Two Week Notice Letter Writing Tips

If you are planning on leaving your current job and wish to do so under friendly conditions, a two week notice is an excellent idea. While writing a two week notice can be a delicate procedure, if done correctly can allow you to continue using your place of former employment as a reference for future positions.

The following article will give you some tips and tricks about writing the best two week notice you can.

What to Do

A two week notice is generally a paragraph long or less, and is essentially a notification of your intention to terminate your employment at a date at least two weeks after the delivery of the notice.

The best way to write a two week notice involves a careful combination of words designed to make your exit a civilized affair, and leave your employer with good memories of you.

To achieve this, start by mentioning how much you appreciated the opportunity to work for this company, and how valuable your experience has been. Keep your sentences short and to-the-point, as no one wants to read a long-winded quit letter.

Next, talk about how you regret leaving the company but hope that your time there was productive and useful to them.

End with a sentence hoping that you can use them as a reference in the future. Sign it by hand and give it to your supervisor in private, in case they'd like to discuss it with you.

What Not To Do

If you aren't storming out of your workplace in a rage (or being escorted out by building security), chances are you are leaving under semi-amiable terms at least. Even if you disliked your job, it's never a good idea to make a bad situation worse. To that end, here are some things not to write in your two week notice.

First and foremost, put in a two week notice. While it doesn't seem like the right move when exiting an unpleasant job, it can serve you well in the long run, and is at least the classy thing to do.

Secondly, avoid specifying in your notice the reason for your departure. Unless your supervisor has asked for it, it won't do any good and will taint their last memory of you with complaints.
Thirdly, if your problems were of a social nature, stay away from naming names in your two week notice. Again, it won't do much good, and might cause unnecessary trouble for your company.

Lastly, plan ahead and deliver your two week notice within the eponymous time frame. It does no good to spring it on your supervisor the same day that you're leaving, nor does it tend to sit well if send it in after you've already quit. It's a mark of respect and good will to allow your company time to find someone to fill your void before you leave.

A two week notice can be a tricky thing, but hopefully this article gave you some good advice, and helped you avoid some pitfalls.