Are you ready to resign from your job? If so, it’s a good idea to write a resignation letter to formalize the details of your departure. But what is a resignation letter, and why should you write one? What should you include, and when do you need to provide notice to a soon-to-be former employer?

Here’s information on writing a resignation letter or email message, along with samples and templates you can use to write your own letter.

What Is a Resignation Letter?

A resignation letter is a document that notifies your employer that you are leaving your job. It formalizes your departure from your current employment and can be submitted by email or as a printed letter.

The letter serves as written notice of your resignation and provides the details of your departure from employment, including information about the end date of your employment.

When To Give the Letter to Your Employer

It’s polite to send your resignation letter well in advance of your departure, with two weeks in advance being generally accepted as the minimum unless circumstances require that you resign without advance notice or with short notice.¹

In some cases, you may not be able to provide notice. If you’re working in a difficult workplace, have a family emergency, or other circumstances require you to move on right away, give your employer as much notice as is feasible given the situation. When you are considered an at-will employee, you are not legally required to give notice.²

If you have an employment contract, it’s important to adhere to its terms when you’re resigning. Check your contract to determine how much notice you need to give your employer.¹

If you tell your boss in person that you’re resigning, have a printed copy of your resignation letter ready to share. When you work remotely or resign with short notice, however, you can send your resignation via email.

What To Include in a Resignation Letter

When you resign from your job, it’s important to do so gracefully and professionally. However, you don’t need to include a lengthy explanation. Keep your letter or email simple and focused on the facts.

Here’s an overview of what to include in your letter:

• Your Intent to Resign: Your letter should start with the fact that you’re resigning.
• Your Last Day of Employment: You should provide information about the last day you plan to work at the company.
• An Offer to Assist with the Transition: Often, employees will also offer to help in the transition, perhaps by recruiting or training a replacement. In this way, both the employee and the employer can leave the situation with closure and a sense of respect and amicability.
• Questions You May Have: If you have questions about your final pay or benefits, you can inquire in your letter or email.
• Your Contact Information: Include your personal contact information so it’s easy for the company to get in touch with you.
• Your Signature: A hard-copy letter should include your written signature above your typed name. If you’re sending an email, simply type your name.

To achieve a positive and graceful exit, a letter of resignation will often thank the employer for the opportunities provided and mention experiences gained at the company or how the employee enjoyed their time there.

What Not to Include in Your Letter

There are some things you shouldn’t include when writing a resignation letter:

• You don’t need to include the reason that you’re moving on, especially if it’s a negative one.
• Resignation letters are not an appropriate place for complaints or critiques of the company, manager, or co-workers.
• There’s no need to mention in your letter that you’ll be getting a higher salary at your new job (if you are). If you’re looking for a counteroffer to induce you to stay, that conversation is better held in person.
• Don’t use your letter to discuss how great the new job is or how thrilled you are about leaving.

Note

Keep it simple, stick to the facts, and don’t complain. It’s important to leave on a positive note because you may need a reference from the employer. There’s no point in burning bridges when you’ve already made the decision to move on.

How To Write a Resignation Letter

A resignation letter needs to include your contact information, official notice that you’re resigning, and when your final day of work will be. If you’d like to include more details you can, but they are not required.

Here’s how to write a resignation letter, with information on what to include in each section of the letter:

Contact Information (Written Letter): A written letter should include your and the employer’s contact information (name, title, company name, address, phone number, email), followed by the date.

Contact Information (Email): In an email resignation letter, include your contact information at the end of the letter, after your signature. You don’t need to include the company’s contact information.

Greeting: Address the resignation letter to your manager, using their formal title (“Dear Mr./Ms./Dr.”).

Paragraph 1: Note that you are resigning from your job and state the date on which your resignation will be effective. This will give the employer official notice for your personnel file.

Paragraph 2: (Optional) You can mention the reason you’re leaving, but this is not required. If you choose to give a reason, be sure it’s a positive one, such as starting a new job, leaving the workplace, or going back to school.

Paragraph 3: (Optional) If you’re able to help with the transition, mention your availability in your letter.

Paragraph 4: (Optional) Mention your appreciation for the opportunity you had to work for the company. If there was something that was especially rewarding, share the details.

Closing: Use a formal sign-off, such as “Sincerely” or “Yours sincerely.”

Signature (Written Letter): End with your handwritten signature followed by your typed name.

Signature (Email): Include your typed name followed by your contact information.

How To Format a Resignation Letter

Resignation letters should be simple, short, and written in business format using a traditional font.

Length of the Letter: Most resignation letters are no more than one typed page.

Font and Size: Use a traditional font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Your font size should be between 10 and 12 points.

Format: A resignation letter should be single-spaced with a space between each paragraph. Use one-inch margins and align your text to the left (the alignment for most business documents).

Resignation Letter Template

You can download the resignation letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word) to use as a starting point for your own letter.

Nonprofit organizations often use several strategies to find sponsors and develop lasting relationships letter with them. One way to accomplish this is by sending out sponsorship letters for the organization’s events. If you’re interested in nonprofit work, you may benefit from learning about these letters. In this article, we define these letters, discuss the different types, explain how to write a sponsorship letter for an event and provide an example to use as a guide.

What is a sponsorship letter for an event?

A sponsorship letter for an event is a document that a nonprofit writes and sends to a potential sponsor. These letters request sponsorship either from an individual or a corporation for a specific event, initiative or for long-term support of the nonprofit. Typically, these letters can help nonprofits build relationships with sponsors to bolster the organization’s fundraising efforts. Sponsorship letters can offer incentives for sponsors and explain why the potential sponsor may want to partner with your organization. Your nonprofit can use these letters as a fundraising tool or to form partnerships with people and businesses within your local community.

Types of sponsorship letters

Here are two different types of sponsorship letters you may write to potential sponsors:

General sponsorship

One letter you may send to potential donors is a general sponsorship letter. These letters might include opportunities for sponsors to partner with your organization in a variety of ways. Rather than requesting sponsorship for a particular event, these letters suggest alternative ways for sponsors to participate. For example, you may ask for a recurring donation, volunteers for regular programming or outreach events or non-monetary contributions such as supplies.

Event sponsorship

Another letter you might send to sponsors is an event sponsorship letter. These letters typically include details about how an individual or corporation can partner with your organization for a specific event. Regardless of the type of event you’re planning, having sponsors can improve the success of the event. For example, you may ask regular sponsors to increase their donations for the year leading up to the event to support the cost. You could also ask corporations to donate items for a silent auction. You can send event sponsorship letters to both recurring and new sponsors to improve the outcome.

How to write a sponsorship letter for an event

Consider following these steps to effectively write a sponsorship letter for an event:

1. Understand the need

Before you begin writing letters to potential sponsors, it’s important to understand what your organization needs. When you’re planning your event, consider making a list or database of all the supplies, funds or resources you need to successfully execute the event. This list can help you make specific requests to your sponsors so they know exactly how they can help. Understanding what your organization needs may also help ensure that you only receive the contributions necessary for the specific event.

2. Research potential sponsors

Another crucial step before sending letters is to research potential sponsors. While you may send letters to existing partners, it’s also important to use the event as a way to grow your support. After finding a few companies or individuals that align with your organization, consider reaching out via phone call or email to contact the relevant person within that business. This initial point of contact can help improve the likelihood of that business making a contribution to your organization’s event.

3. Include an introduction

As you begin writing letters, it’s best to start with an introduction. In this section, you might explain who you are, what your organization does and some details about the upcoming event. Consider personalizing this introduction for each letter to ensure that sponsors feel that you’re speaking directly to them. An introduction is a helpful way for the recipient to develop their understanding of both the event and the organization.

4. Explain the reason for the letter

Next, it’s important to explain the reason for writing the letter. Since the sponsorship you’re requesting is specific to an event, consider listing a few examples of how the recipient could help. This list may include financial support, event-specific supplies, volunteers or other resources your organization needs. It’s best to provide details in this section so the recipient is aware of what you’re asking.

5. Provide information about your audience

Other details to include throughout the letter may include details about the population or audience your nonprofit serves. These types of details can help recipients of your letters feel a personal or emotional connection to the work of your organization. Building this connection can also increase the chances of a sponsor agreeing to partner with your organization for the specific event.

6. Explain the purpose of the event

While planning the event, your organization may have developed a list of goals that you hope to achieve. Consider adding these goals into the content of the sponsorship letters. Including the goals of the event can show sponsors exactly what you’re hoping to accomplish as a result of the event. These goals can provide a guide for the sponsors so they have a better understanding of the purpose of the event and what’s needed to make it a possibility.

7. Add a signature

When finalizing sponsorship letters, consider adding a handwritten signature. This can show the recipient that your organization took the time to craft a letter with a personal touch. Adding this signature may improve the chances of hearing back from the recipients.

8. Follow up with the recipients

You might consider including a sentence within the letter about how you plan to follow up with the recipient. For example, you can mention how in one week, they can expect a phone call from you. If you decide to include this information, it’s important to ensure that you execute what you said you would. Following up the letters offers the recipient a chance to ask questions and learn more about how they can participate.

Spelling skills

Spelling skills, or the ability to spell, are taught to students as small as five-year-olds. The importance of spelling skills has been diminishing in this digital age, especially with devices and tools that autocorrect. But that may be different. Spelling lays a foundation for progressing as a student and helps adults in their careers. A strong spelling skill foundation can improve reading ability and help students learn concepts better. It is not something stated by an educator but a well-researched topic. Spelling skills are backed up by various studies saying they are interlinked with other learning steps like reading, forming sentences, and writing.

The ability to spell can be put into simple terms to correctly arrange letters to form words that are communally known and understood. Although children have apps like spell check and autocorrect that can help them write efficiently, it is vital to have knowledge of the beginning and end of the word to get it right. And without this basic information, they will not be able to communicate appropriately. Understanding why these skills are necessary for students or children is essential. 

Further Education:

Spelling is a building block in understanding books. When teachers give reading material to the students in the future about various subjects such as history, science, politics, etc., without a proper foundation of spelling skills, the child may struggle with forming sentences and communication, which can further affect their social life. 

The ability to link letters and comprehend the meaning adds value to education as it opens a broad spectrum of knowledge that students can learn and grow from. You can improve spelling skills by focusing on children from a young age, helping them understand, and keeping them engaged in activities promoting spelling skills. For example, your school can invest in an assessment to test school students’ spelling skills. 

Communication:

Communication is key to understanding one another. Communication, in simple terms, is being able to express your views and listen and comprehend the other person’s views. Without a good hold on spelling skills, children may make mistakes while communicating that can be interpreted negatively, resulting in unpleasant experiences. 

As an educator, trying to look for strategies and tools that can help you teach your students the essence of spelling skills is vital. It forms a base for them to learn and grasp better. Apart from that, it also allows them to progress smoothly academically. But how do you choose a tool to help you understand their current progress and areas in which they may face difficulty? The best way is to look for a spelling bee test that covers the critical areas of the given skill. For example, in spelling, you need to pay close attention to areas such as dictation, the phonological aspect of spelling, rules, and guidelines of spelling, vowels/consonants, etc. 

Final Thoughts:

When you create a strong base with spelling skills, the other building blocks to learning become achievable. Reading, writing, comprehension, and understanding can only be smoothly achieved once the first step of correctly arranging letters to form meaningful words is done. You can invest in education tools such as spelling skill assessments to mark all your students’ progress and develop strategies that enhance their learning.