How to Notify About Resignation or Moving

When the time comes to leave a job, it is particularly important to part ways with your company gracefully. Some organizations may require a formal notice, which is often outlined in your employment contract. In other cases, simply sending a notification is a courteous gesture, giving your employer enough time to find a replacement. In both scenarios, it is best for you to end your employment relationship tactfully and with respect.

Review the Employment Contract / Offer Letter. Revisit all the contracts and/or offer letters you signed when you were hired before you leave. These documents typically contain specific guidelines on what you need to do when resigning. Usually, the terms are straightforward, such as: "This document may be terminated by either party, at any time, and for any reason." However, if your employer has specific policies regarding resignation, you'll want to be aware of them in advance to ensure you're not violating any terms.

• If you don't have these documents on hand, don't worry. Your employer will have copies. Talk to the HR department, your direct supervisor, or anyone responsible for maintaining records at your organization to request the documents.

Have a Conversation with Your Direct Supervisor. Show respect (even if you don't feel they deserve it). Taking the time to speak directly with your boss demonstrates your respect for both them and the job. A face-to-face conversation will be far more formal than a notification sent via email or voicemail. If you want a positive reference from your old company, it's best to have this conversation in person.

• Fake it a little. Not every job is a dream job. Even if you disliked the job, try to at least pretend that you enjoyed it in your resignation. Avoid the temptation to insult your boss or the job—those few moments of satisfaction from venting won’t be worth the trouble of explaining later why you didn't get any recommendations from your former company.

Explain Your Reason for Leaving. While you don’t need to provide an exact reason for resigning, having a reason prepared will make saying goodbye to your boss (and later, your colleagues) much easier. There are many reasons for leaving a job: you may have found a better opportunity that aligns with your life goals, be moving elsewhere, or need to step away due to health concerns. Only you know your true reason for leaving.

• If you're leaving because you're unhappy with the job, instead of being blunt, you can simply say that “the job wasn't a good fit” to avoid hurting your boss's or colleagues' feelings. Avoid burning bridges with such comments.

Ask Your Boss About Their Expectations Before You Leave. Before leaving, you may need to complete certain projects, train a colleague to take over your duties, or assist in finding a replacement. Carry out these tasks politely and with goodwill. Don’t hesitate to work even if you know you're leaving—the harder you make it for your employer during the transition, the less likely you are to receive a glowing recommendation in the future.

Consider Providing Written Notice of Resignation. For jobs that primarily involve communication via phone or email, such as remote work, it might be unrealistic and impractical to meet with your employer in person. For other positions, employers may request written notice alongside a verbal one for record-keeping. In these cases, write a formal letter to your employer (send it via mail or email if you can’t deliver it in person).

• Express regret over your departure, explain your reason for leaving, and offer to help find and/or train your replacement in the letter. Keep the tone concise and professional—avoid flowery or overly emotional farewells. You can share your deeper emotions in person or in correspondence with colleagues.

Let Your Boss Know When You Plan to Leave. Unless absolutely unavoidable, don’t surprise your boss with the news that you're planning to quit. Not only is this impolite, but it can also cause problems for the company and your future career plans. Your current employer may struggle to find a replacement, and if they can’t, they might have to reduce operations or even temporarily shut down. Even if you dislike your boss, it’s unfair and unprofessional. Worse, it could negatively affect your colleagues (if they have to pick up the slack for your unfinished tasks).

• Moreover, if you suddenly announce your resignation to your boss, you can be sure that your boss won’t want to write a positive reference, which could hinder your job search in the future.
• Your employment contract may specify the minimum notice period required before resigning. If not, two weeks before your departure is the standard time to give notice.
• Note: It’s a good idea to make sure your boss is the first to know about your resignation plans. In other words, don’t tell your colleagues before informing your boss, even if they’re close friends. Gossip spreads quickly in the workplace—it would be embarrassing if your boss learned about your resignation plans from someone else rather than directly from you.

Thank your direct supervisor. If your work experience was positive, the gratitude will come naturally. If not, you should still “pretend.” Saying thank you shows goodwill towards the person who will soon become your former boss.

• This is a suitable time to request a positive recommendation letter or a reference letter for future employment from your employer. However, remember that your boss is not obligated to do these things.
• When asking for a reference letter or a recommendation, make sure to request a letter with positive content – otherwise, dishonest employers may write negative remarks. No reference letter is better than one with negative content.

Prepare to leave immediately. Understand that even if you give notice before your planned departure, your employer might ask you to leave earlier or even immediately. This isn’t necessarily a sign of opposition – they might not have anything left for you to do, or they might not want you to demoralize other employees. Either way, try to “wrap up all your work” before notifying them. Complete all remaining projects and neatly organize your belongings ahead of time so your departure doesn’t become messy or time-consuming.

• If you're let go early, check your contract – you might be entitled to severance pay for the period you were originally supposed to work.

Review your lease agreement. In many places, including California, you are required to notify your landlord a certain number of days before moving out, usually in accordance with your rent payment cycle. Check the notification requirements in your lease agreement – this document will include guidelines and rules for giving notice. Understanding these rules before notifying your landlord will help guide your decision. For example, if you are in a fixed-term lease and decide to move out early, you might violate the terms of the lease and incur costs such as future rent, advertising fees, etc.

Submit a written notice to your landlord. Unlike the notice to your employer, a notice to your landlord is often required to be in writing. In this notice, make sure to include important details, such as the names of all individuals moving out, the address of the home you are leaving, the address of your new home, and your expected move-out date.

• The tone of the notice should be serious and professional, paying attention to spelling and grammar.

Have a direct conversation or phone call with your landlord to discuss the requirements before leaving. If possible, speaking directly (or at least emailing) your landlord is a good idea to go over all the arrangements you need to make before moving out. The landlord might request you to drop off the keys at a specified location on your final day. They may also want the house cleaned on a certain date, even if you’re moving out after that date. It's best not to guess about these things and talk to the landlord as soon as possible.

Assure the landlord that you'll clean the property before leaving. When contacting your landlord, mention that you will return the house in a clean (if not perfect) condition. Returning the property in pristine condition will increase your chances of getting your full or most of your deposit back.

Plan for a thorough inspection. Many landlords will require an in-person inspection (which you must attend) before you return the keys. This is in the best interest of both parties. The landlord wants to assess the actual condition of the property so they can deduct costs from your deposit for repairs, etc. On the other hand, you will want to be present to ensure that the landlord doesn’t make false claims about the property's condition to unfairly withhold your deposit. When speaking to the landlord, ask them about the scheduled inspection so you can arrange to be there.

Arrange to receive your deposit back. Typically, when renting a property, you are required to pay a deposit upfront (usually equal to one month's rent). When moving out, you’ll receive this deposit back after deductions for repairs that the landlord needs to make for any damages you caused, etc. Assuming you’ve taken good care of the property, you should get most, if not all, of your original deposit back.

• Be upfront with your landlord about your desire to get your deposit back after moving out, and inquire about any repairs that have been deducted. Don’t stay silent – most landlords are honest and will plan to return your deposit, but you might encounter a dishonest landlord, so you need to bring this up.
• Don’t let the landlord dodge your question. Be persistent – don’t let the fear of an awkward conversation allow the landlord to escape with the deposit money you worked hard to earn.