Is this a bad way to leave?

LegacyUser

Hey all,

I posted here before. Let me recap. Basically I am a temp working for a company which a recruitment agency got for me.

Im leaving very soon. They do not know this.

Basically, I am thinking is it ok for me to send my notice of resignation to the recruitment agency and then leave the company saying something like "sorry about the short notice but I have been offered a place in college and am no longer able to work" and then sending a letter into the company say a week later saying thanks for employing me bla bla bla. May I have a reference please?

My reason for this is simple: They are training me up in different areas and think I am not leaving the company any time soon. Everyone sticks to themselves and does not talk socially with one another and I find it way too hard to go up and say "eh im leaving next week". I find the people I should tell pretty unapproachable and do not feel comfortable telling them.

So is this a bad thing to do? Remember, I am a temp. I could just walk out tomorrow and never show up but then I don't get a reference.

SantaHoe

Mih... I wouldn't go that route right away, it'd make a good last resort, but I think ideally you could talk to your manager and explain your position.
He/She might be decent enough to let you go with an 'honorable discharge' right away, or arrange a short notice period, maybe until the end of the week or whatever.
IMO what you have planned seems snotty and ungrateful (from what I imagine a managers point of view to be).

It sounds like a decent enough place if they're training you up on things though, ironically it might be exactly the kind of job you'll be looking for when you finish college, experience seems to be everything now days (assuming of course that your work and study are in the same field - ignore if not... obviously ).

I don't know what the problem is with approaching your manager(s) though, they're only people... they all have to go home and sit on the bog like the rest of us.
And either way - you're leaving, so what's the worst they can do?
Just keep it professional and it'll go fine.

RicardoSmith

Just go up to your manager in the place and tell them your leaving. Thats only good manners. You have to work your notice period, you know that yeah? Most places these days don't give a written reference and if they do its just generic. A lot of places ask you for referee that they can call can get some info on you. So leaving with out saying anything is just not worth it. We'd all love to do it though.

Gillo

Tell your manager you are leaving, most manager understand that no staff are going to work for them for life. Also if you are looking for a reference then you want to be nice to them to ensure you get a good one.

colincarnate

CheeseDude we had a chat about this before - D'mind about leaving, one weeks notice and you're laughin'

Temps usually aren't allowed make eye contact with the perms. Temps come in to do the ****ty work which is usually the end of the 'quarters' whatever the hell they are.

Temps sometimes feel compelled to stick to their contract thinking that they are playing for a premiership team - the contracts ensure that they can sack you on-the-spot, nothing else.

Insofar as getting a reference, d'mind getting a reference, a temp reference check i'd imagine goes as follows:
Checker HR dude: 'Did CheeseDude work in HP yeah?'
Reference in HP: 'Who? ... Oh yeah'
and that's if they even go to the reference, usually the reference checker just checks with the recruitment agency you worked for and they have a lookup agreement, maybe even database sharing i dunno, but d'mind your conscience, hence the Pulp Fiction quote:

'On the night of the fight, you might feel a little sting, that's just pride fu*king with you - FU*K PRIDE' - go to bleedin' college man and romp with a load of young irish white girls...

leeroybrown

It's good practicer (and manners) to stick to the minimum notice term of your contract. If employees stiff employers unnecessary ultimately "what goes around ...".

Even if they take issue with your leaving, you're in no worse a position than you would have been if you just left.

ChipZilla

Umm, surely your contract is with the agency, not the company? You'd only be obliged to give notice to the agency...

Agencies couldn't care less anyway - they've got plenty more where you came from.

WhiteWashMan

depends on the contract.
if your contract is with the agency, then you are obliged to give notice to the agency so they can fill your place.
if your contract is with the company and you just get work throgh an agency, then give your notice to the company.
either way, i think its only mannerly to give your notice and position to both parties, otherwise you may find that the company refuses to give you a reference (other than you worked there) and the agency may not try very hard the next time you are looking to temp, because thye think you will walk out after a couple of weeks.

as for colincarnates advice. ignore it. stick by the terms of your contract and no one will fault you.

as leroy says, what goes around.....

LegacyUser

My contract is with the recruitment agency and it says on my terms and conditions to give three days notice in writing.

I honestly am not trying to be rude to the company, I just find it awkward to tell them. Guess I have to overcome it or else I will never be able to do it.

:dunno:

seamus

Well, unless you're leaving tomorrow or Wednesday, write up a letter now with your leaving date on it, make two copies, give one to the company and one to the recruitment agency. 3 days is very little notice, and they'll appreciate any extra you can give them.

colincarnate

pointless.......

Sposs

Remember its just as important how you leave a company as how you enter.

rabid

As Swiss Tony would say "Its like making love to a beautiful woman "" insert last post here "" .......

Give the notice dude....and hold your head high.....

:ninja:

Blitzkrieger

I usually like to give double the notice period - especially when it's so short. Two weeks might be more appropriate. The manager may be disappointed to lose you, but he'll respect that you're going to college and appreciate the courtesy of being given time to find a replacement. Screw the agency. I'd give them the written notice as a courtesy, but they don't care about you. They'll probably be glad you're leaving because they get to look like they're doing something by giving another of their clients a job and filling a vacancy. There's no reason to go burning any bridges but there's plenty more agency fish in the cesspool.

Giving too much notice can be bad too. When I was doing my work experience they knew roughly when I'd be leaving, I let them know exactly when as soon as I knew myself, and reminded them with a month (my contract stated a month's notice) to go. All they did was dither about. They ended up hiring someone who got two days trainging before I left. I was going to go in and help her out on my own time but that's another story...........

A guy I know gave three months notice of when he was leaving. Fair play he was involved in some complex projects and it'd be a major hassle if he walked out in the middle of one, but they ended up taking advantage of him. They knew he wouldn't walk out early because he wanted a good reference so they gave him every **** job in the place. They were a right bunch of knuts all the time tbh.

RicardoSmith

Blitzkrieger wrote:

... Screw the agency. ...

I would like to second that.

pebble

Blitzkrieger wrote:

A guy I know gave three months notice of when he was leaving. .

I had a three month notice period in my last job.

Our man in Havana

I have found that most companies won't hold you to the notice period. The current place i am at wants a month, which is totaly unreasonable for a call centre where the rate of turnover is huge. I think they are lucky to get a week from most people.

bennyc

For whats its worth dont trust any of them as they will try to hold you to your contract if they are going to have trouble replaceing you.

I got an offer from another company they wanted me to start one week later. Even tough I was under npo contract I still gave three weeks notice the company I was moving to were not much impresse by this but went with it.
I here then that the guy i replaed at the company had to wait two months to leave because he only told them one month in advance and hadent given written notice. He then had to give notice in writing and wait another month.
Its a pity i dident hear that untill I had started as it would have changed things.
As its not you who is under the contrat but the recruitment agency as they are most likley paying the wages you may have no obligation to tell the company but get things sorted with the recruitment ASAP. (They may well hold back on wages etc as it will be in the small print of the contract.

LegacyUser

bennyc wrote:

For whats its worth dont trust any of them as they will try to hold you to your contract if they are going to have trouble replaceing you.

I got an offer from another company they wanted me to start one week later. Even tough I was under npo contract I still gave three weeks notice the company I was moving to were not much impresse by this but went with it.
I here then that the guy i replaed at the company had to wait two months to leave because he only told them one month in advance and hadent given written notice. He then had to give notice in writing and wait another month.
Its a pity i dident hear that untill I had started as it would have changed things.
As its not you who is under the contrat but the recruitment agency as they are most likley paying the wages you may have no obligation to tell the company but get things sorted with the recruitment ASAP. (They may well hold back on wages etc as it will be in the small print of the contract.

Cool. I think you are right. I will contact agency by friday. Cheers for all the posts guys. Of course, I will reply back with all additional info in case it may help someone else or something..

LegacyUser

Hey guys,

In work as we speak...

Just been told that come 1'st September they are laying off people and I am one of those people. There goes me havign to break a sweat sorting out who to give the notice too etc. Suits me to a t.

Our man in Havana

cheesedude wrote:

Hey guys,

In work as we speak...

Just been told that come 1'st September they are laying off people and I am one of those people. There goes me havign to break a sweat sorting out who to give the notice too etc. Suits me to a t.

Glad it all worked out for you:)

LegacyUser

The only thing that could possibly bother me for pride reasons is the fact the new guy who came two weeks after I did also as a temp from a diff agency but who happened to sign a contract unlike me was not told to leave even though I was thought more things than him. Oh well...guess I should listen to the guy who told me and not take it personally...hmm i wonder. Pride; What a bitch.