2008 Spring—Oral Training for Sophomores
Jo Ho

When Leaving a Job, the Farewell Letter Should BE Brief
By Matt Villano


劉家瑋報告

Q. You』ve decided to leave your job. How much care should you put into writing your letter or resignation?

A. Quite a lot, said Audrey Boone Tillman, senior vice president of human resources at Aflac, the life insurance company based in Columbus, Georgia. While it may be tempting to view your resignation letter as just another memo, it』s more important than that. 「This letter memorializes your last communication with the company and becomes part of your permanent employee file,」 she said. 「Take the time to do it right.」

Q. What is the purpose of the letter?

A. Think of it as a formal message to inform your employer that you』ll be moving on. While most states don』t have laws that require written confirmation of plans to resign, Jon D. Meer, a partner at Los Angeles law firm of DLA Piper Rudnick Gary Cary, said it was a good idea to create a document that could serve as a dated record in case of dispute with your employer later on.

Q. Is there a standard letter format?

A. There』s no formula for writing a resignation letter, but Dianna Booher, president of Booher Consultants in Grapevine, Texas, said it should contain three essential points: the fact that you』re resigning, the date upon which your resignation will be effective and your mailing address, so your employer knows where to send official correspondence after you leave.

A resignation letter can also incorporate a pinch of gratitude for the opportunities your employer has given you. Ms. Booher, the author of 「Great Personal Letters for Busy People: 501 Ready –to-Use Letters for every occasion」 (McGraw Hill, 2006), notes that the best resignation letters give brief appreciation to people who served as mentors.

But keep it short. Liz Bywater, president of Bywater Consulting Group, a management consulting company in Yardley, Pennsylvania, said most resignation letters should be about a paragraph, and should never exceed one printed page. 「The less you write, the better,」 she said.

Q. Is it wise to outline why you』re leaving?

A. You』re not obligated to explain your departure, but if you』re leaving under good terms and have an open relationship with the boss, it』s perfectly acceptable to do so.

Q. Should you disclose where you』re headed next?

A. Avoid direct mention of your next employer, your future salary and your prospective boss, said Charmaine McClaire, president of McClaire Group, a management consulting firm in Los Angeles. 「If you say, 『You were a great boss, and I』m just sorry things didn』t work out the way we』d all hope,』 a year later you could be in benefits dispute and this statement becomes evidence that you knew your performance didn』t meet expectations,」 she said. 「When it comes to writing this letters, what bosses don』t know won』t hurt them.」