How to Write a Two Weeks Notice Letter

Sooner or later, you’ll leave your current job for a better opportunity, perhaps with higher pay or more professional development resources. Whatever the case, you must know how to write a two weeks notice letter to your direct supervisor or boss.

Yet writing an effective, respectful two weeks notice letter can be challenging, especially if you don’t know exactly what to say. Read on to learn how to write a two weeks notice letter step-by-step, plus some tips you can use to ensure your letter hits all the right marks.

What is a two weeks notice?

A two weeks notice letter is a formal notice that you intend to resign from your position in two weeks. Two weeks is the standard time to notify your employer about that intention — that way, they have enough time to begin looking for your replacement, and you have enough time to wrap up any final duties.

Say that you are working on a big project with several other coworkers. You get an exciting opportunity to work at a different company for more money. Naturally, you want to take that opportunity, but it’s disrespectful to just up and leave in the middle of a project.

Instead, you give your employer a two weeks notice letter. That way, you can get your affairs in order regarding the project, and your employer can start looking for your replacement ASAP. Sometimes, they can even replace you before the two weeks are up.

Why are two weeks notice letters important?

While not legally required, two weeks notice letters are important primarily as a gesture of respect. It shows your employer that you still respect their time and efforts even though you know leaving them will inconvenience the company. Similarly, it gives you enough time to wrap up any final projects or company business you may need to finish before leaving for another organization.

More importantly, a two weeks notice prevents you from burning bridges with your employer (assuming they are similarly respectful and understand that you must do what suits your career or family). If you submit a two weeks notice letter to your employer before quitting, they’ll be much more likely to write you a recommendation letter for a future employer or school program.

On the flip side, if you don’t provide your employer with a two weeks notice letter, they might not recommend you to a future company. They may also tell you to leave immediately, preventing you from collecting two more weeks of pay.

Related: What Employers Should Have Learned from the Great Resignation

How do you write a good two weeks notice letter to your boss?

Writing a solid, respectful two weeks notice letter to your boss isn’t as difficult as you may think. Here’s the step-by-step process you should follow every time.

Find a template

First, find a decent two weeks notice letter template online. Many websites, including recruitment websites and sites like LinkedIn, have resignation notice letter templates available, which you can download and fill in using Microsoft Word or another word processor.

Which template you choose doesn’t matter; they’re just handy tools, so you don’t have to draw up the outline for your two weeks notice letter from scratch.

Address the letter

Now it’s time to address the letter to its intended recipient. This is generally your direct supervisor or boss. You should include the date, company name and the name of the person to which the letter is addressed. Use their formal title if possible.

State your resignation

The central part of the letter will be your resignation statement. In the opening paragraph of your two weeks notice letter, just state that you are informing your employer that you will resign from your position in two weeks from the current date. Always state the current date you write a letter (and you should consistently deliver your two-week notice letter on the same day you write it). That way, the two-week countdown doesn’t start when your boss receives the letter.

In the latter case, your boss could pretend not to receive the letter for some time after delivery, extending the time you “have” to stay with your current company.

Express gratitude for opportunities

Adding a second paragraph to thank your employer for the opportunities and positive experiences you have had is essential. You don’t need to tell your employer why you are leaving. It’s usually not necessary. If you meet with your supervisor or boss in person, you can provide them with extra details over a conversation if you like.

This part of the two weeks notice letter is essential so your employer knows there aren’t any bad feelings on your side. This will be a crucial element if you ever need to be rehired by the same organization.

Make it clear you’ll fulfill your last duties

In the third and final paragraph, state clearly that you plan to fulfill your duties until the last day of your employment. This takes some of the stress of finding your replacement off the shoulders of your employer, plus highlights the respect with…