It’s a brand new year, and you probably feel like the time is right to do something different with your career. Many of us have been working jobs that don’t excite us, don’t provide a challenge, or don’t pay us what we want or deserve. If you spent 2021 thinking about doing something different, now is the time to leap. Your first step once you have an opportunity lined up? Give your two-week notice.
A two-week notice letter is your opportunity to leave a job professionally and positively. This letter is seen as a common courtesy and, in some cases, a requirement to formally resign your position. Regardless of the path you take, there is a process for giving your two weeks notice.
For Black Professionals, executing the two-week notice the right way is essential for career advancement. You never want to burn bridges, and you will want to maintain your professional networks for whatever the future may bring.
What is two weeks’ notice?
There are probably many reasons you want or need to leave your current job. It is a standard professional courtesy to give your employer at least two weeks’ notice when you decide to go. A two-week notice gives you time to complete your current work obligations, inform your managers and coworkers how to perform some of your job duties once you’re gone, and say goodbye to your colleagues professionally and positively. It also gives your employer time to open a role to fill your job or make other arrangements.
Why should you write a two weeks’ notice letter?
There are two reasons you should write a two-week notice letter. First, this letter is a respectful way to inform your employer that you intend to leave your current position. It’s normal for people to leave their jobs and move on to new ones. During this process, make sure your employer will be able to speak positively about your exit. Going on a sour note is not the way to boost your future career prospects. Having just one person speak negatively about you could be the difference between not getting the dream job you want. For example, quitting your job suddenly and without notice could leave your employer in a difficult situation, which could limit your ability to use your current employer as a reference for future employment or risk a new employer learning about your unprofessional exit.
In many cases, your notice will give your employer time to settle any accounts in your name or ensure you receive final financial information, such as retirement accounts or back pay. Your employer may also need the time to post your former job and find the right candidate as a replacement.
You should provide a two-week notice letter so you have a written record of your decision to resign and for your employer to learn why employees choose to leave or for legal documents. Again, being helpful to your employer by allowing them to understand why people are leaving gives them the data to be better at hiring the next person. How you leave your job could also impact your future job success. You should avoid leaving a wrong impression throughout the resignation process, no matter your reason for leaving.
How to resign from your job in 3 steps
When you resign from a job, it’s a courtesy to provide a resignation letter two weeks before your final day of work. Before you submit this letter to your employer, there are several things to consider.
1. If possible, find a convenient time to meet with your employer.
It’s best to resign from your job in person. You can also have this conversation via phone or video conference if you need to. In most cases, this meeting should take place with your direct supervisor. This conversation is a courtesy to your manager that helps avoid unexpected news and gives them additional time to prepare. It also allows you to have a personal conversation with them, thanking them for the opportunity.
To avoid your manager hearing about your resignation from someone else, make sure you speak to them before telling any of your colleagues.
Remember that your goal is to part on good terms. Try to schedule this meeting at a convenient time for your manager, write your two-week notice letter beforehand and prepare to address their questions about when you’ll be leaving.
If there is some reason you cannot speak to your direct supervisor, you could meet with an HR representative. Whomever you meet with, it’s important not to wait too long—once you’ve decided to leave your job, you should tell your employer as soon as possible so that you can agree on an exit plan together.
2. Prepare for your conversation and focus on the positive
Talking about resigning from your job can be a difficult conversation to have. As with many difficult discussions, preparing ahead of time is a good idea. This preparation can calm your nerves and make it easier to say what you need to say.
- Be honest but don’t go into unnecessary detail. When thinking about how you want to tell your manager of your intention to leave, it can be helpful to know what you want to divulge ahead of time.
- For example, it might be true that you are leaving because you don’t feel you are growing at the company and you’ve found a new job with more growth opportunities. Depending on your situation, you might choose to explain this to your employer tactfully. But, you may decide that it’s better only to tell them that you’re pursuing a new opportunity that’s a good fit for your future goals.
While you may be asked about your next opportunity, it is your decision whether or not you want to tell your employer this information based on what makes you feel most comfortable.
- Your employer may inquire about a few pieces of information to get ahead of your departure as best they can, including the date of your last day. Be prepared to let them know when your last day will be. Two weeks’ notice is standard.
- Be gracious. It would be best if you had a few words mapped out ahead of time thanking your employer for the opportunity at the company. This can include resources they provided for your continued growth, exceptional management, the chance to work on specific projects, or gained experience in the industry.
Be prepared for pushback. If you were an exceptional and well-liked employee, your manager might attempt to offer you a pay raise or other perks to keep you onboard if they have the resources. You should be prepared ahead of time with exactly what they can offer for you to stay or whether you want to engage with a counter-offer at all. If you choose to stay, be prepared for a potentially awkward relationship moving forward. You can decline a counter-offer with a simple, respectful statement like, “Thank you very much for the offer. While I highly value my time at this company, the next opportunity will be the best option for me moving forward.”
3. If you can’t meet in person, send an email.
If you can’t resign in person or speak to your supervisor via phone or video conference, you have the option of sending an email. In this case, you should give your email a clear subject line, keep the body of your email brief and positive, and attach your two weeks’ letter as an attachment. Here’s an example of what your email might look like:
Subject: Resignation Letter – Gabriella Marks
Dear Mr. Smith,
Please accept this as my formal resignation from XYZ Company. My last day will be June 15, two weeks from today. I am grateful for all of your support during my time here and sincerely appreciate all of the valuable experiences I have gained. It has been a pleasure working with you and the team.
Please let me know how I can help during this transition and make it as smooth as possible. I wish you all the best.
Best wishes, and thank you for everything,
Gabriella
How to write a simple two weeks’ notice letter
As you begin to draft your letter of resignation, consider the following guidelines:
- Start by including your name, Date, address, and subject line
- State your resignation
- Include the Date of your last day
- Provide a brief reason for resignation (optional)
- Add a statement of gratitude
- Wrap up with next steps
- Close with your signature
While each resignation letter is different, it’s best to end on a positive note with gratitude or something specific you enjoyed about your time with the company to leave a good impression.
Two weeks’ notice letter example
Here is an example of a two weeks’ notice letter you could write if you received a job offer from another employer:
[Date]
John Smith [Supervisor’s Name]
DoGood LLC [Company Name]
173 South Street, Dallas, TX 13456 [Company Address]
Dear Mr. Smith,
This letter gives you two weeks’ notice of my official resignation from DoGood LLC. My final day as a marketing associate with DoGood LLC will be [two weeks from today’s Date].
It has been a pleasure working with DoGood LLC. I appreciate the time and commitment the company has shown me in helping to develop my sales associate experience and skills.
I intend to continue providing DoGood LLC with the same high-quality work from now until my last day of employment. If there is anything you need me to do to help during this transition time, please let me know.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Thompson
