

How To Write A Resignation Letter
In my life, I have had my fair share of shitty jobs and bosses. If you are like the average working woman or man, I'm sure you have had a few of your own that you absolutely hate. Even though you may despise them, when you leave, you have to resign with a certain level of class and professionalism.
As tempting as it may be, you shouldn't quit by cursing your boss out nor should you give him or her your favorite finger on your way out the door.
Even though you hate your job or your boss, you never know when you may need one or the other. Besides giving your employer a considerate two weeks notice, it is important to also send in a written resignation letter that is professional and not tacky.
When you leave your job on a good note with a well-written and proper resignation letter, you are keeping yourself open to obtaining references, connections, and other opportunities. Also, if you ever wanted to go back to the job that you quit, you will have a better chance at being rehired if you left on a good note and submitted a professional and poised resignation letter. Keep in mind, the resignation letter that you submit will be sent to HR and it will set the tone of your last two weeks on the job.
Here are 6 simple steps in writing a resignation letter to a job that you hate:
1. Keep it short and sweet.
Just like writing a cover letter when you are applying for a job, your resignation letter should be a quick read and straight to the point. At all times, your resignation letter should not exceed one page. Honestly, it shouldn't even exceed a few paragraphs. Although it may be a million and one reasons why you are quitting, do not write a full five-page paper on why you hate your job and how it was such a waste of time.
2. Don't be an asshole.
In your letter, use words that exude positivity and don't use the moment in your letter to rant about co-workers that you hated. Keep in mind nobody likes pettiness, so being petty in your letter and placing blame on others will not make anyone miss you or wanting you back on the team. (Remember, you always want to leave on a good note because you never know when you may need someone.)
3. Be humble and gracious.
Saying thank you goes a long way and when you are genuine to someone, it has its perks. When you are pleasant, people are more inclined to do nice things for you and say even nicer things about you. Depending on your career industry, a lot of the high-level managers and HR pros hang in the same crowd, so you should want to always leave a good impression and make it known that you are thankful for the opportunity that you were given. Although you may hate your job, you did learn something out of that experience. Maybe you learned how to be a better supervisor if your manager sucked, or you learned what you don't want out of your next job or company.
4. Offer your help.
Once you submit your two-week notice, it doesn't mean that you are free to do whatever you want to do except for work. During your last two weeks, continue to work hard and also take time out to train other people on your job. In your letter, let your boss know that you will help out in anyway that you can so that you exit does not negatively affect the team.
5. State your last day.
It is the standard to give a two weeks notice, but depending on your job industry, it may be normal to give more than a two weeks notice. No matter what the standard is, be sure to give your employer a specific last day of employment. Doing so, there will not be any confusion on when your last day of work is and it will give your manager a better idea of how soon they should be looking for your replacement.
6. Deliver the news in person.
If you are able and if your job allows it, always deliver the resignation letter in person. If you work from home, be sure to email your resignation letter and never quit via phone or text message (and especially not word of mouth).
Here is an example of a resignation letter:
Have some tips to add? Share them below!
Featured image by Shutterstock
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
Smile, Sis! These Five Improvements Can Upgrade Your Oral Hygiene Instantly
This article is in partnership with Sensodyne.
Our teeth are connected to so many things - our nutrition, our confidence, and our overall mood. We often take for granted how important healthy teeth are, until issues like tooth sensitivity or gum recession come to remind us. Like most things related to our bodies, prevention is the best medicine. Here are five things you can do immediately to improve your oral hygiene, prevent tooth sensitivity, and avoid dental issues down the road.
1) Go Easy On the Rough Brushing: Brushing your teeth is and always will be priority number one in the oral hygiene department. No surprises there! However, there is such a thing as applying too much pressure when brushing…and that can lead to problems over time. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and brush in smooth, circular motions. It may seem counterintuitive, but a gentle approach to brushing is the most effective way to clean those pearly whites without wearing away enamel and exposing sensitive areas of the teeth.
2) Use A Desensitizing Toothpaste: As everyone knows, mouth pain can be highly uncomfortable; but tooth sensitivity is a whole different beast. Hot weather favorites like ice cream and popsicles have the ability to trigger tooth sensitivity, which might make you want to stay away from icy foods altogether. But as always, prevention is the best medicine here. Switching to a toothpaste like Sensodyne’s Sensitivity & Gum toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth will help build a protective layer over sensitive areas of the tooth. Over time, those sharp sensations that occur with extremely cold foods will subside, and you’ll be back to treating yourself to your icy faves like this one!
3) Floss, Rinse, Brush. (And In That Order!): Have you ever heard the saying, “It’s not what you do, but how you do it”? Well, the same thing applies to taking care of your teeth. Even if you are flossing and brushing religiously, you could be missing out on some of the benefits simply because you aren’t doing so in the right order. Flossing is best to do before brushing because it removes food particles and plaque from places your toothbrush can’t reach. After a proper flossing sesh, it is important to rinse out your mouth with water after. Finally, you can whip out your toothbrush and get to brushing. Though many of us commonly rinse with water after brushing to remove excess toothpaste, it may not be the best thing for our teeth. That’s because fluoride, the active ingredient in toothpaste that protects your enamel, works best when it gets to sit on the teeth and continue working its magic. Rinsing with water after brushing doesn’t let the toothpaste go to work like it really can. Changing up your order may take some getting used to, but over time, you’ll see the difference.
4) Stay Hydrated: Upping your water supply is a no-fail way to level up your health overall, and your teeth are no exception to this rule. Drinking water not only helps maintain a healthy pH balance in your mouth, but it also washes away residue and acids that can cause enamel erosion. It also helps you steer clear of dry mouth, which is a gateway to bad breath. And who needs that?
5) Show Your Gums Some Love: When it comes to improving your smile, you may be laser-focused on getting your teeth whiter, straighter, and overall healthier. Rightfully so, as these are all attributes of a megawatt smile; but you certainly don’t want to leave gum health out of the equation. If you neglect your gums, you’ll start to notice the effects of plaque buildup, which can irritate the gums and cause gingivitis, the earliest stage of gum disease. Seeing blood while brushing and flossing is a tell-tale sign that your gums are suffering. You may also experience gum recession — a condition where the gum tissue surrounding your teeth pulls back, exposing more of your tooth. Brushing at least twice a day with a gum-protecting toothpaste like Sensodyne Sensitivity and Gum, coupled with regular dentist visits, will keep your gums shining as bright as those pearly whites.
Oprah Winfrey On Never Experiencing Imposter Syndrome: 'I Had To Look It Up'
If you’ve ever wondered what type of mindset it takes to reach icon status like Oprah Winfrey, it’s probably best to start by knowing which one she’s managed to avoid over her long-standing career.
And let’s just say imposter syndrome didn’t make the cut.
While promoting her new book, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, with her co-author Arthur C. Brooks, Oprah shared in an interview with People that when it comes to imposter syndrome, it’s one emotion she hasn’t experienced.
"I don't have any of that imposter feelings that so many people have," she says. "I didn't even understand it, I had to look it up."
According to the acclaimed talk-show host and media mogul, she attributes this to her early life experiences, specifically the impact of her father's influence as a child. "I remember as a young girl being a strong orator in the national competition for speaking and winning the local championships, then the state championships. And then placing, I think it was No. 3 or something, in the nationals," Winfrey shares.
"And I remember after every contest, the families whose kids were just in the contest were going to celebrate and their families were all excited. My father's thing was, 'Get your coat.'"
She continues, "I learned, in all these years, every exciting thing that would happen to me it was always, that's good, get your coat. Get your coat. I don't know if that was ingrained in my personality or I just learned that nobody's going to be excited about it, so you might as well just get your coat and go. I don't have high highs and I don't have low lows. Which is a good thing, because no matter what I'm going through, I know I'm going to come out of it and be okay."
Impostor syndrome, also known as impostor phenomenon, is a psychological perspective of persistent self-doubt and the feeling of being a fraud despite evidence of one's competence, skills, or accomplishments. People experiencing imposter syndrome often believe that their success is due to luck or external factors rather than their own abilities and fear that others will eventually discover that they are not as capable or knowledgeable as they appear to be.
With over 40 years of accolades and history-making impact, it’s clear that Winfrey doesn’t shy away from the fact that her success is due to her hard work and diligence, with everything in her life being that of what she earned — which she finds deep value in: “the ability to live in the space of true appreciation for a life, not just well lived, but well-earned."
From coming from the lineage of an enslaved great-grandfather who earned 80 acres of land in exchange for labor, to becoming the first Black woman billionaire in the world without the foundation of generational wealth, Winfrey beams proudly at her ability to shift her and her family’s legacy for the better.
"I didn't have a grandfather, a great-grandfather who could give me land. But now...I am able to have my own and to know that I work for it. And it wasn't a husband that did it. It wasn't a brother or an uncle, or whatever did it, but I did it," Winfrey says.
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