resignation letter for part time job

[Zoe Girl]

Hi all, I am realizing I just need to do a 2 week notice resignation letter for my weekend job. I have had a total of 3 days off from it (week and a half) and I cannot imagine going back in any way. I have no clue how I lived like that for so long.

So now to write it, just a quicky 'here are my 2 weeks ending on this date' or a little bit of what I want to get off my chest. It wouldn't be anything that would burn my bridges with the company, I don't do that, however I would like to put in some response to the direction the company is taking and how frustrated I am. I can't decide, it comes down to which would be the better way to really let go and give up on the idea I will be recognized, validated or otherwise valued and paid at this job. I may need to sit on my cushion about this a little.

As much as it has been a kinda sucky part time job it is hard to give up totally, there have been so many times I don't earn enough and friends and family will suggest I look at applying for full time upper management jobs at the company where I would earn a living wage. So that is not going to happen, but maybe i can free up energy to move forward in another way.

[jania]

I'd suggest just keeping the letter of resignation very short and sweet, even including something like how much you've enjoyed the opportunity. Don't go into anything about your frustration with the company. If the company is even interested they will give you an opportunity to air your dislikes at an exit interview and even then I would keep it low key. You never know when you might want to be re-hired.

[Miss Cellane]

Really, all a resignation letter should do is tell the company you want to resign and give an ending date. You don't want to put your frustrations with the company on paper, where they could come back to haunt you.

Dear [Supervisor],

This letter is to inform you that I am resigning from X Company as of [date].

This was not an easy decision for me to make. I've enjoyed working for you and working on a very successful team dedicated to providing top level customer service.

Thank you for the opportunities that you have provided me during my tenure with the company.

I wish you and the company the very best and hope we can keep in touch in the future.

Sincerely,

Zoe Girl

Keep the comments about the company and your reasons for leaving for an exit interview, if they do one, or if your supervisor asks you directly why you are leaving.

[Juds]

I agree with a short and concise resignation letter. However, if you hold some energy about those other aspects, and it is clear that you do, then a face-to-face meeting with your supervisor is completely appropriate.

That said, it is in your best interest to keep in mind that even if you are careful about how you phrase or introduce those other issues, you have no control about how doing so may still have some measure of negative effect on how someone might view your time with the company. You know...just saying.

Some of my clients have done that, the sharing of their opinions about what was amiss with the company and how that affected their leaving the position. For some, it did not turn out well. For others, they suspected that it might have hurt their options at some point, but even if it did not, they worried about it for much too long afterwards. In my opinion, that is energy best spent on more positive things.

How about if you were to write down all of that stuff, read it aloud...even live with the physical letter for a while...and then have a little ceremony where you burn it in honor of the good work that you did there, your dedication to the work and your frustration at not having had the opportunity to manifest your ideas within the context of that work environment.

That probably sounds like a stupid idea, but it works for me. I am letting go, at least in the process of trying to do that, of a major part of my personal life. To help it along, I am planning to ignite and bask in the glow of a couple of dozen journals regarding that aspect of the sad, although well-intentioned, choices I have made in a part of my life. :)

The larger issue is that you gave that job your best shot; you put enormous effort and heart into it, and your feelings about how difficult it is to give it up, despite all of the negatives, is a pure indication of how you feel, particularly the parts about not being appropriately valued and recognized.

[JaneV2.0]

I agree. Keep it simple and diplomatic. The company doesn't care why you are leaving, or that you are leaving, for that matter. You are/were a cog.

[redfox]

Speaking as an employer, if they want to know why you're leaving, they'll ask. Good employers do; with an exit interview. Unasked for feedback is usually regarded as criticism, and though you may not view it as burning bridges, they may be less charitable. Don't offer any feedback unless asked. Stick to the basic formality and call it good.

[Zoe Girl]

Thank you all, I will follow the good advice. I am now recalling a time when I had an employee quit and then gave me a lot of negative feedback. I was pretty new and so it wasn't about me but I wished I would have known before then to address it. I didn't take it badly but I wouldn't rehire her for the same site. Can I ask for an exit interview? I am onlyl part time but I have been with the company 5 years.

I guess I will just take it as the company does not care and it won't however I know a lot of people will miss me (employees and customers, even a few managers who know I work hard but in the end couldn't give me that chance) and that is good.

[janharker]

I think the letter that Miss Cellane has suggested would work just fine. Except that I'd leave out the second sentence, as it does not appear that this is the truth in your case.

As a retired CEO, I can tell you that the rest of the letter is all I would need, that it would go in your permanent file (as would a letter full of complaints), and if I was interested I would ask you why you were leaving (in person, off the record).

[RosieTR]

I agree with the other posters...no need to bring up any bygones that probably won't change, anyway. Even if you wanted to say stuff in an exit interview, what do you hope to accomplish? It won't affect your life; if you tried to change things while there and were thwarted then, why would they change now? Since it's a public place, if you want to go visit your managers/coworkers/etc who liked you, that would be great IMO. It's always a good idea to keep in contact with some of your former coworkers with whom you got along well so that you can use each other as references or send each other contacts for jobs if that comes up. I'm glad you made the decision, Zoe Girl; hopefully your main job will really take off now because it sounds like you really like it. Best of luck!

[Anne Lee]

Since you are a part time worker in a large national chain, I don't think it's worth your time. Tuck your observations into your Professional Lessons Learned journal and leave it at that. No doubt, someone is being paid a large amount of money to make the decisions that are taking the company in the wrong direction. When enough good people quit, they will start asking but not before then.

[lhamo]

I learned this lesson a few years ago when I resigned. The main impetus for me leaving was poor management, especially by my immediate boss. The organization was aware of the issues, and I was not the first to raise them (or the first to leave because of this person's way of treating us). I kept the resignation totally neutral. Was asked by head of HR to have an exit interview. Laid things out as I saw them, while trying not to burn bridges. They actually mentioned wanting to continue to work with me as a consultant, if I was open to it. Framed my resignation as a leave. I knew I would never go back and they probably did too. Thankfully I found another job in a much more functional organization (though this week I am tearing my hair out a bit) Almost five years later, psycho boss is still at the old place, as is all the dysfunction. This is at a place with less than 20 employees, where I had a fairly senior management level position and the willingness of those higher in the organization (other than boss guy) to listen to me. None of that mattered.

YOu were great for Target but Target unfortunately wasn't great for you. Let it go. They will not change because of you or your opinions.

I think I am going to print out that last sentence and paste it on my monitor as a reminder, as I really need it going into this afternoon's work....

lhamo