How to Write a Farewell Speech

Writing a farewell speech can seem like a daunting task. It can be hard to find the right words on your last day of work, whether it’s graduation, retirement, or any other occasion. You should try to sum up your experiences, thank people, send good wishes for the future, and say it all in a way that is both polite and engaging. This is a difficult task, but with careful thought, you can write the perfect farewell speech.

Table of Contents

Choose what to say

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Summarize your experience. Think about the shared experience you had at the place you were going to leave. It could be a job, school, a volunteer organization, or a place where you have lived for a long time. You can think about what you’ve achieved and how to tell the story of the time you were there from start to finish. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Try writing an account of a time when you were there. You don’t have to list all the relevant details for the speech. You just need to write it down to help yourself remember everything you’ve done, and realize what means the most to you.
The narrative might start like this, “I came to work at the company right out of college and had never lived on my own before. I was too shy to make friends with anyone for 9 months. A year later, I was promoted and built a close relationship with the brothers and sisters in the new department.”
Don’t be afraid to write down difficulties. You can edit it again later. For example, “I didn’t like it when I had to move to the new office”. As you edit your speech, this can turn into a joke, or you can say, “Even if we have to move to a new office, I can’t help but admit that my colleagues very willing to pull through during difficult times.”

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Select stories. When writing your summary, consider whether you remember any stories from your time there. The story can be funny or touching, but it should be short and specific to help paint a picture of your daily life and convey your thoughts or feelings as a whole. ^{[2] X Research Source}

An anecdote might start like this: “I always miss the third day of school. Son and I were arranged to sit next to each other on the bus, but on the third day, my grandmother followed me on the bus and announced that she needed to talk to Son…”
Anecdotes can be a great way to show appreciation for a particular person, or to illustrate what you like about the place. For example, the story above could end like “…and of course, since then, he never left my side”, or, “…that’s how I realized that this school is. It will eventually be a place where I feel at home.”

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Mention something serious or sincere. You want to keep your farewell speech pretty upbeat, but you should also take some time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished during your time here and what you’ll feel missed. People will appreciate it when you reflect a little and share your feelings on this occasion. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Think of things you are grateful for, or moments that help you to be yourself. For example, “when Hung defended me in my freshman year” or, “when my boss even brought my suggestion to the board of directors, I realized that my opinion matters too”.
Think about the reasons that made you sad about the breakup. For example, “I know it’s rare for a group of people to meet like this,” or, “I’ve learned so much from every single person here, and I’ll be sad to continue on this path.” later without everyone.”

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Give good wishes. Assume that other people stay even though you leave. Please give good wishes to those who stay. Be sincere, although it’s okay to say a joke or two, as long as it doesn’t affect the morale of the other person. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

You can send general wishes to the team, such as, “Of course next year, I’m sure all of you will achieve your goals without me on the team.”
You can also send well wishes to each person, such as, “This spring, I hope you will smoothly be promoted to vice president; I know you will do very well. Bao, I wish you luck in taking over the entire department.”
You can also voice your hopes and wishes for yourself, such as, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I certainly hope to meet good people like all of you.”

Write a speech

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Write an outline. Once you have an idea for your content, it’s time to organize your content for a fluent speech. Writing an outline is a great way to achieve this goal. Outline helps you arrange content in a logical order so that listeners or readers can understand. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

The outline can include as much detail as you want.
The outline should contain space for a tight introduction, body, and conclusion.
An outline does not include the full text of the speech. It includes only bullet points and a summary of each section.

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Start speaking in an interesting way. Speeches that begin with a witty joke or comment will immediately grab the audience’s attention. As for the farewell speech, the listener may think it is very dry or heavy. Even if the occasion is a little formal, try to start it off in a fun way. This will establish an upbeat tone and help people listen to the rest of the speech. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

The opening can be a meaningful joke or collective song that everyone knows and enjoys.
If one of the stories you’ve written is really funny or fun, it can also be a good place to start.
Sometimes an inspirational quote or message can help with the opening, although you can save it for the conclusion.

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Write the body of the article. The main part of your speech is where you can share stories and summarize your time there, if appropriate. You can tell stories about specific people and experiences, and also general feelings about people and places. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

When speaking in general or summarizing, remember to “be specific, not narrate”. This means it’s more persuasive when you’re specific and give details or examples, rather than generalizing.
An example of “specifically, without recounting” is, “On my first day at work, I noticed that half of the employees stayed for an extra half hour after the end of the hour to make sure the tasks were completed. report”, instead of, “Everyone here is always working so hard”.

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End with a funny quote or quote. The way you end your speech will be something people remember long after. Decide if you want to end with a joke or a serious one. Even if your speech is largely formal, ending with a joke is a great way to say goodbye. It is an effective way to relieve stress. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can search for great quotes online by subject. There are many quotes suitable for most occasions.
If you’re quick on your mind, you can end with a funny statement combined with a joke or story you told at the beginning of your speech.
For example, if you start your speech, “I will never forget my first day here. I thought my life was over when I walked in the door and realized I was 20 minutes late,” you might end the speech with, “Well, I guess all I have is time. Look this. 5 years later, and I’m still 20 minutes late.

Presentation of speech

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Reread the speech yourself. Writing a speech is just one aspect of the whole thing. You also need to read the speech out loud. The reason is because often the way you write may not be easily expressed in words. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Review any sections that seem confusing or not fluent. Rewrite notes or changes that will come in handy when you speak.
Time your speech as you speak.
Practice speaking in front of a mirror to see how often you look at the paper without stuttering.
You can also practice speaking in front of a close friend and ask them to comment.

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Keep speech brief. There’s probably a lot you want to say, depending on how long you’ve worked here and how much it means to you. However, this speech is not the time to talk about every detail. Remember that everyone will need to get back to work or use the time for other things. If you write concisely, you can deliver an energetic speech in a short amount of time. ^{[10] X Research Source}

A farewell speech is usually about 5 minutes long. In some cases, 10 minutes is acceptable. More time should be reserved for extremely special cases, such as when a head of state resigns.

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Speak with confidence. Many people feel nervous when speaking in public. There are many tricks to help you overcome your fear if necessary. Make sure you practice your speech many times; then, prepare yourself to stand in front of a group of people. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Understand that you can make mistakes. Be prepared mentally. Don’t blame yourself if that happens. You should admit it and keep trying. You can even laugh at yourself to put the audience at ease.
Focus on people who seem engaged with your speech. If they nod, smile, or stare at you, focus on them. Their energy will give you confidence.

Advice

When you hesitate, stay positive. People will keep memories of good feelings for a long time after you leave.
If you’re joking with someone, make sure they’re comfortable and don’t take it as a bad idea.

Steps

Choose what to say

Write a speech

Presentation of speech

Advice

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