Writing two weeks notice

Nakatomi2010

I'm planning on turning in my two week notice tomorrow, my employers are not going to see it coming, not by a long shot. You knw that scene in Serenity when Mal says "No, they wont see this coming", and then the operative is all smiles and giggles till the Reavers come out?

Yeah, we're talking about that kind of left field for them.

My initial plan was to send an e-mail to the owner (We're a small company, about ten people), explaining to him personally why I'm leaving (My boss), and then giving my boss written notice which is far more vague, while sending my co-workers a picture of a guy in an ejection seat.

So, the question is this. Should I even bother with sending the owner an e-mail? Or just leave it at the written notice to my boss and keep stone walling on a valid reason?

And what's the best way to write a two weeks that says "I'm leaving, you can't change my mind" while being vague about the specific reason.

bsjezz

be as brief as possible. you don't need to explain yourself, nor should you. the best letters of resignation are a sentence or two long.

Six

You don't need to give any reason.

"This letter serves as notice that I will be leaving my position at [company], effective [date].

Sincerely,

Nakatomi"

If you want to explain more than that in person, feel free. But there's no need to put anything else in the letter. Your two week notice is a courtesy to them.

oldsak

Yeah, just keep the letter short and simple and explain further in person if you feel the need.

Deebaser

Six wrote: »

You don't need to give any reason.

"This letter serves as notice that I will be leaving my position at [company], effective [date].

Sincerely,

Nakatomi"

If you want to explain more than that in person, feel free. But there's no need to put anything else in the letter. Your two week notice is a courtesy to them.

This is basically my resignation letter template.

mts

Welcome to dumpsville, population you.

Third or whatever those who say, keep it short in simple. If you want to add something to owner, add a line or two about how its been a pleasure to work for your company. No point in burning bridges. leave overt reasoning for face to face meetings

Hachface

Keep your resignation letter as brief as possible, and try to avoid any kind of exit interview they ask you to do.

You have very little to gain by badmouthing your boss and a fair amount to lose.

Sentry

You could always request an exit interview. That's the time to explain why you are leaving, not in a letter of resignation that will be on file anytime a potential employer calls for a reference or to verify employment.

Or listen to Hatchface, because that's actually the best advice. Bottle up your anger and just be professional till the end.

bowen

Don't tell them why you're quitting, not even in email. You don't owe them anything, chances are, it'll come back and bite you in the ass.

VisionOfClarity

When I left my last job it was out of nowhere. I gave my two weeks to my boss in a short email and letter (very short, just the needed words) and called my old boss (who was now the whole office boss) and told him on the phone because I didn't want him to find out via email (he was on the other side of the country in our Vegas office). He asked me why and I didn't lie, I told him that I loved working with him and my coworker but that my new boss was abusive and I wasn't going to be able to deal with it anymore.

I knew with him out of the office more he didn't see it and I wanted him to know why I was leaving so that when they had trouble keeping someone in my position they knew why (and they have had trouble filling my spot and the other coworker has also since left).

ihmmy

Deebaser wrote: »

Six wrote: »

You don't need to give any reason.

"This letter serves as notice that I will be leaving my position at [company], effective [date].

Sincerely,

Nakatomi"

If you want to explain more than that in person, feel free. But there's no need to put anything else in the letter. Your two week notice is a courtesy to them.

This is basically my resignation letter template.

if I liked the job I usually throw in something along the lines of "thank you for letting me learn about <> and meet great people along the way", but that's just if I liked the job lots.

Eat it You Nasty Pig.

Unless you have a relationship with the owner that would cause you to want to extend him special courtesy, you don't need to email him. Just drop the boss a note, or give him one in person.

Don't email your co-workers anything dumb. That's only going to come around to hurt you.

ceres

I don't have much to add, except to say that if there's someone there you intend to use as a reference, it might be good to see that they don't hear it through the grape vine.

Zeon

ceres wrote: »

I don't have much to add, except to say that if there's someone there you intend to use as a reference, it might be good to see that they don't hear it through the grape vine.

Yeah. I really hate when i dont even hear from the person that theyre leaving, or that theyre going to use me for a reference, and then i get a random call in the middle of the day asking me about their work history with us.

When we used to have more employees sometimes i didnt even realise they had left and id have to ask a coworker "Uhh, is bob looking for a new job??" only to find out he doesnt even work for us anymore. Cus im not exactly going to start giving out work history to someone if i dont even know who they are or if its legit (there used to be a lot of poaching in our industry).

Wezoin

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

bsjezz

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

what were they going to do? fire you?

Enc

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

What happened here is that the company wanted exit interview data and strong armed you into complying. Under no circumstances do you need to give anything but two weeks notice.

Spoit

Nakatomi2010 wrote: »

I'm planning on turning in my two week notice tomorrow, my employers are not going to see it coming, not by a long shot. You knw that scene in Serenity when Mal says "No, they wont see this coming", and then the operative is all smiles and giggles till the Reavers come out?

Yeah, we're talking about that kind of left field for them.

My initial plan was to send an e-mail to the owner (We're a small company, about ten people), explaining to him personally why I'm leaving (My boss), and then giving my boss written notice which is far more vague, while sending my co-workers a picture of a guy in an ejection seat.

So, the question is this. Should I even bother with sending the owner an e-mail? Or just leave it at the written notice to my boss and keep stone walling on a valid reason?

And what's the best way to write a two weeks that says "I'm leaving, you can't change my mind" while being vague about the specific reason.

I don't see any way the bolded could come back and bite you in the ass:!:

Wezoin

bsjezz wrote: »

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

what were they going to do? fire you?

Well, no it was implied that it would be assumed that I left because of something a coworker did that upset me or something - they made it seem as though repurcussions would come to those I worked with. It may have even just been something like the department might lose funding if they lose staff due to treating staff poorly or something, I dunno. All I added was "because I found a job closer to school. I enjoyed working with the staff here." and left it at that

SammyF

Just to be clear, the actual resignation letter is being handed in as a hard-copy, right? Every time I gave my notice, I was advised by colleagues that it was important to make it a signed hard-copy so that I could control who found out I was leaving and how (rather than having an email forwarded by the office manager). I suppose that's not a universal thing?

NotYou

Is there even a "right" way to do this anymore? Take me for example. My boss doesn't have an office with a door. Co-workers are all around him. It would less private to hand him a hard copy in person, than if I were to e-mail him.

UncleSporky

bsjezz wrote: »

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

what were they going to do? fire you?

They could provide a poor reference, citing this as an example of insubordination.

SammyF

UncleSporky wrote: »

bsjezz wrote: »

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

what were they going to do? fire you?

They could provide a poor reference, citing this as an example of insubordination.

Personally, I'd be highly resistant to taking that sort of example of insubordination at face value, unless of course Wezoin had offered his polite refusal by saying something along the lines of "nuh uh, I'm not going to fuckin' re-write my resignation letter, I quit, I fuckin' quit!" and then grabbed a beer off the beverage cart on the way to the front of the aircraft, where he pulled that big orange handle and rode the yellow emergency slide to freedom.

dlinfiniti

short and sweet in the formal signed letter, explanations to those who you deem deserve it and under no circumstances do you walk away backwards flipping everyone off

Nakatomi2010

Thanks guys, this thread can be closed.

My wife calls the one I picked "Cold and neutral" as it essentially says when I'm leaving, and then explains that I talked it over with my family and friends and decided to pursue other opportunities.

I'm curious as to whether he's going to dismiss me, or let me continue working.

Awk

If he dismisses you, he would have to pay you the remaining two weeks. At least thats how it would be over here.

also: its a letter of resignation, if it isnt cold and neutral, youre doing it wrong.

bowen

Awk wrote: »

If he dismisses you, he would have to pay you the remaining two weeks. At least thats how it would be over here.

also: its a letter of resignation, if it isnt cold and neutral, youre doing it wrong.

Yeah getting a paycheck for the last two weeks while you sit on your ass and do nothing and/or are doing another job is great.

mts

bowen wrote: »

Yeah getting a paycheck for the last two weeks while you sit on your ass and do nothing and/or are doing another job is great.

Indeed. When I was laid off a while back i was actually making more money not working than if i was to find another job

Six

UncleSporky wrote: »

bsjezz wrote: »

Wezoin wrote: »

Wow, when I quit my last job I wrote a very simple "I will be leaving as of _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work for your organization." and got told "You need to write a longer one, with a detailed explanation of why you're leaving, and specifically stating that it's not because of the people you work with, unless it is then you have to say that." So I had to go back and rewrite it. But yeah, if you can get away with it write it as short as possible.

what were they going to do? fire you?

They could provide a poor reference, citing this as an example of insubordination.

This is extremely unlikely to happen, as they could then be held liable if it affects him getting another job.

Typically, a company won't say anything more than, "Yes, he worked here from this date to this date, and this was his title."

Doc

Nakatomi2010 wrote: »

Thanks guys, this thread can be closed.

My wife calls the one I picked "Cold and neutral" as it essentially says when I'm leaving, and then explains that I talked it over with my family and friends and decided to pursue other opportunities.

My best guess at this situation is that you're a congressman that got caught with a hooker