This is my first time ever moving from one job to another, so I am considered ‘green’ in this area and would appreciate advice.
So my current work-place has a one-month in advance notification. Suppose that I wish to land a new job while employed, it means that I would need to inform my new employer that ‘hey, you need to give me one month before I can start work’. Is that a big deal when it comes to short-listing people?
On the other hand, I can always tender the resignation and then go job-hunting, but that is a bit risky. If I’ve decided to do so, when is the good time? I mean, I was considering to go job-hunting in December, but considering it is the holidays period, it may be a dumb time to do so. Are there any difference doing it before the starting or ending of a financial year (that’s April for Singapore here).
In professional jobs, I think it’s widely understood that you need to give notice to your current employer, so saying “I can’t start for a month” shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
It’s also possible that when you give your notice, your current employer will only ask for a shorter “notice” period, too.
Actually, some employers I’ve talked to prefer hiring people who already have jobs. They see it as evidence that a person has usable skills and the ability to keep and hold a job. If you give a start date five weeks ahead (I’d add an extra week or more to allow time for the potential new employer to make a decision) and explain why, it shows them that you’re willing to treat an employer you’re willing to leave ethically and responsibly, so it should bode well for the way you’ll treat them.
The longer the time interval, the more likely it is the new job will disappear before you begin. And your old employer will never treat you the same if you give notice and then try to rescind it. Heck, they may not even let you rescind it.
So be careful to ensure the new job offer is as close to guaranteed as it can get. At least in the US, a month is an eternity in the hiring process for ordinary workers.
Well the exception would be if OP wants to stay on good terms with his current boss, and wants to use him/her as a business contact or professional reference in the future. In that case it’s probably worth it to at least ask if the new company is okay with a start date 4 weeks out. And it depends on the type of work, we had a thread recently where it turned out that the poster was teaching a college class and quitting midterm was less understandable.
But definitely don’t quit until you have the job, and don’t bring up start dates in the interview unless they ask, if they do ask say something like “I’m sure we can work something out.” And I’m assuming the OP is in the US, etiquette in other countries may be different.
I’m in the UK, so things will be different, but I have always been in jobs that contractually require a four week notice period. This has always been big organisations and has never been waived for me. It has never been a problem with any new employer. If you sign a contract, you have to keep it. The new place will expect you to do the same. If you are the best candidate, they will wait.
I am a contract staff (one year), and I would like to leave with best of terms with my previous employer. Though I probably would start another thread asking for advice on how to survive the last 4 weeks. Even though I still have vacation days, I feel bad leaving unfinished work behind.
The strange (cool?) thing is I can submit my resignation through an automatic online system, but I have guess I have to think off something more specific than ‘I am unhappy about my work’ (which is the crux) if there is an exit interview.
Hopefully they have an option for “found different opportunity” and you can stress that in your exit interview. Even if they pretend they want the truth, don’t burn any bridges.
And for the last four weeks, go to work (you will get paid for unused vacation, right?) and if you need to, ask for priority ranking on the things you need to finish. They will understand you only have so much time.
As a exempt salaried type of guy in the U.S., I have typically given one-month-in-advance start dates to companies I was applying to with no problems whatsoever.
Have a written job offer in hand before you give notice at your current job. When potential employers ask when you can start, tell them “I’d like to give four weeks’ notice where I am if at all possible.”
If you get a grand opportunity which will need to start before then, talk it over with your current job - only after you have the new offer in writing. Rememebr, Mr. Lincoln freed the slaves. You are not required to work for anyone if you no longer want to.
In the mean time, pull down any info you might need from your hard drive, unobstrusively remove what personal effects from your desk that you can without it being obvious; prepare for departure. If you current company prceives that you are looking, you may be surprised at how little notice they’ll give to you.
Also, do whatever you can to now to make the transition easy later. Take copious notes on what you are doing. Make lists of points of contact they will need - whatever will make it easy fro someone else to pick up where you left off.
ETS: Ninja’d several times. I guess the Gettysburg address has little relevance in Singapore, huh?