I got a new job and will be resigning next week, coincidentally the day after we receive our 2016 yearly bonus (yes I will make sure it has been deposited into my bank account before giving my notice).
What is the likelihood that when I resign at my current job next week that I will be asked to leave immediately? I am going to a competitor, but I don’t hold a management title, work in the sales department, or handle confidential finances. I know I technically don’t have to disclose where I am going, but my boss in the past pressures employees to disclose that information so the most I would say is that my new job is within the same “industry” and leave it at that without saying the name of the company I am going to.
Anyone else asked to leave immediately due to going to a competitor?
There is only one way to find out but being asked to leave immediately for those types of jobs is fairly rare in my experience. They generally want you to help provide training and continuity for the next person that will do your your job until you get it all sorted out. I wouldn’t tell them where you are going because there is no reason to but even that doesn’t usually matter.
The whole concept is dumb anyway. Unless you have direct access to cash or work in some IT positions, there probably isn’t much harm you couldn’t have already done if you wanted to.
I have been laid off and didn’t even have to leave right away (they even tried to hire me back into a different position the next day). I have only quit once and I didn’t have to leave right away then either. I spent those two weeks doing nothing but partying with my coworkers during long lunches (what are they going to do?).
My experience is completely different from Shagnasty. I’ve seen even amicable resignations end up with people being walked out immediately. Maybe management was afraid an employee would screw around or not do a good job, talk smack about the present company, walk out with company property – anything, small or large.
People in sales or upper management 99% of the time go to a competitor for a career move and are always asked to leave immediately due to conflict of interest and sales has client lists they could take to their new job.
I don’t know of anyone else though in the company who has gone to a direct competitor not in those departments. We have like 400 employees.
Yes, the last time I changed jobs I went to a competitor. I was asked to leave that day.
Don’t volunteer where you are going, but don’t lie either. Someone left my last company and did lie about where she was going. Last I heard the company was investigating legal action (I’m not sure what the grounds were, but they felt she was in violation of her contract somehow).
You do not have to, and in my opinion, should not, disclose who your new employer is. Unless you have a contract that specifically prohibits you from working for another employer in the same industry for a period of time, or a case can be made that you are taking proprietary information or trade secrets to your new employer there is essentially nothing your current employer can do to stop you but they can make your life uncomfortable (threats of lawsuits, claims against credit history or credibility, withholding COBRA coverage or interfering with transfer of retirement benefits, et cetera) or try to interfere with your new employment, which is illegal harassment but I have seen it happen and (probably) had it happen to me on one occasion.
Even if your company has had you sign an employment non-competition agreement restricting you from working for a competitor (which you should never sign unless it is part of a written employment contract which guarantees you adequate payment in the case of being fired or laid off to cover the duration of the agreement) you should consult with a lawyer experienced in employment tort law; many states expressly prohibit non-contract employment restrictions and efforts to interfere with your right to work where and for whom you choose may be considered harassment, libel, or fraud depending on the nature of the interference. You should, of course, not sign any kind of agreement of this nature when you resign your position without having them reviewed by a lawyer or otherwise be pressured into divulging information that your present employer does not need in order to close out your employment.
It is my experience that when being laid off or RIFed employees are often “shown the door” with their severance package in hand on the day of or day following notice, presumably to prevent both sabotage and disruptive emotional outbursts in the workplace. When giving notice it depends on the situation and company; I’ve been asked to stay on for sufficient time to train a replacement, and in one case, to actually help select a replacement; in another case I offered to stay on for two months to help with a transition (since I was the only person in that role) and was instead terminated on the spot (vindictive asshole director who wanted me gone and just didn’t have the balls to fire me directly so he made my working life miserable). In the case of a disruptive, threatening, or otherwise offensive employee, the employee is typically removed from premises immediately without a formal closeout and personal effects couriered to him or her within the week.
My advice, for what it is worth, is to state your intention to change employment, thank them for the opportunity to work at your current position, offer your services in transition for a time that you think is appropriate and consistent with your future plans, and provide courteous and accurate (but not negative, if possible) feedback in the exit interview. Do not volunteer your new employer, and if they ask politely defer by simply saying that it is offering you some opportunities to move in a new direction with your career or exercise some areas of expertise that you are currently not using in your current job.
Non-competes are illegal in the state where we worked, so that wasn’t the issue. I wish I knew more details. Just enough to tell you to be careful.
I did tell them where I was going. “Here’s my 2 weeks notice. I’m going to work for your competitor X.” I didn’t mind getting told to leave right away. I took the 2 weeks off.
In my industry (computer security), they will ask. It was either lie or be prepared to leave that day.
ETA: Stanger’s advice is good, if you feel you can follow it.
When I gave my notice I had already tidied up my personal effects and outstanding project notes half expecting to be shown the door as I had see done to others.
i was kept the 2weeks and helped pick and train my replacement. Generally the assholes were the only ones booted.
I once gave six months notice at a job, and they had me work those six months.
I once gave two weeks notice and was walked out an hour later.
Depends on the company and on your boss. I always make sure all my personal effects have been taken home already before I resign, just in case I get walked out, but that has sometimes meant I’m working in an empty office for two weeks.
I’ve resigned from jobs twice; in both cases, I wasn’t going to a competitor, and they asked me to stay for the two weeks, to transition my projects to other people.
However, I’ve certainly seen people get walked out immediately upon handing in their resignation, due to heading to a competitor. It’s undoubtedly a CYA move on the part of the company, because if the departing employee was going to engage in any shenanigans or swiping of confidential information, they would undoubtedly have implemented that before submitting their resignation.
I work in marketing and advertising, and I’ve rarely seen non-compete or non-disclosure contracts, though I do recall a senior chemist at my first job (a personal-care products company) who had come to us from Gillette, and often had to be very coy in what he said to us, so that he didn’t violate his own non-disclosure contract.
I was also laid off from an advertising job once (as part of a very large layoff, due to the agency losing its biggest client). My boss gave me the news, my computer was immediately locked out, security then gave me 2 minutes to collect anything valuable from my office (they had everything else shipped to my house a week later), and they marched me out the door. Pretty standard stuff for a layoff, because they don’t want any drama, or a disgruntled employee destroying things.
Pat performance is no guarantee of future returns, and all that, but it is generally the best barometer we have. How have resignations at your company been handled before? I would say the odds are that yours will be handled in the same manner.
If possible, without being noticed, begin removing any personal belonging in advance. Also, clean up any personal-ish files stored on your computer.
I left a job once, amicably, and was told to just go ahead and go home, that I would be paid for the two weeks. Instead of leaving that day, I offered them 2 days for transitioning, which is what we did. Besides, I wanted to get a chance to get going away lunches and dinners.
I’ve never gone to a competitor, but I’ve seen it happen a handful of times. The only time I know of that the person wasn’t walked out immediately, he was allowed to stay for 2 days to offload his responsibilities to someone else. And he was never allowed to be alone in the building during that time.
A couple of times I had quit jobs giving two weeks notice and was told I didn’t need to come in. I wasn’t doing a lot of work anyway, but they paid me for the two weeks.
One time I was laid off from a big insurance company. Basically I was told my job would be eliminated in about a month.
I don’t think there has been any time where I was ever “shown the door”. Although I have seen it happen in finance where they have security escort the person out as a matter of policy. Presumably so they can’t execute any massive trades on their way out the door or something.
My husband has always given notice and we always prepare because we know there’s always a chance he will be asked to leave. These have been sales positions where he has access to clients. I guess it depends on the company, some have had him leave, others he has finished the 2 weeks.
It’s quite impossible to mknow the answer to the OP’s question without knowing the nature of the company.
Certainly in any respectable company, doing a professional’s job, there is an expectation of notice, and without some good reason to throw you out the door they’ll keep you around to help tidy up. I resigned last year and my employer was happy to have me around for the notice period (and offered to keep paying me for just a few more days, but I said nah.) My wife just resigned last week, giving four weeks’ notice as per her employment agreement, and they expect her to be there the full four weeks.
Right but the difference is, did you or your wife go to a competitor? I’ve had several jobs, but this is the first where I’m leaving to go to a competitor in my industry. Most employers will want you to work out a minimum 2 week notice, but if you’re next job is at a competitor company, that can be a whole different scenario on leaving.
