How to Retract a Resignation

Okay, you did it. You finally cut your ties, gave your notice and officially resigned. Unfortunately, leaving a job is not always simple, easy or irreversible. Your current boss might make you an offer that convinces you to stay, or the new job offer you have lined up might fall through. Either way, you'll have to turn around and officially change your mind.

If Your Boss Convinces You to Stay

This is the best scenario for retracting your resignation. You decide to quit, but your boss offers you a better position and a higher salary. The best thing to do is discuss the details of the promotion with your boss in person and decide on the terms that will convince you to stay.

Your official resignation retraction should be friendly and brief. Make sure you mention your new position and salary so that it it's clear that those are prerequisites, but don't talk about any grievances you had. Now is not the time to talk about what you want changed. You've agreed to stay on, so just thank your boss politely for the generous offer and get back to work.

If You Change Your Mind

This situation is a bit trickier. You should avoid telling your boss that your other opportunities fell through, but you should also avoid begging for your job back. Be polite and be humble. Say that you have given the situation a lot of thought and that you have changed your mind, or that your circumstances have changed. Be straightforward and tell your boss that you would like to keep your job and retract your resignation.

Acknowledge the fact that you are not in control of your boss's decision and that you might have changed your mind too late. Again, do not air grievances, or talk about what it would take to bring you back on. Just say that you would like to retract your resignation and that you would like to speak further about the matter. Apologizing for causing an awkward situation never hurts either.