Resignation Letter for Personal Reasons

Almost everyone quits or changes their careers at least once in a lifetime. In most cases, it doesn’t matter how great one’s workplace is because life goes on, and anything can change. Being employed is not the same as being born; one can quit anytime they wish. There can be various reasons for quitting a job, and each reason requires a corresponding resignation letter.

This letter is obligatory when one decides to leave the workplace. It means that it is essential to compose it complying with all the rules. Moreover, it helps to maintain a good relationship with the management. Furthermore, it is available for future reference as it is placed in the organization’s personnel records. Thus, one should never underestimate the importance of a resignation letter.

Preparing and composing a resignation letter is a step-by-step process and learning how to do it is undoubtedly not the least important thing to do. This article will shed light on how to do it correctly and provide you with some handy tips.

A resignation letter for personal reasons is a public statement giving reasons for one’s decision to leave the job. In simple terms, this is an official announcement of one’s resignation, which will be placed in the organization’s personnel records.

This kind of resignation letter template is quite specific, so composing it might seem a little confusing; many find it hard to share their private information with the management. Nevertheless, one can omit it and simply write “for personal reasons.”

Should one ever decide to give detailed information, here are the most common reasons for choosing this type of letter:

  • The change of address
  • Change of marital status
  • Major illness
  • Pregnancy
  • Death of a family member

How to Compose the Letter

As this step in a career is quite important, it is advisable to plan everything carefully. So here we present some essentials on composing this type of letter along with takeaways and handy tips.

1. Give the Boss a Two Weeks’ Notice Before Resigning

Mutual respect is of utmost importance in business issues, and the sooner the boss knows about your resignation, the better. Two weeks is the standard duration of giving notice. However, you can give a notice lasting up to three months.

You can even start composing the letter before informing the boss. The most important thing to do is to define the exact day when you retire and negotiate this.

If there is not enough time for giving a two-week notice, compose a Short notice resignation letter, which of course, has its cons and, in particular cases, adverse outcomes. At all times, your management needs some time to find you a substitute and prepare all necessary documentation.

You should only resort to it in situations of extreme emergencies, such as a family matter that engages all your spare time. Moreover, if you decide to opt for this type of letter, do not forget to apologize for the inconvenience.

2. Offer Some Help

The best way to maintain a good rapport with the boss is to find and possibly train the future substitute. Although not necessary, it does show a great deal of respect for your management’s time and resources and will be very much appreciated. Always stay open to questions from management’s side and state it in the letter, as companies tend to keep the employee in the company tooth and nail: “I am open to all possible questions from your side.”

If you don’t have enough time to find a trainee, you can ask the boss about possible ways to solve the problem.

3. Express Your Gratitude

In a letter of resignation for personal reasons, it is always better to stay positive and concentrate on the best moments you had in the company. It is also important to demonstrate some respect for the company’s values.

In case you didn’t have a good experience and don’t want to sound insincere, you can put it in brief terms by using formulas of politeness such as: “I have enjoyed my time at XXX company” or “It’s been a pleasure working with XXX” and this would be just enough. Thanking the company for the experience and new opportunities is always a great idea that works for most cases: “Working for XXX gave me a valuable experience and boosted my soft skills that will surely be of use in the future.”

4. Stay positive

Added to everything said before, you should never forget to maintain a friendly tone throughout the letter. Even if you have something to complain about, keep in mind that your main goal is to leave a good impression because nobody knows whether you will come across former colleagues. So try to find the golden mean—stay honest, but don’t ever mix your feelings with facts.

It is important to denote reasons for your leaving, but it shouldn’t concern personal issues.

5. Keep it Short

The resignation letter for personal reasons should be concise and to the point. Don’t ever go into details on reasons for leaving or try to sound professional. This is a business letter, not a personal one.

6. Include the Essential Information

Two points must be stated in every resignation letter:

  • The exact date of resignation. Even if you prepare your letter strictly two weeks before, it doesn’t prevent the management from misunderstanding and confusion. State, “My last day of employment will be on June 7, 2021.”
  • Reason for resignation. Detailed information is given above, but it is worth repeating—you must state this reason either free-form or by using such cliches as “for personal reasons.”

7. Stick to the Business Letter Format

Even if you think you are accustomed to this format of the letter after some experience. Remember that structure and rules of formal language are essential for the business format.

Then try giving all the information given below, avoiding contractions, complex constructions, long words, and wordy sentences. Finally, review some examples of business letters if you don’t feel confident enough.

The sections of the business letter must go strictly in the following order:

  1. Your contact information: name, company, job title, address with the ZIP code, email address, and phone number.
  2. The contact information of the recipient: name, title, name of the company, and address, including the ZIP code.
  3. Formal salutation, such as Dear Mr., Ms., or Dr., and add the last name. If you can’t define the gender of the recipient, you can write the full name, e.g., Dear John Adams.
  4. The body of the letter must be left-justified. Space should be inserted between paragraphs, above the closing, and after the salutation. For example, the opening phrases might be: “I am writing about, “I regret to tell you,” or “I am writing to inform you.”
  5. Closing should be introduced by standard phrases: “Yours sincerely,” “Cordially,” “Respectfully (yours).”
  6. Your signature, then name.

Sample Resignation Letter for Personal Reasons

Anna Smith

345 Georgia Street, Oakland, CA 94601| +1 619 245 68 90| anna.sm619@gmail.com

April 7, 2021

John Adams

General Director

ATC Inc.

541 13th Str.

Oakland CA 94536

Dear Mr. Adams,

Please accept this letter as a resignation from my position as HR manager with ATC Inc. I am willing to resign from my position due to personal reasons with effect from April 21.

The reason for the resignation is as follows: my husband has gotten a promotion in New York with effect from April 10. Therefore, to avoid parting with my family, I will follow him and move to the new location. Nevertheless, I am going to comply with the rules and provide the company some ample time to prepare the documentation and find a decent substitute. Therefore, my final day will be April 21, as stated above.

Many years in the company have passed as of today. However, I will never forget this time as an incredibly busy period enriched with experience. I also need to mention that the company’s corporate culture meets the highest standards—never before have I had such a supportive and cohesive team. It was a stroke of luck to be a part of it, which I am genuinely proud of.

Please do not hesitate to let me know if you need my assistance finding and preparing a trainee. I am open to any questions from your side. You can contact me via email or mobile phone.

 

Cordially,

[signature]

Anna Smith

When All is Said and Done

Now that your email has been written, does it sound good to send it right away without any negotiations? Here is a checklist of things to do before pressing the “Send” button.

  1. Speak to your manager or boss first. In most cases, sending an email without speaking face-to-face doesn’t look diplomatic. However, you can resign by email if you work remotely.
  2. Double-check all the information in the letter and make sure you haven’t missed anything. Making a couple of drafts will only do well.
Published: Jun 16, 2022