Leaving a Company: How to Write 2 Weeks Notice Letter

When leaving a company, you need to make the process as smooth as possible while maintaining an amicable relationship with your employee. Most career experts recommend writing a two weeks notice to inform the company leadership of your plans to exit the workforce.

But how can you get a 2-week notice sample that highlights your situation? Well, everything you need can be found on the internet. With a quick Google search, you can find a two weeks notice template that suits your needs.

This article covers the reasons you might want to quit your job as well as ways to exit the company without burning bridges. Let’s get straight to it.

Signs that you should quit your job

A myriad of reasons exists why you should quit your current job. And if you are at your desk contemplating this decision, you are not alone. Let’s go through tell-tale signs that you need to leave your current job.

1. Stagnation

Some companies have a fixed work routine across the board. You end up working on the same repetitive tasks week in week out. If this kind of work doesn’t appeal to you, start planning your exit. 

Besides, some vacancies have no option for upward mobility. In other cases, you might get passed over for promotion multiple times. When this happens, consider switching companies.

2. Stress

If your job has you completely stressed out at the end of every workday, quitting might be a reasonable option. Of course, a short holiday often eases stress, but long-term burnouts are harmful to your health.

3. Better pay

When you get passed over for a raise, you should start shopping for other employment options. Sometimes, the salary structure in a company is so rigid that the only option to earn more is to leave the company entirely.

4. Toxic culture

Sometimes, the pay might be good, your colleagues might be wonderful, but your conscience just doesn’t accept the company’s practices. During these moral dilemmas, quitting might be the best option.

Besides, if the company or employer breaks the law or has ‘shady’ dealings, you might want to remove yourself from the company to avoid incriminating yourself. And if sexism and discrimination are interwoven into the company’s fabric, then it is time to go.

5. Health problems

When the job starts taking a toll on your health, then you should seek other less demanding options.

Realizing these signs will give you a more detailed response when the employer invites you for an exit interview. You will also need to mention them when giving two weeks notice.

What is two weeks’ notice?

In the professional setting, you always need to inform your employer two weeks before leaving the company — this is the two weeks’ notice. Although you don’t need to provide this notice before leaving your job, it is still a courteous way to exit without any lingering grudges.

Sometimes, the candidate might need to inform the HR manager about their plans to exit verbally. Other times, you need to write a detailed 2 week resignation letter containing your reasons for leaving. 

Contents of a two weeks notice mail

The well-written two weeks notice should detail your reasons for leaving the company. Let’s go through the must-have contents.

1. Mention the name of the company, project manager, and CEO.

2. Indicate that the purpose of the letter is to hand in your two weeks notice.

3. Express your gratitude for the opportunity to be part of the workforce.

4. Reiterate your dedication to ultimate performance during your last days at work.

5. Offer to help them find a replacement.

6. Don’t antagonize the company or your colleagues in the letter!

7. Sign your name at the end.

You can copy any 2 week notice example and edit the contents to your liking.

Why should you write a two weeks’ notice letter?

We’ve already mentioned that writing a two weeks’ notice letter is a professional goodwill gesture. However, there are other reasons why you need an exit letter before leaving a company. Here are the reasons for writing a notice letter.

1. It protects your reputation. Most industries are interconnected, and word spreads fast. If you leave your job without forewarning, you will rub your employers the wrong way. As a result, you will develop a terrible reputation, which might become a problem for you down the line.

2. You will protect yourself from potential legal action. The stipulations in your contract might not favor leaving without prior warning. And when you go without any notice, you might become liable to legal action.

3. A two weeks notice letter allows you access to unused vacations and sick days. Otherwise, you forfeit access to this financial compensation.

4. With a simple two week notice letter, you can leave your path back to the company open in the future. But if you exit abruptly, you can never return to the company.

In extreme cases, you can put in your notice one week in advance if you want to leave asap.

Two weeks notice letter example

You don’t need to come up with a notice letter from scratch. You can easily download any 2 weeks notice template online and complete the process in a few minutes. If you want to personalize your letter, use the structure in this two weeks notice example to craft your exit letter.

How to resign from your job in 3 steps

Resigning from your position in a company needs to be a systematic rather than a whimsical process.

Here are the three essential steps to quit your job smoothly:

1 Save enough money and secure a fallback plan. Consider finding a job to avoid staying idle without any source of income.

2. Write your two weeks notice letter and send it to HR.

3. Start the offboarding process. Communicate with your team leader and other dependent colleagues to ensure a smooth transition.

And when all is done, you can leave the company without any grudges and negative feelings.

Conclusion

Leaving a job can be a challenging task because it involves changing your entire lifestyle. But sometimes, it is just the right thing to do.

You only need to spot the signs in time and start working on your 2-week notice letter. Don’t forget to stay positive when mentioning the reasons for your intended departure.

Also, express your willingness to oversee the transition process. And at the end of your two weeks offboarding period, you can leave the company in peace and full of smiles.