee to replace your position since no one can train the person other than you.

Give Acceptable Reasons for Your Resignation

Thinking of some good reasons to involve in your resignation letter? You can include the following acceptable reasons:

• You are pursuing a new opportunity
• You have accepted a higher position in another firm
• Your spouse has received a better opportunity that is remote
• You are resuming school full time
• You want to spend time to expand your career in a related industry

Most importantly, be honest with your reasons. If the above-suggested reasons are not the perfect logic for your resignation, you can always state the first reason ─ pursuing a new opportunity. Whether you truly have a new job or not. In a short time, your resignation will turn out as an opportunity and not just ending your relationship with the company or manager if you do everything right.