You ever resign from a job with short notice?

F

Foilist

Joined
Dec 20, 2004
Messages
3,863
I work at a small private school. It is a pleasant place to work, but the pay is quite poor and it is an hour and twenty minute drive one way. That is almost three hours daily in the car and $500 a month in gas. I have been there four years, and I have reached my threshold for sustaining the strain on my time, stamina, and finances.

A new job just popped up closer to home with half the commute and 30% more pay in a good public school. They are pretty eager to talk to me. I live in the sticks and teach a weird subject, so this doesn't happen often. I feel like I really need to jump at this, but school starts soon and I would not be leaving much notice; I am feeling conflicted because I know leaving in short notice is not terribly professional.

Your thoughts?
 
You ain't taken it yet?

Let me put this way. After a career in the machine trade, I saw so many layoffs that gave zero notice. I saw people let go because of downsizing that got no notice. If they were going to fire you, how much notice do you think you'd get?

I'd take the higher paying job closer to home and and not look back. And do it fast, before someone changes their mind.

Carl.
 
I'd say go for it... Proffesional courtesy is always a good thing but its just that... a courtesy, not a rule.. I was in a position similar to you a couple years back. My employer gave me no room for advancement after 7 years of dedicated hard working service so, when a better opportunity came up, I took it without a question and called in the next day and quit with no notice. You have to look out for yourself sometimes. At the end of the day your crappy job doesnt care about you, and they certainly arent worried about you or your family. I hear a lot of talk from people about not "burning bridges".. but whats the point in having lots of bridges that arent worth crossing again? good luck!
1badcj_7
 
I worked as a electricain. I gave a week notice once. they fired me the next day when I showed up for work. screw giving any notice at all. get the job then quit the next day.
 
Yeah this. Look out for number one. No one else will.

jackknife said:
You ain't taken it yet?

Let me put this way. After a career in the machine trade, I saw so many layoffs that gave zero notice. I saw people let go because of downsizing that got no notice. If they were going to fire you, how much notice do you think you'd get?

I'd take the higher paying job closer to home and and not look back. And do it fast, before someone changes their mind.

Carl.
Click to expand...
 
As a professional you need to act like one. There is no reason to just walk out. Accept the other position then give your present employer what ever notice there is. 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 days, whatever but keep it civil and be gracious. Never burn bridges in you employment. You never know when you may have to work with them again. The advise to just walk out is not professional.
 
I would give them as much notice as you can, because as was said earlier anything else is unprofessional but DEFINITELY take the other job if it is better notice or not. I recognize that you feel some feelings of guilt (to your credit) for leaving the other school in the lurch but at the end of the day this is a business decision not a personal one.

The school would fire you without hesitation if it were in their best interest to do so, don't think for a second they wouldn't. You have to make the best business decision you can for you and your family.
 
I hear ya foil. I commuted from Groton to Southington for nearly a year a while back. Not fun. Get the new job offer in writing first! Then, give a polite and professional 2 week notice and offer to aid them during the transition. Good luck.
 
Error 404 said:
I hear ya foil. I commuted from Groton to Southington for nearly a year a while back. Not fun. Get the new job offer in writing first! Then, give a polite and professional 2 week notice and offer to aid them during the transition. Good luck.
Click to expand...

Yes , do this. I only neglected to do this once; I had just purchased a business and needed to immediately report to the new job in order to keep things running. Even then, I gave them as much notice as I could and committed to support them with the transition. Even if you care nothing about the company that you are leaving or the industry, people will remember your behavior and you never know when you may cross paths again. Take care of number one, but do not undermine the goodwill that you have invested in.

n2s
 
Two things here. Definitely take the new job and definitely give your current employer as much notice as you can. Like already mentioned; you never burn bridges.
 
Thanks, all, for confirming my thought process on this. I will, of course, give as much notice as possible even though it is not likely to be much, and I intend to make myself available to advise my successor, as well as suggest a good place to post the position on a site specifically for my field.

I have not gotten an offer yet, or I would have taken it immediately. The new place called me on Moday and said they were scrambling to get their interview team together and apologized for the delay, acknowledging the nearness of the school starting date and my need to quit before then. I feel pretty confident about getting an offer (I suspect that I'm the only qualified applicant). I would have loved to give two weeks notice or better, but it can't happen now. My household, like most others, has been getting squeezed tighter and tighter in the past couple of years and I need to do this.

At my current job there is a long history of people being treated very poorly when they have given notice even months in advance. In fact some have even been preemptively dismissed when it has gotten out that they were even looking or interviewing elsewhere. I am not a confrontational person and this conversation is going to be very unpleasant...
 
Last edited:
Foilist said:
At my current job there is a long history of people being treated very poorly when they have given notice even months in advance. In fact some have even been preemptively dismissed when it has gotten out that they were even looking or interviewing elsewhere. I am not a confrontational person and this conversation is going to be very unpleasant...
Click to expand...

I think you answered your own question and it doesn't have to be confrontational.
Also the savings in gas and depreciation on your car brings the salary increase higher.
Good Luck!
 
Also my contract, which has a whole paragraph describing the reasons why they can fire someone, says NOTHING about resignation procedures. That's peculiar given their sensitivity about employees leaving and the fairly high turnover there.
 
If they don't state a specific preoceedure in their written contract, that pretty well gives them a free hand to act on such situations, does it not?
 
I am sure they will manage. Your first responsibility is for yourself and your family.
 
Codger_64 said:
If they don't state a specific preoceedure in their written contract, that pretty well gives them a free hand to act on such situations, does it not?
Click to expand...



I take it to mean that it gives ME a free hand to resign as a see fit.
 
Shortest notice I ever gave was a phone call on a Friday night. I told the owner of the bus I was driving where it was parked and that the keys were on the battery. It was a long weekend though so he had three days to recruit a new victim to drive his crappy rig. He didn't believe in preventive maintenance, just drive until something breaks. Had he been a decent employer I would have given more notice.
 
I also say DO IT!
So many companies are out for themselves. Therefore the employees only have themselves to look out for.
There is no corporate loyalty because there is no employee loyalty. This is not your father's recession.

Although it isn't a Pirate Ship where the only rule is"Every man for Himself". It isn't far from it.

I have been laid off 3x with zero notice. And I have been unemployed longer over the past 2 years than I have been employed.

If you find something better jump on it.
 
Codger_64 said:
If they don't state a specific preoceedure in their written contract, that pretty well gives them a free hand to act on such situations, does it not?
Click to expand...

It's not about THEM, it's about YOUR personal and professional integrity.

Always give notice courteously and professionally. If the OP's description about his employer's response is correct, then they may ask the OP to vacate before 2-weeks anyway.
 
It seems that giving two weeks notice is looking out for yourself, sounds like you work in a smaller field and you probably know the others who do it in your area. They know you also and will hear how you handle this, and they will remember.

I guess I could have said "what Panzertroop and CWL said".
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top