“Leave on good terms, not under a cloud, because you never know when you may want to return,” says Paul Walden, RN, human resource manager at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois. “A resignation needs to be handled professionally, and that means giving adequate notice. It’s customary to give two weeks if you are an hourly employee and up to four weeks if you are salaried,” he says.

Do’s and Don’ts of the Resignation Letter

A letter of resignation is almost as important as a letter inquiring about a job. Keep the following points in mind when you write a letter of resignation:

• Address it to your immediate supervisor with that person’s correct credentials and job title.
• Print it with a laser-quality printer on plain white or cream-colored stationery.
• Be brief.
• Start with a statement such as “Please accept this two-week notice of my resignation.”
• State your last day of work. Consider that for some employers, it’s better to leave at the end of a pay period. Keep in mind that the length of notice should be at least two weeks unless you have negotiated different terms.
• State the reason you are leaving, but providing the name of your new employer is optional. For example, you can write “I am leaving to pursue greater clinical challenges in an ICU.”
• Offer at least one positive aspect of your current position, no matter how hard it may be to think of one.
• Never criticize your current employer. You want to leave gracefully and professionally.
• End the resignation letter on a positive note, such as “It has been a pleasure working with you.”
• Keep a copy of the letter for your records.

Getting the Most From an Exit Interview

To conclude your employment, many employers rely on an exit process. Typically this includes following a checklist of details, such as returning your locker key, paying library fines, and surrendering your parking pass and identification badge. The exit interview is commonly used by employers to garner information about your experience in the organization. Use this time to gain information for your benefit as well. Make sure you get all the information you need:

• Determine how your final check will be calculated and when it will be sent. Do you and your employer agree about the value of your vacation, sick time, or other kinds of leave time?
• Find out which of your benefits are portable and at what price. Health insurance can be extended at your own expense through COBRA, a federal law, but the decision to use these benefits must be made when you separate from your current employer or soon after. Even if you are starting a new job with health insurance, you may still need COBRA for coverage until you are covered by your new employer’s plan, especially if you have a preexisting illness.
• Understand your retirement benefits. If you are vested in a defined-benefit plan (you receive a fixed payment after retirement), keep your employer abreast of your address so you can stay updated about the plan and eventually receive payments. Determine who administers the plan and how best to remain informed about changes in it.
• If you contributed to a defined-contribution plan — 403(b) or 401(k) — typically the money remains under the custody of the current administrator, or it can be transferred to a new employer’s custody, or even transferred to your own account with a bank, insurance company, or brokerage firm. It is expensive to cash out a defined-contribution plan because you must pay previously deferred income taxes, as well as a hefty penalty for early withdrawal. Keep asking questions until you understand exactly how your retirement benefits work.
• An exit interview is a time to give your employer feedback. Always include at least one positive aspect of your job or compliment a coworker or supervisor by name. But if you decide to discuss problems, omit names and anything that sounds like blaming. Instead, talk about issues that can be fixed. “An exit interview is not the time to discuss personality conflicts, but employers are always interested in learning ways to improve their professional environment,” says Walden.

Jeffrey Zurlinden, RN, MS, ACRN, is a contributing editor for the Chicago/NE Illinois & NW Indiana Edition of Nursing Spectrum