Giving resignation notice?

[Healthie]

I’m in the process of moving to a new position with a different health authority; the hiring manager has told me I’m hired, but I have not received a job offer letter for the new position. It looks like it’s being processed; but I’ve been told they move  slowly.

I’m aiming to move May 9th; so my last day would be sometime in May 4-6. I’ve kept my manager up to date and they’ve known about the rough timeline, but I haven’t put my official notice in. They need my notice in order to post my line, hire and hopefully orient the new person.

What would you do? I hesitate to resign before I have an official job offer, and I don’t want to leave my present employer scrambling to hire someone.

[oneday]

Do not resign before you have an offer letter. You cannot 100% protect both yourself and your current employer in this scenario. You are doing the best you can by keeping them in the loop.

[ixtap]

Can you push out the start date with the new employer?

[scottish]

Just tell the new organization you need 2 weeks (or whatever interval) after you accept the written offer.     I've seen written offers delayed for months after a verbal.  In fact this happened to me in 2009.

[Healthie]

This is validating, thank you everyone. I haven't been in this situation before and wasn't sure how to proceed. 

[Sibley]

https://www.askamanager.org/2010/05/is-it-okay-to-resign-while-im-still.html

You need a written offer letter. And a notice period is not necessarily intended to give time to hire and train a replacement. It's to give time to transition. Different things.

[Healthie]

https://www.askamanager.org/2010/05/is-it-okay-to-resign-while-im-still.html

You need a written offer letter. And a notice period is not necessarily intended to give time to hire and train a replacement. It's to give time to transition. Different things.

Good read, thank you. Can you elaborate a bit on the notice period not being intended to give time to hire & train?

[SunnyDays]

Don’t quit until your written offer is in hand.

It’s most likely that your old position will take some time to fill, because any job government/government funded often sits vacant while the government stalls to save money.  I wouldn’t worry about you being the one to hold things up.

[skiersailor]

Two weeks' notice has become standard, but it's not really enough time to hire and train a replacement for most jobs.  It may be enough time to organize and document one's job duties and hand them off to other current employees to manage until a replacement is hired and trained.

If you plan to continue to work in the area or the industry, then you may want to consider offering your services as a consultant for a limited period of time on your schedule after you have left your old job.  Even if your previous employer doesn't take you up on it, they will appreciate the offer as it reduces their risk.  Your consulting rate should be higher than your old wage (like 25%-50% higher) because your employer no longer has to pay for your overhead (but you do).  With remote access technology, someone can let you see what is on their monitor while you are talking to them over the phone and even controlling their mouse and keyboard if they allow it.  You'll want to make sure they don't abuse this offer, but it creates goodwill that may benefit you in the future.

[NextTime]

Don’t quit until your written offer is in hand.

It’s most likely that your old position will take some time to fill, because any job government/government funded often sits vacant while the government stalls to save money.  I wouldn’t worry about you being the one to hold things up.

This. The government moves like molasses on hiring.  I once interviewed for a government job in January, pretty much forgot about it after hearing nothing for weeks, and then was offered the job in August. Then when I started, the project for which I was hired, didn't get going for a couple more months.

[JLee]

https://www.askamanager.org/2010/05/is-it-okay-to-resign-while-im-still.html

You need a written offer letter. And a notice period is not necessarily intended to give time to hire and train a replacement. It's to give time to transition. Different things.

Good read, thank you. Can you elaborate a bit on the notice period not being intended to give time to hire & train?

I left my last job in December and they still haven't filled my position.  In many cases it's not practical to hire within that time window, let alone train as well.

[Healthie]

Two weeks' notice has become standard, but it's not really enough time to hire and train a replacement for most jobs.  It may be enough time to organize and document one's job duties and hand them off to other current employees to manage until a replacement is hired and trained.

If you plan to continue to work in the area or the industry, then you may want to consider offering your services as a consultant for a limited period of time on your schedule after you have left your old job.  Even if your previous employer doesn't take you up on it, they will appreciate the offer as it reduces their risk.  Your consulting rate should be higher than your old wage (like 25%-50% higher) because your employer no longer has to pay for your overhead (but you do).  With remote access technology, someone can let you see what is on their monitor while you are talking to them over the phone and even controlling their mouse and keyboard if they allow it.  You'll want to make sure they don't abuse this offer, but it creates goodwill that may benefit you in the future.

Thanks everyone!

I'm in a union position and no one acts as a consultant for what we do - it's frontline health care. I WISH I could do something like consult for what I do. This is good to know if I move to another position where I could consult.

[Healthie]

Are there any repercussions I can face not giving 2 weeks+ notice? I'm waiting on a criminal record check and I can tell my boss is getting a little agitated. I was told the recruiter is going to look into giving me a job offer letter with the contingency that the Criminal record check is good tomorrow (which it should be). This is in Canada.

[scottish]

Are there any repercussions I can face not giving 2 weeks+ notice? I'm waiting on a criminal record check and I can tell my boss is getting a little agitated. I was told the recruiter is going to look into giving me a job offer letter with the contingency that the Criminal record check is good tomorrow (which it should be). This is in Canada.

Don't expect a glowing reference if you walk out without any notice...

If I were you, I'd just be patient until I had an unconditional offer, then give the notice required by your collective agreement and move on.

[Healthie]

Are there any repercussions I can face not giving 2 weeks+ notice? I'm waiting on a criminal record check and I can tell my boss is getting a little agitated. I was told the recruiter is going to look into giving me a job offer letter with the contingency that the Criminal record check is good tomorrow (which it should be). This is in Canada.

Don't expect a glowing reference if you walk out without any notice...

If I were you, I'd just be patient until I had an unconditional offer, then give the notice required by your collective agreement and move on.

my colective agreement asks for 28 days, but I'm not obligated. I emailed the manager at the new job and said I may have to delay my start-date to give my current position 2 weeks of notice. It's not perfect but it's better than going the route of sticking with my timeline and potentially screwing over my current employer.

[Zamboni]

I just learned that my employer expects a minimum of one month of notice! I only know this because a mass exodus is beginning in a neighboring department . . . it seems like almost everyone over there is interviewing to get out, and one of the first out the door alerted the masses about the one-month thing being added to the employee handbook. When did that happen?

Anyway, one month notice seems excessive and not normal. Is it becoming the norm? Or is it just another sign the my employer suffers from entitlement syndrome?

[CoffeeR]

I just learned that my employer expects a minimum of one month of notice! I only know this because a mass exodus is beginning in a neighboring department . . . it seems like almost everyone over there is interviewing to get out, and one of the first out the door alerted the masses about the one-month thing being added to the employee handbook. When did that happen?

Anyway, one month notice seems excessive and not normal. Is it becoming the norm? Or is it just another sign the my employer suffers from entitlement syndrome?

They expect a one month notice, but reserve the right to fire you on the spot with no notice? Hmm... it's a question on what kind of relationship you want to maintain with your current employer. I never advocate intentionally burning bridges, but you need to do what is right for you. If you can only give 1 week, 2 weeks, etc. notice because of constraints, limitations, requirements, etc. of your new job then explain that, give notice and move on.

[Gronnie]

I just learned that my employer expects a minimum of one month of notice! I only know this because a mass exodus is beginning in a neighboring department . . . it seems like almost everyone over there is interviewing to get out, and one of the first out the door alerted the masses about the one-month thing being added to the employee handbook. When did that happen?

Anyway, one month notice seems excessive and not normal. Is it becoming the norm? Or is it just another sign the my employer suffers from entitlement syndrome?

So do they give everyone that they terminate 1 month notice or 1 months pay?

[Telecaster]

I just learned that my employer expects a minimum of one month of notice! I only know this because a mass exodus is beginning in a neighboring department . . . it seems like almost everyone over there is interviewing to get out, and one of the first out the door alerted the masses about the one-month thing being added to the employee handbook. When did that happen?

Anyway, one month notice seems excessive and not normal. Is it becoming the norm? Or is it just another sign the my employer suffers from entitlement syndrome?

If you don't give them one month notice, what are they going to do, fire you?   

No, it isn't wise to burn (too many) bridges, but if they actually valued you, you wouldn't be quitting in the first place.  Think back to all of the people you know who have left the company previously.  What were the repercussions of them leaving?  I'll bet nothing.  The company somehow managed to continue on, and I'll wager those who left were quickly forgotten about.   As thanks to those who generously gave extra notice, they were also quickly forgotten about. 

[Telecaster]

Don't expect a glowing reference if you walk out without any notice...

Don't expect a glowing reference if you give a month's notice, either.  For liability reasons most companies as a matter of policy will only confirm your dates of employment. 

[Zamboni]

I actually know multiple people who gave >3 months of notice in the past. They were trying to be considerate professionals. In return, my employer used the opportunity to treat them as badly as possible for the remainder of their employment in nearly every case. One guy was recently given "double duty" for his last 4 months . . . he complained about it, but why he didn't just refuse to do it is beyond me. Now that I think about it, they also tried to do that to another lady who was leaving with a lot of advance notice a few years ago, but she told them to stuff it in a lot more words (in an email that I was copied on . . . should have saved that for its comedic value.)

Gah, should I advise those close to me here who are thinking about leaving to give the month notice if they can--to get what my employer thinks is the coveted "eligible for rehire" status--but then plan to take vacation and personal days for most of it? Lol, that's probably the way to go.

[Healthie]

I actually know multiple people who gave >3 months of notice in the past. They were trying to be considerate professionals. In return, my employer used the opportunity to treat them as badly as possible for the remainder of their employment in nearly every case. One guy was recently given "double duty" for his last 4 months . . . he complained about it, but why he didn't just refuse to do it is beyond me. Now that I think about it, they also tried to do that to another lady who was leaving with a lot of advance notice a few years ago, but she told them to stuff it in a lot more words (in an email that I was copied on . . . should have saved that for its comedic value.)

Gah, should I advise those close to me here who are thinking about leaving to give the month notice if they can--to get what my employer thinks is the coveted "eligible for rehire" status--but then plan to take vacation and personal days for most of it? Lol, that's probably the way to go.

I asked my boss to be a reference in November for jobs in a different city, so they've known. The tricky situation is they need a resignation letter in order to post my job, and ideally I would have given a months notice so they can hire someone and I can orient them. Honestly it's been taxing being in this position of having to wait for the CRC; being in limbo sucks.

[Gronnie]

If the new employer is being slow in even getting you an offer letter your start can't be that urgent. Can't you just tell them you need 2 or 4 weeks or whatever from official written offer to start date?

[scottish]

Don't expect a glowing reference if you walk out without any notice...

Don't expect a glowing reference if you give a month's notice, either.  For liability reasons most companies as a matter of policy will only confirm your dates of employment.

Yeah, but your manager/colleagues may be a different story.    Official references aren't much use, but professional ones can be.   

[Healthie]

I got my letter, I put my  2 weeks in. It appears nothing had has happened. As is often the way.

[scottish]

Congratulations!   I hope your new position goes well.

[Zamboni]

Well that's good news. Congratulations!

[shureShote]

Nice! I can understand it being a bit nerve wracking the first time experiencing this sort of thing.

I gave two weeks once, in accordance with our employee handbook. My boss was upset and said he would have liked at least three weeks. I simply responded that he needs to take that up with HR and get the handbook changed.