So.. how to resign?
Discussion
OP,
1000% don't burn your bridges. I have a good friend interviewing with his ex boss, who he worked for nearly 10 years ago. This year, I have been asked opinions of 2 former colleagues (I am not a manager); these questions are normally from other companies who always approach "you used to work with xxx, what are they like?". Further in the conversation it often crops up that they are about to be made a job offer.
So, with that sort of mindset - why not find out when the new company would like you to start? If it is 4 weeks, go to your boss, explain the situation, and mention that since you don't have a contract, you think 2 weeks (if 2 weeks suits you) is fair, and should give enough tme to finish handover. IF he says he needs / would like more time, say you will go away and discuss it with new boss. Go back later than day and settle on 3 weeks - et voila, you;ve done more than you had to, noone can have any bad feelings.
This might look underhand, except if you don't start with some leeway, you offer 4 weeks when you only have 4 to give. He asks for a step in his direction, you can't agree, he sees stubborn. IMO the goal is to keep a relationship / reputaition with your whole team.
Good luck with pastures new, anyways.
1000% don't burn your bridges. I have a good friend interviewing with his ex boss, who he worked for nearly 10 years ago. This year, I have been asked opinions of 2 former colleagues (I am not a manager); these questions are normally from other companies who always approach "you used to work with xxx, what are they like?". Further in the conversation it often crops up that they are about to be made a job offer.
So, with that sort of mindset - why not find out when the new company would like you to start? If it is 4 weeks, go to your boss, explain the situation, and mention that since you don't have a contract, you think 2 weeks (if 2 weeks suits you) is fair, and should give enough tme to finish handover. IF he says he needs / would like more time, say you will go away and discuss it with new boss. Go back later than day and settle on 3 weeks - et voila, you;ve done more than you had to, noone can have any bad feelings.
This might look underhand, except if you don't start with some leeway, you offer 4 weeks when you only have 4 to give. He asks for a step in his direction, you can't agree, he sees stubborn. IMO the goal is to keep a relationship / reputaition with your whole team.
Good luck with pastures new, anyways.
williamp said:
Shay HTFC said:
Do it the nice way. You never know when you might come across your current boss again in business.
Thuis. its a small world, business leaders know other business leaders, and they all talk. besides, they might be clients one day...Like some have said above, you have an inferred contract. Statutory legislation prevails as there are no additional company offerings on paper. Like most have said somewhere between a week and a month is what you owe them. If you are paid weekly then it's a week but you may wish to offer them a bit more to help out.
BTW, make sure in future you ask for a statement of employment when you start with a company if they have not offered you an contract.
Be nice, don't mess them around any more than you need to, you may need thei good will in the future.
BTW, make sure in future you ask for a statement of employment when you start with a company if they have not offered you an contract.
Be nice, don't mess them around any more than you need to, you may need thei good will in the future.
Just tell him you're sleeping with his wife....and you feel that it's now affecting your work so you have to leave! 
Sensibile side though....if it does get awkward, you can tell him that you should have a contract, and he could get into trouble for not having one in place!
I found this out with a previous employee
Sensibile side though....if it does get awkward, you can tell him that you should have a contract, and he could get into trouble for not having one in place!
I found this out with a previous employee
My Contract stated 3 months, but new employed wanted me to start in 2 weeks, the following letter and an honest discussion with both my managers lead to me being released early and both men still being friends now, 3 years later.
Dear Boss
It is with some regret that I use this letter to notify you of my intention to resign from my position with XXXXXXXX
I have decided that it is time for me to move on, and I have accepted a position elsewhere. This was by no means an easy decision and took a great deal of consideration. However I am confident that my new role will help me to move towards some of the goals that I have for my career.
My contract of employment requires me to give you 12 weeks notice of my intention to leave, however I wish to request that you release me at an earlier date, as my new employer wishes me to start work on October 8th.
Please be assured that I will do all I can to facilitate the smooth transfer of my responsibilities prior to leaving.
I wish both you and XXXXX every success and I thank you for having me as part of the IT team for the last 7 years.
Dear Boss
It is with some regret that I use this letter to notify you of my intention to resign from my position with XXXXXXXX
I have decided that it is time for me to move on, and I have accepted a position elsewhere. This was by no means an easy decision and took a great deal of consideration. However I am confident that my new role will help me to move towards some of the goals that I have for my career.
My contract of employment requires me to give you 12 weeks notice of my intention to leave, however I wish to request that you release me at an earlier date, as my new employer wishes me to start work on October 8th.
Please be assured that I will do all I can to facilitate the smooth transfer of my responsibilities prior to leaving.
I wish both you and XXXXX every success and I thank you for having me as part of the IT team for the last 7 years.
I had a contract, spoke to my boss beforehand and had my offer letter and contract in front of me before I sent this.
Dear Boss
As discussed in todays meeting please accept this email as confirmation of my resignation from CompanyX with immediate effect.
My final day will be the 12th November 2010.
I have very much enjoyed my time with CompanyX and will miss working with yourself and the rest of the team.
Best Regards
Bullett
Dear Boss
As discussed in todays meeting please accept this email as confirmation of my resignation from CompanyX with immediate effect.
My final day will be the 12th November 2010.
I have very much enjoyed my time with CompanyX and will miss working with yourself and the rest of the team.
Best Regards
Bullett
Lefty said:
Shay HTFC said:
Do it the nice way. You never know when you might come across your current boss again in business.
This. Don't burn bridges, ever. Do everything you can to make the transition for your replacement as smooth as possible. i used to work for a high st bank years ago in IT, i handed my notice in and my boss wasn't happy, but accepted it. then on my last day there i turn up as normal, thinking as of 12 i will be down the pub for good bye drinks, i find she has revoked all my security access, and asked security not to let me in the building. she lied that i had left already, so i just went home rather than stand in the rain waiting for my work mates to meet me at the pub. got lots of calls and emails saying how sorry they all were, but i did save the £300 i had to put behind the bar
Jonathan27 said:
....... I would suggest a month in a junior position and up to three months in a more senior post.
LOL, Our lot just did a round of redundancies.They just breached the contract and paid them off, no notice period at all. Only two weeks of consultations.
Let the rest of us in the lurch with carrying on their projects.
No one should think they're indispensable.
I was pretty indispensable at my last place, but they got over it. Might have cost them double what it had previously, but i was doing two roles. They had to sub both out to contractors.
Cost them an extra £20k a year instead of the £5k i would've stayed for but tbh once you're in that position and fold for the extra dough, 6 months later you're thinking about it all over again
Unless you have been treated poorly by your current employer it is worth leaving on a reasonable note, take the time to speak to your manager and explain that you have been offered a position that allows you to develope on a personal level etc etc. All things considered the working world is a pretty small place and things have a habit of coming full circle. Its not worth getting any bad press if it is possible to avoid it.
Good Luck
Good Luck
Odie said:
iirc you only have to give 24 hours notice, under EU legislation no matter what is stated in your contract.
But of course down burn any bridges.
Legal minimum for an employee is a week:But of course down burn any bridges.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/RedundancyA...
Thought I'd update this.
Its my last day today - I'm just clearing out my desk and computer and helping the lads out with a job in the assembly shop.
I never wanted to be anything other than fair and proffesional, and that is how I acted. I told the bosss, informally, of my plans - at which point I thought the world was going to end. They clearly werent expecting it and the company (very small company) went into panic mode.
The question I had asked was basically - 'As you have given me no formal contract and thus no indication of how much notice you require from me, I am doing the decent thing by asking you first so we can come to an agreement".
They didnt give me this indication, only a massive panic, and the toys were thrown well out of the pram. so 2 days later they got a polite letter saying I would be leaving in two weeks, thank you, etc etc. Of course, they asked what they could do to make me stay, but I did not entertain an offer of more money from them as it was too little too late, no matter how much it was.
They then got worse, making claims about 'documents' which I had seen and agreed to etc. When asked to provide these documents they 'couldnt find them (but they do exist, honest). They were wanting 4-6 weeks work out of me. However, they knew full well I had them over a barrel and it was simply panic station. I never argued, never got arsey, simply stated the facts and retained my view that I was being fair and just. At one point my current company were making claims about knowing people at the new company, and that they would be talking to them to 'sort this out'. I warned the new company that this may happen and they agreed that if this had occured - effectively going behind my back - they would let me know that they had been contacted. At which point I would have got up and left.
I actually ended up working 2.5 weeks notice all in - and during this time I have been the subject of all the 'judas' and 'traitor' jokes, and the rest. Jokes are fine, I'm a lighthearted guy - but you earn the right to make this kind of jokes with someone first - Proffesionalism comes before that, and if you get on, THEN the jokes are fine.
The way they have handled me leaving, at times, has highlighted the EXACT reasons why I wanted to leave in the first place.
I will be walking out with my head held high, as I retain that I have acted fairly and proffesionally at all times, and they have nothing to pull me up on asi have done my utmost to pass work over and finish the job off as it were.
Its my last day today - I'm just clearing out my desk and computer and helping the lads out with a job in the assembly shop.
I never wanted to be anything other than fair and proffesional, and that is how I acted. I told the bosss, informally, of my plans - at which point I thought the world was going to end. They clearly werent expecting it and the company (very small company) went into panic mode.
The question I had asked was basically - 'As you have given me no formal contract and thus no indication of how much notice you require from me, I am doing the decent thing by asking you first so we can come to an agreement".
They didnt give me this indication, only a massive panic, and the toys were thrown well out of the pram. so 2 days later they got a polite letter saying I would be leaving in two weeks, thank you, etc etc. Of course, they asked what they could do to make me stay, but I did not entertain an offer of more money from them as it was too little too late, no matter how much it was.
They then got worse, making claims about 'documents' which I had seen and agreed to etc. When asked to provide these documents they 'couldnt find them (but they do exist, honest). They were wanting 4-6 weeks work out of me. However, they knew full well I had them over a barrel and it was simply panic station. I never argued, never got arsey, simply stated the facts and retained my view that I was being fair and just. At one point my current company were making claims about knowing people at the new company, and that they would be talking to them to 'sort this out'. I warned the new company that this may happen and they agreed that if this had occured - effectively going behind my back - they would let me know that they had been contacted. At which point I would have got up and left.
I actually ended up working 2.5 weeks notice all in - and during this time I have been the subject of all the 'judas' and 'traitor' jokes, and the rest. Jokes are fine, I'm a lighthearted guy - but you earn the right to make this kind of jokes with someone first - Proffesionalism comes before that, and if you get on, THEN the jokes are fine.
The way they have handled me leaving, at times, has highlighted the EXACT reasons why I wanted to leave in the first place.
I will be walking out with my head held high, as I retain that I have acted fairly and proffesionally at all times, and they have nothing to pull me up on asi have done my utmost to pass work over and finish the job off as it were.
Edited by snotrag on Friday 19th November 10:36
Good on you for keeping it professional.
Many years ago my direct line manager joined after me and took a dislike to me and she made my life hell with bullying. I did not complain but did everything to remain professional. In the end I was asked to resign and leave immediately on a false charge (that I couldn't prove false) so I left, with a spring in my step.
Two years later (although still several years ago) she applied for a job within my new department. I was asked my opinion. I said "Up to you but the minute she steps foot in this building, I walk out". The Director decided to stick with who they knew. Am still with the Company and doing very well thank you. But she failed to get the job because of me. And it was sweet revenge.
I will never burn my bridges because of this.
I wish you well in your new Company and your head is held high because you did the right thing.
Many years ago my direct line manager joined after me and took a dislike to me and she made my life hell with bullying. I did not complain but did everything to remain professional. In the end I was asked to resign and leave immediately on a false charge (that I couldn't prove false) so I left, with a spring in my step.
Two years later (although still several years ago) she applied for a job within my new department. I was asked my opinion. I said "Up to you but the minute she steps foot in this building, I walk out". The Director decided to stick with who they knew. Am still with the Company and doing very well thank you. But she failed to get the job because of me. And it was sweet revenge.
I will never burn my bridges because of this.
I wish you well in your new Company and your head is held high because you did the right thing.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff