Employees resign from their jobs for a variety of reasons, including job dissatisfaction, new offers of employment and family obligations. It is not necessary to provide your employer with the exact reasons for your resignation. However, when providing a letter of resignation, seek to end your relationship with your employer on a positive note.

Diplomatic Reasons for a Resignation

Family or personal reasons can lead to your resignation, and this is perfectly fine as long as you give the appropriate amount of notice to your employer. Some of the most diplomatic reasons for a job resignation are when a spouse accepts a job in another city, a child is born, a family member becomes ill or a new job offers promises more income or more comprehensive medical benefits.

Warning

Reasons for your resignation that are of a confidential nature, such as drug addiction, mental illness, divorce or criminal indictment are best kept to yourself. Your employer may view a full disclosure of drug abuse, for example, as inappropriate and add a note in your permanent work file about the information you disclose.

Letter of Resignation

A letter of resignation should be professional and contain the following components: 1) your intention of resigning from your job by your planned resignation date; 2) a reason for your resignation or a brief acknowledgment of your career highlights; and 3) a positive statement about your relationship with your employer. It’s best to focus your letter of recognition on the positive aspects of the time you’ve spent with the employer.

Amount of Notice

When announcing your resignation, you always want to give your current employer two to four weeks' notice. For good measure, consult your employee handbook in case your employer requires more -- or less -- advance notice. Avoid dropping your standard of performance in the last weeks of your employment and, if possible, provide a complete progress report on all open assignments. Thank key supervisors and co-workers for their support during your time with the company.