Goodbye Letters for Work to Help You Quit Work with Class, Humor, and Dignity 

One of the most satisfying times at work is either quitting time, reading Ernie Zelinski's latest book Career Success Without a Real Job: The Career Book for People Too Smart to Work in Corporations, or when you quit your job.

You can quit your job anytime you want and write a goodbye letter to announce why you are leaving. Your farewell letter can be either serious or humorous.

Here is a Sample Goodbye Letter for Work, which can also be used as one of many sample farewell Lletters for retirement:

Template for Sample Goodbye Letters for Work

Dear Mr./Ms. Name of Boss,

Use the first paragraph of your goodbye letter to let your boss know that you are leaving the company because it was time for you to reach for higher heights. It is up to you whether you want to tell him or her where you are going and what you will be doing.

In the second paragraph, thank your boss and organization for all the support they have provided you.

Some employees in their goodbye letters for work offer the company assistance after the quitting date in training their successor to make the transition easier.

You can add some humor such as stating that after reading the international bestseller The Joy of Not Working you have decided to take early retirement or a long deserved sabbatical from your career.

Mention that you have enjoyed working with your boss and co-workers and you will miss them.

The third paragraph should let your contact know where they can reach you. Include your personal email address and phone number.

Offer your thanks again.

Sincerely

Your Name

#1 Example of Two Good bye Letters for Work (Designed for Teachers)

The goodbye letter for work below can be used by teachers who intend to retire at the end of a term or semester. This makes it one of many sample farewell letters for retirement.

You can copy and paste this sample goodbye letter for work into Microsoft Word or Work Perfect and then modify the names and dates as they pertain to you.

Dear Principal or School Superintendant:

Please accept this as notification of my retirement effective June 30, 2010 after serving the School District for 30 years and 5 months. This is in accordance with Article 219 of the Washington State Teachers’ Bargaining Unit Collective Agreement. 

• 

• After reading How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free that was given to me as a Christmas gift, I have decided to retire earlier than I thought. (This book should be given as a retirement gift by our School District to all soon-to-be retirees from the District).

  I wish to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to you for your cooperation, understanding, and support during my employment here. I would also like to express my appreciation to my fellow teachers and other colleagues for their support and friendship throughout my stay here.

  Please forward to me all the necessary documentation and information pertinent to the retirement process and information on the complete benefit plan for retiring teachers. 

  In ending this retirement letter, I want to emphasize that I will forever be grateful to this organization for having given me the opportunity to be a part of the accomplishments and the great times we have had over the years.

  Thanks again for your cooperation and support for so many years.

  Sincerely,

  A. Happy Retiring Teacher

 #2 Example of Two Goodbye Letters for Work

Ian Hammond of Montrose, in the county of Angus, Scotland, was itching to leave his job and did so at an opportune time. After reading The Joy of Not Working, Hammond decided to take early retirement.

Ian drafted his retirement or goodbye letter more than a year before he actually left his job. His goodbye letter was posted in his electronic calendar manager as an "out-of-office reminder." Ian showed this goodbye letter (actually his resignation letter) to his boss and his co-workers several months before his exit. Following is Ian's retirement letter for work, which he kindly allowed me to use as a sample retirement letter in The Joy of Not Working: and How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free.

 

Dear Corporation:

I will terminate my employment on the 30th of September, to pursue a more rewarding lifestyle which I intend to enjoy for at least the next several years. The time wasted in this job, whether in circular arguments, writing unread reports, or performing substandard work due to inadequate resources and poorly trained staff, is worth more to me than the recognition and reward that the company sees fit to deny me.

It is with much pleasure that I announce that, after spending sometime with my dad in Cornwall and with friends in France, I will overwinter in New Zealand for four months, camping and cycling. On my return I intend to pursue several interests:

• Study for an astronomy degree;
• Speak Spanish and German fluently;
• Write and publish a travelogue, short stories and poetry;
• Read all the "classics";
• Volunteer as an overseas science/French/English teacher;
• Study for an electronics degree;
• Cycle around the world;
• Compete in an international chess tournament;
• Play classical guitar to concert standard;
• Learn tourist Italian and Portuguese;
• Paint watercolors;
• Do ten things I haven't thought of doing yet!

If I achieve a third of these aims, I will consider my time well-spent. The corporate work ethic and its success depend on the uncritical thinking of those who believe that they are making a difference and are being recognized for it.

Best wishes for your future, if you want one.

Ian, 26th of May 1997

I found Ian's goodbye letter for work one of the best that I have read, much more inspiring than most goodbye letters for work.

Work Quotes to Use in Goodbye Letters

Quotations about work can add a lot of humor and body to goodbye letters for work. Here are some quotes that you may want to use.

#1 of Four Work Quotes to Use in Sample Farewell Letters for Retirement

The best way to enjoy your job is to imagine yourself without one.
- Oscar Wilde

#2 of Four Work Quotes to Use in a Goodbye Letter to Employees and Boss

There are an enormous number of people in this country who have retired on the job. I don't want to be one of them.
- Author Unknown

#3 of Four Work Quotes to Use in Goodbye Letters for Work 

Retirement is wonderful if you have two essentials - much to live on and much to live for. I believe that I now have both.
- Author Unknown

#4 of Four Work Quotes to Use in a Job Farewell Letter

By the age of 65, most of us have accomplished whatever work-related goals we are going to reach. If you haven't done it by then, chances are you aren't going to do it. Take the retirement, take the pension, take the Social Security, and sail off into the sunset.
- Sue Lasky

NOTE: Also See Sample Retirement Letters on the Retirement Quotes Cafe Where You Will Find Retirement Letters, Sample Farewell Letters for Retirement, a Letter of Intent to Retire, and an Intent Retire Letter sample.

You can also check out Retirement Letters and Fan Mail about How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free. 

 

COPYRIGHT © 2010 by Ernie J. Zelinski
 All Rights Reserved