Whether you love your job or hate your job, unless you plan to retire there, the time will come to tender your work resignation. The most common, and accepted, way to do this is by writing a resignation letter.

Put some thought into your resignation. Don't just say the first thing that pops into your head. Your resignation from work should be simple, sweet, to the point and contain the following:

1. The date that your job resignation will take effect;

2. A brief mention of the reason for your work resignation. To take a new job, to relocate or something similar is completely adequate;

3. An offer to assist your employer with resignation basics, such as informing him or her of your in-progress projects.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Make sure your job resignation is for a good reason

Some people send letters of resignation in haste, because a client upset them or they had a confrontation with a coworker, and then live to regret it. It's best to be absolutely positive you're ready to quit, since it is not something you can easily take back.

I recommend: Take some time to plan out your work resignation. Read The Working Geek's article on why you shouldn't leave due to a personal conflict. Then, read The Digerati Life page for some reasons to leave and reasons to stay. Of course, if you have a new higher-paying job lined up, there's not too much to worry about.

Write your letter of resignation

Once you're absolutely sure you wish to resign, it's time to work on that letter. Resist the urge to use it as a way to get back at any coworkers who have wronged you. You don't want to burn any bridges, especially if you will continue to work in the same field.

I recommend: Check out sample resignation letters at Emurse and visit WriteExpress for tips on what to include. Remember, you don't have to go into excruciating detail, or even any detail at all, if you don't want to.

File your resignation information accordingly

Different companies have different policies regarding resignation. If you follow policy, not only will you leave in good standing, but you will also have a good chance at a positive reference for future employment.

I recommend: Check your contract to make sure you've met all your obligations or your employer may have grounds for a lawsuit. Visit FindLaw's page to research clauses that could get you into trouble. Then, if everything checks out okay, submit your resignation to your supervisor -- in person if at all possible. Check out Ask The Headhunter for advice about how to spend your last days to your advantage and leave without a bad taste in your mouth.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Keep far away from the office rumor mill. You don't want your boss hearing about your resignation before you have everything finalized.
• •  Touch base with your former employers every once in a while, unless your resignation was on bad terms. You want to stay fresh in their minds in case you need a reference or would like to pursue freelance work.

Leaving your job doesn't start--or stop--with submitting your letter of resignation to your boss. Job resignation requires careful study and thorough preparation, from knowing how to leave on good terms to possibly training your replacement. Resignation from work can be an opportunity to leave the company or your position in a better state than you found it, and a chance to start fresh at a new job.

Questions to ask when researching resignation information:

1. What's the proper way to write a letter of resignation?
2. What's the best way to handle the reactions of coworkers and supervisors to a resignation from work?
3. What are an employee's legal rights and responsibilities when leaving a job?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Learn the basics of writing a resignation letter

Resignation letters come in many forms, from 'thank you for this opportunity' to 'it's time for a change.' Before you start writing your resignation letter, determine your goal for the letter and what you want it to express. Your resignation letter is not only your final communication with your colleagues, it could also impact your future jobs. For instance, if you say in your letter that you're resigning for health reasons or family problems, your supervisor could mention that if contacted by a prospective employer for a job reference.

I recommend: Read several sample resignation letters before you draft your own. Model your letter after free samples found at Library Online or CVTips, or purchase letter writing software, such WriteExpress or Instant Resignation Letter.

Be prepared for a counter offer in response to your work resignation

Some employers will offer more perks, a raise or even a promotion to encourage you to stay. Many experts advise against this, because once you've let it be known you're willing to leave, your supervisor may question your loyalty even if you do stay. In fact, it's estimated that many people who accept a counter offer leave within one year. Before you consider a counter offer, think about why you're leaving, and if the offer addresses any of those concerns. If you decide to consider the offer, know how to negotiate salary, benefits or job duties to get the best deal.

I recommend: Before you accept a counter offer, ask the questions recommended at Career Know-How. Evaluate a counter offer just as you would any other job offer, with tips from the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. Also, learn how to negotiate everything from benefits to promotions with Salary.com's Salary Negotiation Clinic.

Understand your legal rights after your resignation from work

You may resign with unused vacation time, pending expense reimbursements, or outstanding bonus checks or commission payments. Find out what you're legally entitled, and learn how to negotiate a fair settlement.

I recommend: At My Employment Lawyer, search the employment law FAQs, or use the Ask MEL feature to submit an employment question to attorneys in your state. Or, check out the Your Rights section at Workplace Fairness.

Prepare for the post-resignation exit interview

Many employers ask departing employees to submit to an exit interview, which essentially seeks the reason you're leaving. Be honest, but don't burn any bridges. Know how to tactfully explain why you're leaving, and prepare a list of suggestions as to how the situation could be improved--but offer them only if the employer asks. This way, you'll be remembered for your input, and you'll help create a better work environment for your co-workers and for future employees.

I recommend: Prepare for your exit interview with the "Mini Survival Guide" from Management for the Rest of Us, or see a sample exit interview form at hrVillage.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you plan to resign, gather all your personal items together, remove any personal files or software from your computer, and be ready to leave before you submit your resignation letter to your supervisor. Some employers immediately dismiss an employee who resigns.

Employers and employees alike should familiarize themselves with resignation laws and regulations. Employees should know that some jurisdictions allow them to receive state benefits even if they resign from their jobs. Employers should know that they are not always legally required to accept when an employee decides to withdraw his resignation.

Resignation has not only been the subject of federal and state laws. It is also regulated by certain unwritten laws that human resource professionals regard as well accepted standards. These standards include how much advance notice to give your employer, whether to first advise him verbally of your resignation plans and whether to offer assistance in finding an acceptable replacement. Key points to keep in mind as you search for resignation laws and regulations are:

1. Become informed of resignation from work standards that human resource professionals adhere to.

2. Get resignation information from employment lawyers so you can avoid being sued by your employer.

3. Access federal laws on work resignation.

4. Read court opinions and legal websites to understand state laws on job resignation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find out what HR professionals consider to be sound resignation from work standards

This practical HR advice reveals the standards for making the resignation decision, delivering the message and even writing the letter of resignation that HR managers themselves follow.

I recommend: Quint Careers explains the importance of using resignation letters to resign with class so that you do not leave any job on bad terms. Commentaries on the Mums in Science blog offer practical tips on how to notify your boss face to face about your plans to resign. Read U.S. News & World Report to learn about the standard procedure for resigning from your position with grace. The Job Employment Guide explains how professionals respond to counteroffers.

Learn resignation laws and regulations from practicing employment attorneys

HR professionals will want to know whether employees can legally back out of a resignation they may have given in haste. They may also wonder about the legality of mass resignations by a group of employees who believe the company has violated certain provisions of their employment contracts.

I recommend: Read Macon to learn about real life cases in which the failure to understand resignation laws can result in litigation. Read My Employment Lawyer for professional advice on how businesses can refuse to allow employees to back out on resignations. Read about en masse resignations at Law Memo.com. Read Adjunct Law Prof Blog to find out whether certain public employees are allowed to withdraw their resignations.

Understand federal laws regulation job resignation

Federal laws differ from state laws when it comes to work resignation. Federal employers should pay special attention to laws relating to a federal employee's resignation from a public employee union.

I recommend: Use Fed Smith.com to access articles explaining resignation laws for federal employees. Workers Independent News discusses how to respond when your boss violates the federal labor laws you were hired to enforce. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation explains the federal and state right to work statutes.

Get details on state laws relating to work resignation

As you research work resignation laws on the state level, pay special attention to how job resignation information might impact upon state employee benefits.

I recommend: FL Employment Law Blog explains when an employee who resigns is entitled to unemployment benefits. New York Public Personnel Law relates to constitutional protections for employees who resign from their jobs. Find out from Rominer Legal how New Jersey courts respond to employers who retaliate against employees who resign. Read Business Management Daily to find out whether Massachusetts employers must provide FMLA to employees who resign.

If you are prepared to leave your current position, but don't want to burn any bridges - there are ways to resign from your current job gracefully and with class.Understanding resignation key terms can give you a heads up on some of these common scenarios.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Resignation letter

A resignation letter is the written, formal notice to your employer that you intend to resign from your present position.

I recommend: Write Express discusses why it is critical to write an effective resignation letter. You'll also get tips on what a well-written resignation letter should say.

Timing

Resigning employees should consider the timing of their decision and take into account how resignation will affect their employer.

I recommend: Go to McCarthy Recruitment to understand why considering the timing of your resignation can end up helping you in the long run.

Strategies for resigning

Career consultants are committed to promoting what have become accepted strategies for resigning from your present job.

I recommend: Quint Careers specifies a well-reasoned approach to resigning. Find out how not to burn bridges. You'll also learn how to negotiate unused vacation time and any unpaid salary that your company owes you.

Counter offer

Sometimes an employer will make a counter offer when he gets notice that an employee intends to resign.

I recommend: Go to the Job Employment Guide to find out why employers make a counter offer and why current data suggests you should not accept one.

Covenant not to compete

When an employee signs a covenant not to compete, he is pledging that he will not engage in competition with his present employer. They are sometimes called non competition covenants.

I recommend: At My Employment Lawyer you'll not only learn where you can expect to find covenants not to compete but you'll also find out what clauses in these agreements courts are likely to enforce.

Exit interview

An exit interview usually takes place on the last day an employee is scheduled to work with his present employer.

I recommend: Nobscot Corporation lists different types of exit interviews and the pros and cons of each.