Are you quitting your job? As you move forward, it's important to maintain the positive relationships you've established at work. One way to make sure that your last impression in a business is as good as the first is to take the time to send a farewell message to your colleagues and clients. This is an opportunity to say “thank you” for their help during your tenure with the organization, and for making sure you stay connected in the future.
When And To Which Colleagues Should You Send Your Departure Email?
Once the terms of your resignation, your contractual termination, or your dismissal have been fixed, you will know the date of your last day of work within the company (in accordance with the legal notice period ) and you will be able to prepare the distribution of your departure email.
Write Your Text In Advance
Do not wait until the last moment to write your departure email. Start writing it about 15 days before you leave your company and coworkers. You will thus have time to reread it calmly and you will be serene when it comes time to send it, which will allow you to take advantage of your last days in the post to exchange face-to-face with your closest colleagues.
Our advice: don't overdo it and be honest. A sober and polite departure email will leave a better image to your colleagues than an offbeat or misinterpreted text. If you were very close to some of your colleagues, you can write a second, less formal email and reserve it for this smaller circle of recipients.
Target Your Recipients
If you are leaving a large company, be sure to sort out your relationships and not send your message to all employees and executives. Send your departure email to all the colleagues you have seen, from far or near, as well as to the superiors with whom you were in contact:
First choose the colleagues you know, with whom you were in regular contact to work or discuss.
Then expand to some other colleagues or superiors with whom you have had the opportunity to collaborate, who know you or whom you know "by the name" even if you do not see each other every day.
Our advice: consider registering some of your future ex-colleagues on your social networks to enrich your professional network.
Send Your Email Before Leaving The Company
Don't rush to send your outgoing email. Do this on your last day on the job, just before your actual departure.
Choose a simple and clear title in the subject line of the type "Goodbye" or "Departure message".
Good to know: you can organize a departure drink before leaving your company. This will be an opportunity to bring together the colleagues you love and have a drink with them. In this case, send your message after this departure drink.
How To Write The Email
The Subject Of The Email: Speaking But Not Sinister
Avoid sending an email with the subject line " This is only a goodbye" or " There it is, it's over" ... Already seen and a little pathetic whereas on the contrary the content of your email must be positive and even arouse a little jealousy.
A Word To Your "Amazing Team"
We forget the resentment and the collaborators who made your life very difficult. Emphasize how difficult your decision was and how much you enjoyed working with your team. Thank them for what they have taught you and kindly remind them of everything you have taught them.
The Well Placed Valve
This is the rule: in any good outgoing email, there is a joke about one or more colleagues. Here is an example is taken from a real case. "Following my inventory that I keep updated daily since October 3, 2015: Virginie, Pauline, Gwen and even Laurence (you will see that it can be found in all categories): 3 coffee pods each ".
Always Remember The Number Of Years In The Company
The desired goal? " Oh, was he/she there from the start ?!" and shoot a little tear at your team. The classic example: " After 10 rich years spent by your side, it's a page that is turned" ...
Emphasize How Rich This Experience Was
A journey, an adventure! " What a lot of work accomplished during these 10 years. From my assumption of function until the culmination of the last X project"… And this is how subtly to pass off your swagger as nostalgia…
Talk About Your "Next Chapter"
When you mention your future job, you have to be vague enough that it looks absolutely amazing. " New life, new job: I'm leaving to live off my passion". Even if your passion is lines of code, you will have something to talk about during your departure drink.
Leave Your Contact
Give your phone number (don't worry, few will use it), give the list of people who replace you to follow up on projects (it's serious until the end), give your personal email address, without forgetting to recommend to follow you on Twitter and LinkedIn (you increase your presence on social networks inexpensively). On this subject: do not update your profile before leaving your post ... And of course, tell your colleagues that this email is just a goodbye and that you will be pleased to meet them again very soon ( a little lie never killed anyone).
Templates
Template 1
To:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject:
Message Subject
Fellow [insert catchy nickname for your coworkers],
It’s with a [heavy heart, gentle sad face, knowing glance] that I must share with you my decision to leave [insert name of company]. This was [obviously, clearly, apparently] a very difficult decision to make.
It’s hard to believe that [insert how long you worked there] ago, I was the [insert your first position at the company]. From that time, until when I was [insert next position], and all the way to my current role as [insert current position], I have grown so much. Thank you for teaching and inspiring me, and allowing me to do the same for you.
I am headed off to explore my next chapter [insert vague but exciting thing you’ll be doing.]
I’m excited about my future there while I continue to be excited about all the things you’ll continue to accomplish here (except for you [insert name of person everyone makes fun of]), you never finish anything!
If I could leave you all with just one thought, remember [insert sage advice].
If you ever want to get in touch, my contact info is below. This isn’t goodbye, our paths will cross again. Hopefully at farewell happy hour drinks at 5!
[your name]
[contact info]
Template 2
Subject: It’s time for goodbyes, my friends
Hi [Name],
As you may already know, this is my last working week at [Name of your Workplace]. After [#] years at this organization, I have decided to move on to the next phase of my professional career. While I’m very excited about where I’m going, I’m just as equally sad to be saying goodbyes to everyone here.
Working with you all has been a fantastic experience of my life, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for the love, support, and cooperation that you’ve extended to me. The last few years have been amazing — both professionally & socially — and I’ll cherish all the moments and memories I’ve made along the way. I plan to spend the next couple of months taking a break & traveling through the countryside, before starting the next professional journey.
My personal contact details are as follows:
Email:
Phone:
Social/LinkedIn URL:
Please feel free to contact me in case you need anything. I look forward to keeping in touch with you all and I hope to catch up with everyone soon. Here’s wishing everyone all the very best.
Thanks and regards,
[Your Full Name]
Template 3
Sample Farewell Letter to Colleagues
Dear all
I would like to take this opportunity to let you know that I will be leaving my position at ABC Company. My departure will be on August 10. My family and I will be moving to Canada since my wife was offered a new position at a distinguished hospital there.
I would like to thank each of you for every experience shared, friendship made and the good times we had together. I would like all of you to know that working alongside you was very rewarding and I really appreciate all the help you have extended to me through tough times. It makes me wish that I had the chance to work with you more. Words are not enough to express my gratitude but I pray that one day our paths can cross again in the future.
It doesn’t mean that am saying goodbye forever. You can still reach me at my personal email at ([email protected]) or my cell phone, 555-555-555.
Thank you again and wish the company more successful.
Sincerely,
Mr. John James