Advice re resignation

LegacyUser

Hi,
just looking for some advice.

I have been offered a new job and have accepted, but have not received the contract yet. I am wondering how the process works and at what point am I 'safe' to hand in my notice in my current position. Is it when I receive the contract in an email, or do I have to receive it by post and sign it and send it back, before everything is certain?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Eoin

When you've received the contract signed by them, that's when you're normally good to go.

LegacyUser

Eoin wrote: »

When you've received the contract signed by them, that's when you're normally good to go.

Thanks Eoin - silly question maybe but does it need to be a hard copy or can it be an attachment to an email?

Eoin

An email attachment won't be signed, unless they happened to sign a print out, scan it and email it to you. And I don't know if that would count as having a proper signed copy in your hands.

Realistically - you're only as safe as whatever notice period is specified, which might be a week during probation. So that's really all a signed contract means over an unsigned one.

LegacyUser

Eoin wrote: »

An email attachment won't be signed, unless they happened to sign a print out, scan it and email it to you. And I don't know if that would count as having a proper signed copy in your hands.

Realistically - you're only as safe as whatever notice period is specified, which might be a week during probation. So that's really all a signed contract means over an unsigned one.

Thanks - makes sense. I think they may be sending a scanned copy but I'll wait for the hardcopy.
It's more about when am I safe to hand in my notice at my current position, than how safe I am at the new company.

Eoin

user33333 wrote: »

It's more about when am I safe to hand in my notice at my current position, than how safe I am at the new company.

Are they not sort of one and the same thing?

A scanned copy is a pretty good indication that it's all been finalised and that T&Cs have been agreed.

Have they done the reference check and agreed the start date with you?

LegacyUser

Eoin wrote: »

Are they not sort of one and the same thing?

A scanned copy is a pretty good indication that it's all been finalised and that T&Cs have been agreed.

Have they done the reference check and agreed the start date with you?

Ref check done, start date will depend on when I hand in my notice, which depends on when they give me the contract (I won't do it until I have handed in)

Eoin

Well, it's in their interests to get you the signed contract so you can put your notice in.

Personally, I'd probably just go ahead if I had the scanned copy with a signature. Not ideal, but in reality, I don't think there's really a huge amount of difference.

murphym7

When I make an offer, I expect the candidate to hand in their notice on receipt of a softcopy of the contract by email. I will pop a signed one in the post shortly after that. The start date on the contract reflects this also.

Katgurl

I would accept the scanned copy and hand in my notice. If you wanna wait for the hard copy make sure your new employer is aware of that, it sometimes takes a bit of time and you don't wanna give them nasty shock when they realise they have to wait yet another four weeks to have their position filled.