When you leave a job, you aren’t just leaving behind the daily duties and tasks associated with that role; you’re also leaving your colleagues and people who have been part of your life and routines. So it makes sense that you might want to send one final message to them before you move on. That’s where a farewell message comes in.
Here’s what you need to know about these notes, including what to include (and exclude) and when to write one.
What is a farewell message?
A farewell message is a professional goodbye note that you write when leaving a job. It can be sent widely, meaning it goes out to everyone you worked with (for example, via a Slack message), or shared with a small circle of coworkers.
These concise messages give you a chance to: clarify that you’re leaving the company (and when that will happen); express how this job or your coworkers positively impacted your life; provide recipients with a way to keep in touch; and tell them about what’s next in your career.
When to write a farewell message to colleagues
If you’re planning on leaving your job, then it makes sense that a farewell message would be on your list of final to-dos at the company. But it’s important to make sure that you get the timing right. After all, if you wait until just before you’re out the door, you may not have access to the email or Slack account you were planning on sending it through. (And coworkers may not have the chance to see you off.) On the other hand, sending it too early might be awkward, especially with your direct manager or team, as it may feel like you’re too eager to leave.
Ideally, you’ll want to send your farewell message after you’ve submitted your two weeks’ notice but a few days before you leave the job.
Write a farewell message in 4 steps
1 Decide who to send your message to (or if you want to send a couple of versions to different people)
The level of closeness you feel to the recipients will determine how you write the message. For example, you may be less formal with your direct team members, while a Slack message in the company-wide channel should probably conform to company standards for formality.
2 Note your last day
This will give people the opportunity to say goodbye in person (if your job isn’t fully remote), or else to send a message on company channels, before you exit.
3 Consider the high points of your job
This exercise will help you come up with things to say about your current job that can show gratitude for the opportunity. A few things you may be thankful for:
- Your team or coworkers
- A supportive manager
- Creative freedom in your role
- The chance to tackle new challenges
- Ability to learn from others at the company
- Career growth
Adding your thanks to your farewell note shows that you understand the value of this job, despite your decision to leave, and it can keep the door open and even invite things like LinkedIn recommendations.
4 Provide your contact information
For some, this will simply be a note saying that the reader should feel free to reach out and connect on LinkedIn. But if you have close colleagues, you may want to provide your private email address or even your phone number. How or if you add this is up to you.
Farewell message dos and don’ts
- Do be genuine in what you say and express.
- Do provide an appropriate way to reach you, if desired.
- Do note your future role, if you have one lined up.
- Don’t lie about your experiences.
- Don’t talk about negative experiences (if you’re trying to preserve working relationships).
- Don’t send your farewell message just after your letter of resignation.
10 farewell message examples
1 Hi team, tomorrow is my last day at [X]. It’s been lovely working with you all, and I hope to stay connected [include relevant link here] as I transition into my new role at [company]. I can be reached at [X] and [X]—please stay in touch!
2 I’ve learned so much during my time here. Thank you, and please feel free to add me on LinkedIn if we aren’t already connected.
3 As you may know, my last day is [date]. A huge thank you to all of you for making this job so special. I appreciate all the opportunities for growth and exciting challenges the job and my colleagues have afforded me. Please feel free to keep in touch on LinkedIn or at [email address].
4 I’m so proud of the work we’ve done over this past year, and although I’m excited to start this next chapter in my career, I will miss you all so much. I hope to be able to say goodbye in person before my last day [date goes here].
5 As sad as I am to have to leave [company x] and my excellent coworkers, I am excited to start my new role as [role] at [company y]. If you’d like to keep in touch, you can reach me at [email or LinkedIn profile link].
6 Thank you to everyone for making this team such a joy to be a part of, I will miss [anecdote], and I hope you’ll keep in touch [include appropriate link here].
7 It’s been wonderful spending my last working years at [company]. Thanks for all of the creative freedom, support, and coffee chats. I’ll be cheering you on from retirement.
8 This internship has helped me learn so much about [field], and I couldn’t have done it without the support of you all. Thank you, and I hope to keep in touch: [insert appropriate link here].
9 I’m going to miss working with you—my team and the relationships we’ve built have been the best part of working at [x]! Here’s my phone number so we can keep in touch once I leave on [date].
10 It’s bittersweet to embark on my new role as [role] at [company]. Your support and mentorship have been invaluable, and I’m going to miss working together. I’ll be emailing you soon from my new account so that we can stay in touch. Thank you for everything.
Farewell message FAQs
What is a farewell message?
A farewell message is what you send to the people you work with, just before you leave that job, to preserve important working relationships and provide ways to keep in touch going forward.
When should you write a farewell message?
You can write a short goodbye message to colleagues as soon as you know that you’ll be leaving that job. But you need to wait to send it until your last few days (or your last day) on that job.
What should a farewell message include?
This message should include your gratitude for your soon-to-be-former job or coworkers as well as the date of your last day on the job. It can be a touching farewell message to colleagues that has anecdotes about your time there. Or you may choose to keep it short and simply express thanks for the opportunity to have worked there, if, for example, you’re sending it to a wider audience.
