Resigning from a job is not a walk in the park. There are certain criteria for tasks that you need to complete in order to relieve yourself from a company. You have to give your employer prior notice before leaving. Most companies have their own standard period for a notice period, either long or short. 

It’s best if you make a list of things that you need to carry out during this procedure. You have to ensure that your actions are compliant with your company’s policy and that you do not in any way go against those policies. Check your offer letter and make a note of the notice period mentioned there, and if there are any additional details mentioned there. If you have any plans beyond your work, you should discuss these with your manager, if possible. 

This is when the resignation letter comes in. 

There may be circumstances that prevent you from having a verbal conversation with your manager/supervisor regarding your resignation. Times like these, you may have to compose a fully-detailed resignation letter that leaves no room for questions. Even during this situation, it’s best if you do it a while in advance, so that your company can look for a replacement and hire them so that they can take over your work in time. 

So, what can you do to resign with advance notice?

Speak to your manager

This is only if possible, and is actually a very important step in the entire process. You should inform your manager that you are planning on leaving the company. You should then follow up with an official resignation letter, and send this copy not only to your manager but to the human resource department as well. 

Follow your notice period

Your company will have its own set standard for a notice period. You must make sure that your resignation aligns with this period. Going earlier is better, but some companies have a very long duration for a notice period, but it is important for you to completely adhere to this rule. This will help you maintain good relations with your employers for the future as well.

What do you say in the letter?

There is a certain set of information that needs to be mentioned clearly in the resignation letter. 

The date: Always mention the date you are planning on leaving the company. This will make it easier for your manager to understand when you planned on leaving and will assist in finding a replacement. 

No need to go extra: There is no need to go into the specifics on why you’re leaving the company. Follow a simple standard for a resignation letter, and don’t include extra information. Brief is best.

Thank your employers: Make sure you thank your employers in your resignation letter. This is a good opportunity to let them know how grateful you are for having worked with them. 

Assist them: You are adhering to the notice and are leaving the company, so the least you can do is help them find a replacement, to adjust to your transition.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding your compensation, benefits, leaves and your salary, this is the place to ask.

Give them your contact: Always include your contact details in the mail. Don’t include your company mail, give them your personal email—this is so that your employer can contact you in case they have any questions. 

Be formal: Ensure that the mail you send them is formal and follows the business-standard. 

Here’s what you need to avoid:

Don’t be personal: You may be feeling a great many things when leaving your company. However, the resignation letter is not the place where you show them how you are feeling. Don’t say anything negative, and don’t be overly positive either. The aim is to quit and maintain friendly relations with your employer, so be formal.

Sample of a resignation letter

Here is a sample of a resignation letter, which showcases advance notice to the company. 

If you are sending them an email as a resignation, then the subject line should read — [Your name] - Resignation. You don’t have to include your contact information or date in the heading. 

[Name]

[Address]

[Phone number]

[Email]

[Date]

[Manager/HR name]

Dear sir/madam,

I am writing this mail to inform you of my resignation from [company] effective [date]. I am deeply humbled for having had the opportunity to work with you. I know that I have learned a lot, I have grown in a professional setting, during the time that I have worked here. I appreciate the chance that I had to have worked with such a wonderful team.

Please contact me if you have any queries regarding the projects I was working on. In the coming weeks, I am more than happy to help with this transition.

Thank you for understanding my decision to resign, and thank you for all your support. I will be serving the full notice period of [duration] and will do my best in helping to hand over the duties.

Respectfully,

[name]

There are times when negotiations do not work. Sometimes, managers might not find a replacement in time, or the company policies simply do not allow one to relieve themselves of the company before serving the full notice period. However, in situations like these—which are unfavourable, of course, there might still be a way to relieve yourself early. It might not be the most preferred choice, but since we’re run out of all options, this may be it.

There is an option of buying out your notice period. If your company policy allows it, you can buy out the notice period and relieve yourself early.

Find more resignation letter templates here

Now, what is the notice period buyout option?

When an employee wants to resign, a notice period is a single hurdle that they face before leaving the company. Only after serving the notice period will they be given their documents and are relieved from the company. Notice periods vary across different companies, and if someone cannot serve the full notice period and if negotiation is not an option, then there is the choice of buying out the notice period.

A company comes to the buyout option when they want a candidate to join their team immediately for which they will pay the candidate’s current company. These situations usually arise when the company is looking for a candidate in a specific skill set and should join their team immediately instead of joining after serving his/her notice period completely.

What happens here is the person who wants to leave the company will be relieved from the company without serving a notice period, by paying the company. The buyout option also varies from company to company. This is not a standard that every company follows, so make sure you enquire if there is such an option in your company before offering to do the same.

If you opt for a buyout, then you are a buyout employee. As a buyout employee, you have to ensure that all your essential documents such as your payslips, certificates, appreciations, etc., are with you since you won’t have a lot of time on your hands. You will also not have access to any of the office portals for your documents, so ensure that you take whatever is essential and is yours beforehand.