Leaving a job where you got on well with and appreciated your boss isn’t always easy – but you have to further your career.
The best thing you can do to show your boss how much you appreciated their support is to send them a thank you note.
It only takes a few minutes to write them a note thanking them, but it’s something that’ll make their day and stay with them.
In this article I’m covering how to write a thank you note to your boss when leaving your job with some examples you can use!
When you’ve been working with someone for a while, it’s only natural to develop a rapport and relationship with them.
This is especially true if you’re in a position where they managed you and did a great job.
Leaving a job – even if you’re moving on to something better – can be difficult because of the relationships you’ve built.
One way to ease the transition and show your boss how much you appreciated their support is to write them a thank you note.
A thank you note is also a nice way to leave on a positive note and maintain a good relationship with your former boss.
This can be helpful if you ever need references or want to come back to the company.
Most importantly, it’s going to make their day!
Who wouldn’t love such a thoughtful gesture as a personalized note letting you know what an awesome job you did?
It can be hard to know what to say if you’re not used to writing notes.
You don’t want to sound too mushy or overly complimentary, you want to be professional, and you still want to capture the type of relationship you had with them.
As a general guide, some of the things you should keep in mind when writing a note to your boss are:
Of course, you’re going to have your own style of writing and things you want to say.
The best advice is not to overthink it. The fact that you’re sending a note is what counts, they’re going to be knocked back by surprise, I’m sure.
With those things in mind, here are some examples of what you could say in your thank you note:
Dear [ boss’s name ],
Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me during my time at [ company name ]. I really appreciate it.
I’ve enjoyed working with you on [ project name ] and everything else we did together, I’m going to miss being a part of the team.
I wish you all the best for the future – you deserve it!
Thank you again,
[ your name ]
Dear [ boss’s name ],
Thank you for being such a great mentor and boss over the past few years. I’ve learned so much from you and am really grateful.
I’m going to miss working with you but I know that this is the right decision for my career.
I wish you all the best for the future – I know you’ll continue to be successful and continue to share your experience (and humor) with others.
Thank you,
[ your name ]
Dear [ boss’s name ],
Thank you for being such a great boss and a friend to me during my time at [ company name ].
I’m sad to leave and I know I’m going to miss working with you, but I’m also excited to start a new chapter in my life.
I wish you all the best for the future – and again, thanks for being so generous with your time and helping me out, I couldn’t have done so well without your support.
Best wishes,
[ your name ]
Dear [ boss’s name ],
I just wanted to send you a note to personally let you know that I appreciate everything you did for me while I was at [ company name ].
You made my time there so much more enjoyable than it could have been, and I was also able to progress quicker under your tutelage.
I’m both sad and excited to be leaving and starting a new role. I wish you and the entire team continued success.
Best wishes,
[ your name ]
Most people see the best time to send a thank you note as within a few days of their last day at the company.
This ensures your boss will receive it while you’re still there if they want to say anything to you, and also means that you won’t forget to write one in the busyness of starting a new job!
You could hand-write the note and give it to them in person, or you could send it via email.
Both are perfectly acceptable methods, it’s up to you and depends on how well you knew them and what kind of relationship you had.
I know some people do prefer to send the note after they’ve left to avoid any embarrassing or awkward moments.
Again, this depends on you and your boss and how you feel about it.
It’s certainly a nice surprise for a boss or manager to get a nice letter a few days after you’ve left saying something so kind.
There is no right or wrong answer, go with what feels right to you. The fact that you’ve written a thank you letter is what counts.
Image credits – Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.
