Resignation letter builder and a checklist for leaving well.
Write a short, professional resignation letter from your own details, then work through what to check before you resign, how to tell your manager, the handover and your move to the new job. No sign-up; nothing you type leaves your browser.
A resignation letter only needs three things: that you are resigning, from which job, and your last day. Thanks are optional; a reason is not needed. Before you send it, have your new offer in writing and check your contract or handbook for any notice requirement.
Check these first
Advice This is general guidance, not legal advice.
- Have the new offer in writing and accepted, with a start date, before you resign.
- If the offer depends on a background check, references or other conditions, ask the new employer whether they are complete.
- Read your contract, employee handbook and offer letter for any notice period, non-compete, or rules about returning equipment.
- Find out from HR or your benefits documents what happens to your final pay, unused paid time off, health coverage and retirement plan when you leave. The Department of Labor pages below explain the general rules and where to ask.
- Copy personal files and contacts that are yours to keep. Leave company data where it is.
Official sources. General rules and where to ask:
Build your resignation letter
Advice Template wording is TryHired's suggestion; edit anything.
Your details · template wording · [placeholder to fill]. Nothing is added that you didn't type or tick.
Template
Prepare the conversation
Advice
- Tell your manager first, before coworkers, ideally in a short meeting or video call.
- Lead with the decision: you're resigning, and your proposed last day.
- Keep the reason brief. You don't have to explain where you're going.
- Thank them for something specific, if you can do so honestly.
- Decide in advance how you'll respond to a counter-offer.
- Follow up the conversation with the written letter.
Leave your work in good shape
Advice
- List your open work, deadlines and who should take each item.
- Write down where files, logins and recurring tasks live (without sharing passwords in documents).
- Introduce the people taking over to your key contacts.
- Return equipment, badges and keys; get a confirmation.
- Agree with your manager how your departure will be announced.
Your transition checklist
Advice
- Confirm your start date, first-day time, place or link, and who to ask for.
- Send any paperwork the new employer asked for before day one.
- Check when your new health coverage begins, and compare it with when your old coverage ends.
- Plan your first two weeks: learn the team, the tools and what success looks like in the role.
- Update your LinkedIn and resume once you've started, if you choose to.
Still deciding? Compare pay, requirements and outlook on the career pages, or check whether paid career help fits.
How this page works
How this page is built
The letter is assembled in your browser from what you type and fixed template sentences; nothing is sent or stored. It never adds a reason, a notice length or a promise you didn't choose. The notice count beside the draft is simple date arithmetic from today to the last day you enter.
The checklists are TryHired's advice. Rules on final pay, benefits and unemployment insurance depend on your state, your employer and your situation; the U.S. Department of Labor pages linked here explain the general rules and where to ask.
- Any notice requirement and its length: that depends on your contract, your employer's policies and your state.
- What you are owed on leaving (final pay, paid time off, severance, benefits): ask your employer's HR team or read your plan documents.
- Eligibility for unemployment insurance: your state's program decides.