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Immediate Letter of Resignation | Templates & Samples

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Immediate Letter of Resignation | Templates & Samples

Updated September 11, 2023

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An immediate letter of resignation is a written notice to inform an employer of an employee’s imminent departure. Professional standards usually require two-weeks notice, so leaving more promptly can ruffle feathers and create logistical challenges. Presenting a carefully written letter with some explanation for the immediate resignation can help to smooth things over.

Table of Contents

What to Include

Like any resignation letter, this notice should be specific and clearly indicate:

  • The employee’s intended date of departure
  • Any specific plans for the transition

How to Immediately Resign from a Job (4 steps)

  1. Call Employer
  2. State Reasons
  3. Give Notice
  4. Submit Letter

1. Call Employer

Time is of the essence, so communicate as soon as it becomes clear that a departure is imminent. It is often best to speak in person. Schedule a meeting to broach this difficult topic.

2. State Reasons

Since short notice goes against the grain and can sour professional relationships, it often helps to share some background information about the change. Ideally, the immediate resignation is compelled by circumstance and not due to employee negligence. Companies are less sympathetic of employees whose short notice stems from their own oversight, but if you do not explain your motivation, management might assume the worst.

3. Give Notice

Even if 2-weeks notice will not be feasible, try to provide as much advanced warning as possible.

4. Submit Letter

Submit a signed copy of the Immediate Resignation Letter to a supervisor or HR representative. Save a copy for personal records.

How to Write an Immediate Letter of Resignation (4 steps)

  1. Start with a Formal Letterhead
  2. Add a Salutation/Introduction
  3. Body Paragraph(s)
  4. Conclusion

1. Start with a Formal Letterhead

Your letter should follow the formal business letter format. This includes a letterhead which will list your name and your personal contact information, the date, and the name, position, and office contact information of your employer. There are two formats which this letterhead usually takes (as seen in the below examples), both are correct. Note in the second example how the author’s information and the date are indented in the top right-hand corner of the letter.

Example #1

Itzel Rodriguez
324 Elm St.
Boulder, CO, 45012
itzelrodriguez@email.com

April 21, 2017

Jeremy Brooks
Owner & Manager
Trig Consultants
425 Remington Ave.
Boulder, CO, 45881

Example #2

Itzel Rodriguez
324 Elm St.
Boulder, CO, 45012
itzelrodriguez@email.com

April 21, 2017

To: Jeremy Brooks
Owner & Manager
Trig Consultants
425 Remington Ave.
Boulder, CO, 45881

2. Add a Salutation/Introduction

Your letter will begin with a formal salutation and a brief introductory paragraph. You should make clear that you are resigning from your position, and what your last day of work must be.

Example #1

Dear Mrs. Merriam Peters,

Due to circumstances beyond my control, as of May 24th I can no longer continue working at PetersBrook. I ask that you accept this as formal notice of my immediate resignation from my position as Senior Supervisor.

Example #2

Dear Mr. Donaldson,

Please accept this letter as notice of my formal resignation from the position of Accounts Manager, effective today, February 14, 2017. Regrettably, I am no longer be able to fulfill my duties here at Lion Investments.

As you may note in both examples, it is common practise to issue your resignation as a request. Although it is rarely permitted for an employer to refuse an employee’s resignation, it is a usual formality for you to ask that your resignation be accepted.

3. Body Paragraph(s)

The body paragraph(s) of your letter serve to make your letter of resignation fuller, while adding a positive light. Your sudden resignation may trigger resentment and greatly inconvenience your employer. You shouldn’t focus on why you are resigning. Instead, say something about what you personally enjoyed or gained while working with this employer. Express gratitude and be specific in your praise where possible. You may also use the body of your letter to offer your help or to make any other necessary arrangements with your employer.

Example #1

I would like to extend my humble gratitude for all the opportunities and experiences afforded to me during my time working with you. Your direction and mentorship are the two leading factors that make Timecore a successful business. Your management skills and the great client relationships that your business maintains have made this one of the best work environments that I have ever enjoyed.

It is only after careful consideration that I have come to this decision, and I regret any inconvenience that it may cause. If I can be of assistance in training my replacement, let me know and I will see what I can do.

Example #2

I have formed many valuable professional relationships and gained much on-field experience while working at Stately Home Realtors. The patience and support that you and the rest of the management team showed me during my training is truly appreciated. Thank you for all that you have done for me.

I will be able to come by the office next week. Could you please have my vacation pay and final cheque kept aside for me to pick up?

4. Conclusion

Your letter’s conclusion must include a formal sign-off, your signature, and your printed name. As a courtesy, you may also include a concluding paragraph. In this paragraph, you can restate your gratitude towards your employer and extend an invitation for them to contact you in future if they ever need (if you have not done so in your letter already).

Example #1

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to head the graphics team at Dream Media; it has been an invaluable experience. I’ll always look back fondly on my time spent here.

You can contact me by email or phone if you have any questions or need to speak with me for any reason.

Sincerely,

___________

Elaine MacIntyre
emacintyre@email.com
(555) 555-5555

Example #2

I offer my sincere apologies for not being able to give you any more notice regarding my resignation. If there is any way that I can be of service over the next week, please feel free to contact me at: (555) 555-5555.

Regards,

______________

Ron Wood

In the examples provided above, both authors have invited their employer to contact them if necessary and have also provided their contact information (this is often included in the letterhead as well or instead).

Sample 1

 

Ross Angus
423 Macaulay St.
Princeton, NJ, 56001

March 31, 2017

Carol Windsor
Manager
Ministry Sound Tech
233 Senator Avenue
Princeton, NJ, 56001

Dear Ms. Windsor,

Please accept this letter as notice of my immediate resignation from the position of Events Technician at Ministry Sound Tech, effective April 1st, 2017. Regrettably, I will be unable to come into the office or work past that date.

Working for Ministry has given me the opportunity to start a career as a sound technician and I will be forever grateful for that. I cannot think of another company which could have provided a better training. I have always been impressed by the professional attitude of all my co-workers, both in the field and at the office. I hope to continue my career in this spirit, and I would like to thank you for the many lessons that you taught me.

If you could send my employment record and any outstanding wages to my home address before June 1st, it would be greatly appreciated.

I will miss working with you and the rest of the Ministry Sound team. If you have any questions or need to speak with me for any reason, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Ross Angus
(555) 555-5555

Sample 2

 

Frank Webster
1514 Medallion Rd.
Anchorage, AK, 99523
(555) 555-5555

January 11th, 2017

To: Madeleine Lemieux
Owner & Manager
Blue Ridge Surveying Company
12 Parc St.
Anchorage, AK, 99501

Dear Mrs. Lemieux,

It is with great regret that I must give notice of my resignation, effective immediately. I apologize for not being able to give you more notice, and I humbly ask that you accept my resignation from the position of Accountant and Co-Manager this day, January 11th, 2017.

While I am aware that this in breach of the terms of my employment contract, I ask that you waive this clause, due to my extenuating personal circumstances. Please be assured that all records and filings are current and up-to-date. I am confident that any replacement you hire will be able to pick up where I left off without too much difficulty.

Thank you for everything that you do at Blue Ridge to make it such a great place to work. I will miss you and everyone else at the office. It has been a real pleasure to work for you these past four years. I am very sorry that I am not able to leave on better terms.

I hope that we can stay in touch. You can reach me at my personal phone number or by email.

Yours Sincerely,

Frank Webster

Professional Accountant

Sample 3

 
Dear Sue,

Regrettably, I must announce that I will be departing from my position as Chief QA officer at Consolidated Industries, Inc. My final day of work will be March 7, 2017.

While I wish that I could have provided more advanced notice, a family emergency has compelled me to relocate by March 12,2017.

It is my intention to make this transition as hassle-free as possible. Please advise of any additional actions that I might take to minimize the strain of my departure.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunities that I’ve had at Consolidated over the past six years.

Sincerely,

John Collins