Advice Needed On Giving Notice At A Job

[Nick Danger]

I could use some advice from my B&B friends:

I started a new job on July 1st. It pays well and has great benefits, but I have not been happy. The company is a mess, and so is the client to whom I'm dedicated. There is no chance of my changing anything, and the position (which is not at all as described in the interview) uses about 10% of my brain.

Still, given the economy, my age, and the difficulty I had getting this job, I wasn't planning on going anywhere. Then I got email from my favorite recruiter with an amazing opportunity.

I had two phone interviews over the past week and then a 4 hour in-person interview today, at the end of which I received a job offer. I plan to accept the offer on Monday. It's a fantastic job: project manager for a technology company, where I'll be working with some of the biggest organizations in the world of fine arts. Basically, a dream job for someone with my interests.

My question is about the best way to give notice to my current employer, which I need to do Monday. I figure that I should just tell them that a dream job popped up unexpectedly and say nothing about the reasons I so desperately want to leave. I don't think they will learn anything if I was specific about why I want to leave or be any more honest with the next candidate for my job.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. They are going to be very unhappy with me. But I'd be crazy to pass up this other opportunity.

Nick

 

[dpm802]

I don't think you owe them any apologies or explanations. Just tell them that you found a better job and will be leaving on whatever date is best for you. Be sure to make a proper exit via Human Resources, complete any exit procedures and paperwork, and leave on good terms.

But before you do that, are you under any sort of contract with the current employer? That could throw a whole big monkey wrench in the works.

 

[Toothpick]

you definitely do not owe them an explanation or apology. Many employers have a "at will" employment policy. and I follow that up with a "quit at will" policy of my own.

Just be a gentleman. Put your resignation in writing, give them 2 weeks (if you can) or more if you prefer. Explain you are pursuing better opportunities. That's that.

Congrats on landing your dream job!

 

[Nick Danger]

But before you do that, are you under any sort of contract with the current employer? That could throw a whole big monkey wrench in the works.

Nope. No contract. There isn't even a human resource department in my office. Or an IT person - when my laptop broke, I actually had to ship it off to the home office to get it fixed. Not a very organized place for such a big company.

you definitely do not owe them an explanation or apology. Many employers have a "at will" employment policy. and I follow that up with a "quit at will" policy of my own.

Just be a gentleman. Put your resignation in writing, give them 2 weeks (if you can) or more if you prefer. Explain you are pursuing better opportunities. That's that.

Congrats on landing your dream job!

Let's hope it really is a dream job! The interview was pretty amazing, and I got to meet most of the team. It's certainly a dream client list, at least.

And fortunately, Illinois is an "employment at will" state so there is nothing stopping me from quitting. Or them firing me or laying me off, which I was a bit concerned about given that they might lose the one big client to whom I'm dedicated. Always an uncomfortable position to be in. Frankly, they should't be too surprised I'm leaving. Their best programmer in the Chicago office just quit this week, too.

Nick

 

[Head Rigger]

you definitely do not owe them an explanation or apology. Many employers have a "at will" employment policy. and I follow that up with a "quit at will" policy of my own.

Just be a gentleman. Put your resignation in writing, give them 2 weeks (if you can) or more if you prefer. Explain you are pursuing better opportunities. That's that.

Congrats on landing your dream job!

As usual, Jason nailed it.

I wouldn't say anything about your opinion of the conditions at your current job. Just move on and enjoy your dream job!

 

[cb91710]

I don't think you owe them any apologies or explanations. Just tell them that you found a better job and will be leaving on whatever date is best for you. Be sure to make a proper exit via Human Resources, complete any exit procedures and paperwork, and leave on good terms.

But before you do that, are you under any sort of contract with the current employer? That could throw a whole big monkey wrench in the works.

Bingo. Go to your HR person and inform them that you will be resigning effective xx/xx/2013.

 

[Nick Danger]

Bingo. Go to your HR person and inform them that you will be resigning effective xx/xx/2013.

Trickier just because there is no HR person. In the Chicago office my only contact is my boss. Everyone else works elsewhere in the country. So the person who will have to take over all my open projects is the person to whom I have to give notice. She may be polite about it, or she may not. Totally unpredictable. Could be a *very* interesting Monday...

Nick

 

[jrp316]

you definitely do not owe them an explanation or apology. Many employers have a "at will" employment policy. and I follow that up with a "quit at will" policy of my own.

Just be a gentleman. Put your resignation in writing, give them 2 weeks (if you can) or more if you prefer. Explain you are pursuing better opportunities. That's that.

Congrats on landing your dream job!

+1 on the congrats. Finding a job that you like is the best thing about working for a living. Two weeks, as has been said, seems to be the golden standard for resignation notices. That being said, you should be prepared if they want to end your employment effective immediately. It's rare, but it happens.

 

[August West]

Be polite, professional, and concise. Don't burn your bridges and keep your ducks in a row until your last day. Two weeks is customary in my world. In the past I have been asked to train my replacement during my last two weeks. I actually enjoyed that. Frankly, you do not owe them a big "song and dance explanation" as to why you are leaving.

 

[PFP_Dad]

Be polite, professional, and concise. Don't burn your bridges and keep your ducks in a row until your last day. Two weeks is customary in my world. In the past I have been asked to train my replacement during my last two weeks. I actually enjoyed that. Frankly, you do not owe them a big "song and dance explanation" as to why you are leaving.

This is exactly what I would expect from one of my employees. My last work situation actually went the opposite, with them giving me two weeks notice before laying me off. No reason to burn bridges either way. Leave with your head high and a smile on your face, wishing them well on the way out. They aren't going to learn anything at this point, and you don't benefit from trying to teach them.

 

[wagstaff]

Congrats! Of course only talk about the direction you're going -- a positive move for your interests and income
Nothing bad about what you're leaving. Nothing particularly apologetic, either. The job was a port. A good thing. You have further destinations.
Truly happy for you Nick!

 

[August West]

Excellent advice from all. I have to share one more thing which has stuck with me for years. On my last day of a job(I was a young buck back then) my crusty old dispatcher shook my hand and said, "Remember Bubba, you can go to a different circus but the clowns are all the same."

 

[August West]

Congrats! Of course only talk about the direction you're going -- a positive move for your interests and income
Nothing bad about what you're leaving. Nothing particularly apologetic, either. The job was a port. A good thing. You have further destinations.
Truly happy for you Nick!

+1

 

[Jim]

Congratulations Nick, do you have the job offer in hand? In writing right?
One of the things my Dad always hammered home is to never burn a bridge behind you, as you mentioned, the economy is still a mess so leave on as good terms as possible without doing gyrations or screwing up the new job.

 

[Nick Danger]

Congratulations Nick, do you have the job offer in hand? In writing right?

Yes, got the offer letter in writing.

Thanks to all for the advice. I will definitely leave on a good note and be as classy as possible. I will give two weeks notice, but I'm prepared for them to tell me to just leave. The place is a mess, and they will probably be quite aware why I'm moving on. That said, I will only talk about the amazing opportunity and how it meshes so well with my own passion for the fine arts.

Nick

 

[dieselfuel79]

Just be honest and tell them how you feel, but be professional.

 

[cb91710]

Trickier just because there is no HR person. In the Chicago office my only contact is my boss. Everyone else works elsewhere in the country. So the person who will have to take over all my open projects is the person to whom I have to give notice. She may be polite about it, or she may not. Totally unpredictable. Could be a *very* interesting Monday...

Nope. Your responsibility is to give notice to your boss. It is not your responsibility to find your replacement for him.

What would he do if you were hit by a truck tomorrow?

 

[cb91710]

This is exactly what I would expect from one of my employees. My last work situation actually went the opposite, with them giving me two weeks notice before laying me off. No reason to burn bridges either way. Leave with your head high and a smile on your face, wishing them well on the way out. They aren't going to learn anything at this point, and you don't benefit from trying to teach them.

Mine didn't give me 2 weeks... not exactly.
They laid me off, but kept me on payroll until the end of the pay period (and handed me a check for the full amount that day), plus 6 weeks severance (paid every 2 weeks), and they paid 65% of my COBRA premiums for 6 months.

 

[DrColossus11]

Congrats on the new job! we'll have to grab a beer and celebrate.

 

[Guarddog]

I could use some advice from my B&B friends:


My question is about the best way to give notice to my current employer, which I need to do Monday. I figure that I should just tell them that a dream job popped up unexpectedly and say nothing about the reasons I so desperately want to leave. I don't think they will learn anything if I was specific about why I want to leave or be any more honest with the next candidate for my job.

I had to do this with my last job. After a bit of research and consultation, the bottom line is keep it short. As others noted, no need to explain other than saying you're leaving to pursue other opportunities and have enjoyed working at this company (whether true or not - don't burn bridges as others have noted). The hardest thing to do is NOT tell them what you are doing next until you show-up at your new job, then if you want, you can say what you're doing to old colleagues. The reasoning is you don't want any possibility of somebody sabotaging your new job (or having it taken away - as many people know each other in the business).

The letter should look something like this:

September 5, 2013
ABC Operations Manager
1000 Duke Street
New City, NY 22032

Dear John Smith:

This letter serves as my notice of resignation to ABC company. My last day in the office will be September 20, 2013, Friday. I appreciate the opportunity to have worked at ABC company. My blackberry and company ID will be handed in to HR on my last day.

ABC is a great company, but my career has taken a path which leads me to pursue other opportunities.

Regards,

David New Job




Do NOT commit to finishing any projects that you can't finish in that time or commit to anything new.