If you are planning to quit working at your present place of employment, it is a good idea to write a letter of resignation. Whatever the reason is for you wanting to leave, the letter of resignation is a tangible thing that will remain in a filing cabinet long after you are gone. For this reason, you never want to write a letter of resignation while you are angry or upset. Sometimes circumstances will make this hard to do, and if that what applies in your case, just try as best you can to not write the letter in malice. Down the road, you might find yourself in a situation where you will need to do business with your old boss or your old company.

Keep the letter professional. Regardless of how you feel about the company, the letter should have a professional appearance and tone. Don't write it out in pencil on a piece of notebook paper, and place the letter in an envelope.

In the letter of resignation, you should thank the company for giving you the opportunity to work for them. Remember the gratitude you felt when you were hired? Try to draw upon some of this gratitude and put it in your letter. Keep it short and to the point. Include the effective date of the resignation, and when your last day at work will be.   It's probably not a good idea to put your reason for resigning in the letter. If it's a message you want to convey, chances are the boss will ask you why you are leaving after he reads the letter.

End the letter on a positive note. Any time you leave a company, you want them to have a positive feeling when they think of you, and by ending the letter on a positive note, you are taking a step towards this goal.

Here is an example of what a good letter of resignation should look like.

Dear Mr. Employer

I hereby resign from my position as Taste Tester from Acme Chewing Gum, effective February 28. My last day at Acme Chewing Gum will be two weeks from this date, on March 14.

I wish to convey my thanks to you and Acme Chewing Gum for the opportunity you have given me. During my time with the company, I have learned much about taste testing, and I will always have fond memories of Acme Chewing Gum.  

Sincerely,

John Q Public