Why is it that when I do the right thing, I have to screw myself over?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

So, I’m a temp. I just started the position yesterday. I told those in charge that I am looking for permanent employment, but I would not leave without giving a week’s notice. This job is definitely temporary, not temp to hire, lasting three to six months depending.

Long story short, I get a call tonight. Another temp agency says they have a temp to hire position, at more money, plus it’s in downtown Chicago, not out in the 'burbs, so I’d save on gasoline by swapping the car drive for public transportation. But here’s the thing. No interview. They’ll present my resume to the client, and if the client likes what they see, the job starts the day after tomorrow. No ifs, ands, or buts. Take it or leave it. Think about it, and we’ll call you at your job tomorrow for your answer.

I need the money. This job I’m on is significantly lower paying than what this potential one is, and I’m getting desperate. My rent has been hiked three hundred a month, and now I have to move. I got nothing for movers.

But I think about this hard, and I send an email to the other temp agency saying present me to the client, but without a week’s notice, I must decline the position.
Please don’t call me at my job.

I promised a week’s notice to the people who gave me this job, and I will not go back on it. They are backed way up with invoices that need processing, and if I run out, they will fall even further behind, scrambling around to replace me. Going back on my word would be a truly crappy thing to do to them.

This always happens. I suck at doing really crappy things to people. So I just do crappy things to myself. I’m supposed to feel all virtuous when stuff like this happens. But I don’t. I just think that anyone else would’ve jumped ship in a minute, and to hell with any promises. But I can’t. And I’m jealous of those who can. :frowning:

2

Because you have integrity. Which is its own reward. Or so I tell myself.

3

Is it possible to work nights/weekends at the current job?
It would be awful for that week, but if it’s something you have to do…well, it’s just one week.

4

Maybe I just don’t know how these things work, but a company that won’t accept giving notice to your current employer sounds iffy to me.

5

Most temp agencies here ask that you give one or two days’ notice.

6

Oh, this is your dilemma? I thought your boss was asking you to lie to customers or something. If the better position is offered to you, take it. You’ve been there for a single day, and I know you said you’d give them a week’s notice, but they know you’re looking for full time work, and if an offer arises that doesn’t warrant the amount of notice you wanted, that’s just going to have to be one of those things.

7

Do you know who this “take it or leave it -screw your current employer” is?

If so, scramble and dig up the dirt on them - why the onerous terms?

I did contract work for 20 years - if you are doing contract work as a full-time permanent livelihood, you will kill your rep in the consulting business by doing a no-notice.

If you are taking temp work only because that’s is all that is available, you might get away with it once or twice.

This new, exciting job has flags all over it - why are they is such a hurry to get a warm body? What happened to the last person who took that job? Why isn’t it a straight hire? If I was desperate for a warm body and knew the “contract to hire” was a magic phrase, I might just tag it on, even though I knew they person would be gone as soon as the in basket was empty.

Does this head-hunter represent you or the client? How long have you worked with this headhunter? Would they lie about the “to hire” just to get the placement fee?

Just as I once promised I’d at least consider turning full-time for a contract-to-hire, in reality everybody in the room knew that, in my case, that “6 months C-T-H” would be “6 months and out”.
That place had a very bad reputation, and they deserved it - they couldn’t GET a competent person to take a permanent job, so they called them C-T-H to get contract-grade workers.

If you do get an offer, at least offer your current employer your evenings and weekends until you either get through the stack or they find a replacement or for 2 weeks (twice your full-time notice due). And offer a reduced rate. They are the wronged party - it is up to you to mitigate the damage.

Again - this new job, the headhunter, all stink - unless I trusted them a whole bunch and I really needed the money, I’d steer away.
I don’t know how it works where you are, but I would never let anyone present my resume without knowing to whom they were presenting it. That is rule 1 - if 2 headhunters submit the same person for the same job, I, as the hiring manager, take both resumes, clip them together, and toss them in the trash. I don’t want to be in the middle of a fight over who is owed the finder’s fee.
As the candidate, I want make sure my resume is not one of the ones clipped together in the trash.
If your headhunter will not tell you the client, I do hope you are not doing contract as a career patn.

8

If it’s all cagey and the actual employer remains shrouded in mystery, I’d want more information before leaving a bird in the hand, but it’s not entirely unreasonable that they’d need to fill a chair, like, yesterday. This happened to me once. I was working with a recruiter who told me who the client/employer was, explained that after an exhaustive search for someone, the person they hired was an absolute disaster. After wasting too much time trying to shape him up they had to cut him and were thus scrambling to make up for almost a month’s lost time. I had an interview, albeit very brief and over the phone, but I started the day after I spoke with the employer on the phone. Can happen if they’re in a super hurry.

9

That sounds reasonable, MOL, but the temp-to-hire job in the OP sounds like there’s no explanation and I’m not sure it sounds so reasonable. If there’s a possibility for permanence, the temp should be able to interview the employer, too, even if it’s just over the phone. But, if the OP really wants it, seeing if the current one will allow nights and the weekend for the one week wouldn’t be such a bad option. Yes, hard, but also double paycheck and just one week.

10

Why? Did they demand this as a condition of employment or something?

I also don’t see why leaving is a “crappy” thing to do to them. If it’s so important to get their invoices processed, they can pay more money to the person doing it, so that person doesn’t jump ship to a higher paying job after a day and a half. The invoices are ultimately their responsibility, not yours.

11

hmm - you’re a temp assignment from a temp agency - you have a (potentially) more lucrative offer from a different employer.

I don’t see a conflict here - nor a requirement for a 1 week notice.

12

I agree with everyone who says you should have taken the better position. I’ve been in too many jobs where the employee is expected to have “integrity” and “loyalty” but the company itself has no problems letting you go with no notice if it makes business sense.

Put it this way: if your current three-to-six-month temp job had to let you go, for any reason (money problems/project was cancelled/etc), you’d be out the door with no notice, regardless of how many months work they promised you.

I’m not saying there’s no reason to be loyal to a company, but loyalty is built, over time, through mutual trust and respect. It’s not something you should feel bad about not feeling immediately upon taking a job. Nor should you feel responsible to stay with them when presented with an offer that is, in the long run, much better for you.

13

I’d be wary just of this. Why no interview? You won’t have a chance to inquire of them? What is wrong with this job?

Two Many Cats is not being offered full-time work. That’s a theoretical future possibility.

14

Yes, this. And again, temp agencies here ask for only one or two days’ notice.

You’ve only been there a day; you are easily replaceable.

15

Well, all of this scolding is not making him feel any better, I’m sure. OP, you do need to look out for number one, because no one else will do so. That does not mean “screw everyone else in your way” but sometimes you do have to hurt other people a little. The company will find another temp. Actually you could have called your temp company and even asked them.

The thing is, neither the company nor the temp company are going to help you pay your rent or the movers. I’m sorry you’re having financial difficulties. :frowning: I wish the best for you.

16

Take the job. You need to look out for yourself here not that other company. Think they would extend you the same courtesy? Hell, maybe even tell the boss at your current temp job the situation. If he or she is decent, they will probably encourage you to take the other gig.

17

Not exactly full time, but temp-to-hire > temp any day in my book.

This is the only thing that gets my feelers up, but assuming all of her questions are answered, she’d told who the company is, what their deal is, and the story appears to check out, I wouldn’t think anything of it. It’s not unheard of, especially in the land of temps where people jump ship the moment they’re given a real offer, that an employer can need someone yesterday.

18

Can’t you just ask your current employer if it is OK to forego the week’s notice? I can’t imagine they would make a fuss, and you will have fulfilled your obligation to them.

Regards,
Shodan

19

What would your current employer do if you were sick for three days? I’m kinda sceptical that the company would collapse.

Offer to come in on a weekend or a few nights to finish up with your old employer, but I think your being foolish turning down a much better job over a quibble regarding whether you leave in two days or five.

20

What are you really mad about: that you made the promise in the first place, or that, having made it, you’re keeping your word?

If it’s the former, I’d advise you to let this be a learning experience, and in the future be more reluctant to promise things you don’t have to.

If it’s the latter, I, for one, admire you for sticking to your word, and I hope (though I can’t guarantee) that it will turn out ultimately to your advantage, as people learn from experience that they can rely on you to follow through on what you’ve told them you’ll do.