It's your final day at work at your current job.  You've already cleared out your personal belongings and tied up any loose ends.  There's just one thing left to do: write a goodbye e-mail to the people you used to call co-workers.

These letters take many shapes and forms - with one constant - a sharing of personal e-mail addresses, LinkedIn user names and MySpace 411.  Some of the more popular variations include:

The Final Brown Nose
The PLEASE Join Me for a Drink
The HA HA You're Still Stuck Here

All approaches being equally contemptible.  According to Twentysomething Career Expert Alexandra Levit:

"My advice is to keep these communications relatively professional, to send them AFTER your period of notice has already begun, and to only send them to people who are truly relevant (i.e. people you have personally worked with and actually might want to stay in touch with).  The biggest mistake I see people make here is sending overly personal communications (a la this job changed my life) to entire departments or even organizations, which just makes you look weird to people who have never even heard of you."
 
There's also the version that comes from the departing employees's boss.  A nice gesture, but often comes across as awkward, especially if the head honcho has a penchant for attempting to be funny.

Since goodbye letters have always annoyed me (though I'm guilty too - though mine have always been brief!) I've collected them through the years.  And working in media, there's surely no shortage of people heading out the door.  You'll note I've protected their privacy be removing names and locations.  Read some samples below and learn about what not to do!

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Subject: moving on...

After two and a half years, I'm leaving [REMOVED] to pursue other opportunities. I want to thank everyone for their friendship and support. I've enjoyed my experience here at [REMOVED] and I hope I have the opportunity to work with you all again at some future time.

If anyone needs to contact me, I can be reached at:
[REMOVED]
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I'm leaving NYC tomorrow morning and heading home for some family stuff before going back to [REMOVED]. Thank you for making this a great summer! I appreciate the extra time you took to help me with my writing and your patience early on when I was trying to pull stories that were completely irrelevant. :)

If you're down in [REMOVED] (which sounds unlikely) don't hesitate to give me a call-- we have beautiful mountains, awesome football, and you may even find out what a Hokie is.

Thanks!
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Dearly Beloved [REMOVED] Department,

Is this the end of [ME]? Never.  Here is my email address: [REMOVED]. I love emails (obviously) so feel free to write me!
 
I really had an incredible time here this summer, and I have all of you to thank for that (so cheesy, but I'm for serious).

I hope the rest of your summers are great! I'm sure I'll pop back in next time I'm home!!
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For those of you who don't know, [REMOVED] and I have decided to retire from [REMOVED] and move to Florida to be near my family.  We will be learning the real estate business, working with my sister and brother-in-law in [REMOVED].  Although we are looking forward to something completely different, we will miss being a part of the [REMOVED] "family."  Working for a new company from the beginning was probably a unique experience for most of us, and we can all be proud of the parts we have played in its remarkable success.  [REMOVED] and I had the privilege to know and work with many of you before [REMOVED], then were so lucky to meet and work with many more wonderful people whom we will miss very much.

We wish all of you continued success and hope to hear from you occasionally via e-mail at [REMOVED].  We can also be reached by phone through my sister,[REMOVED].  I'll be working every day at their home office, "commuting" on foot one whole mile across and around a golf course!  It will be a tough life, but somebody's got to do it.  It may as well be us old folks after spending 30 years in the [REMOVED].  I think, perhaps, we've earned it.  Once again, we will miss you and would love to hear from you.
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"All good things come to those who wait"

[REMOVED] is leaving FOX NEWS to work as a director for [REMOVED]. Will [REMOVED] be able to make the transition from [REMOVED]?

Come on out, have a couple of drinks and ask him yourself this Wednesday night at[REMOVED]

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I'm sad to say that [REMOVED] is leaving us, heading to the local pastures of [REMOVED]. His last day here will be Friday, Sept. 16.

I don't have to tell anyone who has worked with [REMOVED] what a valuable colleague he is...and a nice guy, too.

He'll be missed.
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I'm calling it quits...

I've lived, I've learned... and I leave 2 years later a better [REMOVED] than when I walked in the door.

To the [REMOVED]: You make [THE COMPANY]. I can honestly say I've never worked with a more talented, pleasant, and fun group [PEOPLE].

Don't be strangers.
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Four Score and seven years ago... [REMOVED] took the helm at [REMOVED] - aparently he thinks his work is done and is saying goodbye. Let's send him off to [REMOVED] in style with a good ol' fashion happy hour.

Here are the details:

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Hey,

Most of you have heard already, maybe some haven't, but tomorrow is my last day.  (For those of you who don't know me, I'm a [REMOVED].  

I know it's last notice, but we're meeting for drinks.  Usual deal -- [REMOVED].  Come whenever.  It'd be nice to see everybody before I go off to my future endeavors.  If you are unable to come, feel free to email me to say hi.  (I'll probably send a proper good-bye email tomorow).  Thanks!
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I have been blessed to have worked with you all, and I thank you.

I wish you complete satisfaction and success in all your endevours.

Good Luck and Gods Speed

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Hello all,

I'll try to make this quick, since I'm not a big "good-bye" person.  Today's my last day here.  For those of you who don't know me, I am [REMOVED].  Now I'm moving on, taking a bit of time off, then going back to school.

It's been an incredibly educational experience in pretty much every way.  I've met and worked with many great people, too many to name.  Thanks to everybody, in every single department.  Of course, I have to send a special shout-out to [REMOVED].  There have been a ton of changes, some good, some bad...but through it all, you've all stepped it up and evolved quicker than any department.  I wouldn't have been able to survive if all of you weren't such wonderful and talented people.

Lastly, I would LOVE to stay in touch with anybody who's willing.  I have my personal email address below.  Drop me a quick line so I have your email address.  After 4pm, if you try to message me at [REMOVED], I won't get it.  And a reminder, we are meeting for DRINKS at [REMOVED].  If I don't see you there, or get an email, good luck in the future...all of you.  Keep being number one.
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There you have it - goodbye letters from a bunch of different folks.  As you can see, these have a tendency to make people look pretty bad.  Last impressions are sooo important  so try to avoid the trap of an e-mailed farewell.  In the future, we'll talk about making the perfect exit.