New job offer ... when do I submit my formal letter of resignation

gerard1970

I'm in a full time job but have been offered a job in a different company on beter money. This is my first time to move jobs while I'm currently in a job, so I'm a bit unsure about the process.

The "new" company called me to offer me the job and followed this up straight away with an email with the details of the new job. The email contained details about the new job (Position, salary, job location, working hours, salary etc). It also contained 2 forms that I needed to fill in and it also asked me to provide 2 referees - 1 of whom needs to be my current employer. It also asked me to provide a start date.

Once I got the email, I met with my manager and told her that I was offered the job and that I was resigning. I explained to her that I was happy with my current job, but the salary in the new job was a lot better than my current salary and that this was my reason for leaving. She was disappointed to hear that I was going to leave and said that she understood where I was coming from. She also said that she wouldn't prevent me from leaving. I then asked her if I could give her name as a referee and she was OK with this.

I also met with my HR manager and informed him about the offer and told him the same thing i.e. money was better in the new job. He too was surprised to hear that I was leaving, but understood. He explained that I need to give 4 weeks notice and that I also need to submit my resignation in writing. We had agreed that I'd finish on the last day of July, meaning that I could start with my new employer on August 1st.

I replied to the mail that I got from my new employer confirming that I acepted the offier. I also provided my current boss' name and the name of a boss from a previous employer - I checked with him first - as my referees. I also suggested a start date of August 1.

As I said earlier, this is my first time to move jobs, so I've never had to write a resignation letter before. I googled this, and on one Irish site that I visited - https://www.morganmckinley.ie/article/right-way-resign - , it said the following "Before resigning, wait until you have received your new job offer in writing or by email. Only ever resign once your official contract has been signed. Hand your notice in as soon as you can once your new position is confirmed". I've received the job offer in email, but haven't yet received a contract. Do I need to wait until contracts have been signed until I submit my resignation in writing, or is the offer email sufficient?

I called and emailed the HR rep in my "new" company a couple of times last week, but haven't heard back from him. As a result, I haven't yet submitted my resignation in writing to my current employer and am reluctant to do so based on what I read on the Morgan McKinley site. Also, my end date may need to move out by a few days from the end of July to early August as I haven't yet submitted my resignation. The last thing I want to do is resign from my current job and then my "new" company rescind the offer.

Any advice on what to do would be appreciated!

Interested Observer

Have you signed your new contract? I wouldn't have said anything to your current company until you had done. Seems too late for that now but do not resign until you have signed a new contract under any circumstances.

Have you agreed a start date with the new company?

Stheno

Wait until you have a signed contract before you do anything more.

I waited four weeks for my contract after my last offer

gerard1970

Hi Interested Observer.

Apart from the job offer via email, I haven't received anything else.

In order for me to give 2 referees - 1 from my current job - I needed to inform my manager and ask her if I could give her name.

Based on my discussion with my curretn HR department, they suggested an end date of July 31, so I suggested a start date of August 1 with my new company. I submitted the names of 2 referees and a start date of August 1 to my "new" HR rep, but have had problems contacting him since.

Have I messed up??:(

gerard1970

Hi Mr. S. As the "new" employer are looking for a referee from my current company, how else could I have had asked my manager if I could give her as a referee without first informing her?

Stheno

gerard1970 wrote: »

Hi Interested Observer.

Apart from the job offer via email, I haven't received anything else.

In order for me to give 2 referees - 1 from my current job - I needed to inform my manager and ask her if I could give her name.

Based on my discussion with my curretn HR department, they suggested an end date of July 31, so I suggested a start date of August 1 with my new company. I submitted the names of 2 referees and a start date of August 1 to my "new" HR rep, but have had problems contacting him since.

Have I messed up??:(

You've made a mistake in not waiting for a contract. All you have is an offer nothing legal

gerard1970

Hi Stheno, did you tell your boss and HR that you were resigning though and not submit the letter until you received the contract?

Stheno

gerard1970 wrote: »

Hi Mr. S. As the "new" employer are looking for a referee from my current company, how else could I have had asked my manager if I could give her as a referee without first informing her?

Use someone else you trust or insist on the contract first subject to referees

KaneToad

Mr.S wrote: »

Never formerly quit or tell your boss you're moving roles until you have signed a new contract, as they can retract the offer at any time.

Wait until your new contracts are signed, and then hand in your notice with a proposed leaving date. As long you hold up your notice period as a minimum, there are no issues.

But he has already told current employer. That horse has bolted.

OP, in the unlikely event that the new job falls through, you'll need to manage your non-exit from the current job. Something along the lines of " I thought some more about it and, despite the money being better in Y, I've decided to stay here in X as I think my long term career path is better here. I like the way you do business and blah blah blah"

Edit: Just saw OP reply below...contract already signed! You're golden.

Stheno

gerard1970 wrote: »

Hi Stheno, did you tell your boss and HR that you were resigning though and not submit the letter until you received the contract?

Told no one until I received signed and sent back the contract and confirmed they had it

gerard1970

KaneToad wrote: »

But he has already told current employer. That horse has bolted.

OP, in the unlikely event that the new job falls through, you'll need to manage your non-exit from the current job. Something along the lines of " I thought some more about it and, despite the money being better in Y, I've decided to stay here in X as I think my long term career path is better here. I like the way you do business and blah blah blah"

Edit: Just saw OP reply below...contract already signed! You're golden.

Hi KaneToad ... No contract received or signed :eek:

gerard1970

Mr.S wrote: »

Have they contacted your references yet?

These things tend to run a bit slowly sometimes, what do they say when you ring up?

I'm not sure if the referees have been contacted Mr. S. When I submitted the information last week, I got an automated response. I then got a reply to say that the guy I was dealing with was out on the Thursday. I called him on Friday (his direct dial number was on his mail) and I left him a message.

My manager is actually on holidays now - I mentioned this in the email when I sent it. I'll check with the second referee to see if he was contacted.

Strumms

if your present company are decent they will take the news on the chin, thank you for your service with them and write a reference.

If they ask why you are leaving just tell them with your experience and qualities it’s time for you to move on to a new challenge and to earn some more cash to enable your life goals. Thank them and onwards and upwards.

gerard1970

Strumms wrote: »

if your present company are decent they will take the news on the chin, thank you for your service with them and write a reference.

If they ask why you are leaving just tell them with your experience and qualities it’s time for you to move on to a new challenge and to earn some more cash to enable your life goals. Thank them and onwards and upwards.

Thanks Strumms. Both my manager and the HR manager said that they were sad to see me go. Both understood that the move was for financial reasons and both said that they wouldn't stop me from leving.

gerard1970

Mr.S wrote: »

It's still very early days, if you haven't heard back from the new employer by next week then start chasing them. Try not to worry!

For now, don't submit your resignation.

Thanks Mr.S. Am sick with worry now that I've messed up.

mvl

OP, hope it turns out OK for you: best of luck !


- This situation reminded me of what happened to one of my friends: years ago she got a job offer to one of the big IT places here.

She then told her line manager about it, in an informal manner - and the manager was of course regretting to loose her, but understanding of the personal reason to move (reason was to to move to be living with her husband).

But the future company changed their mind before receiving the signed contract from my friend - and contacted her with the bad news (she later found out that they had to lay ppl off). So she kept her old job, and her manager was supportive of her.
It is a bit worrying that big companies can sometimes hire new roles so close to having to let own ppl go ...

Strumms

For this reason always best to give minimum notice. If they require 4 weeks but 6 out you KNOW you are leaving still give 4 weeks as required. You owe them only that.

gerard1970

Strumms wrote: »

For this reason always best to give minimum notice. If they require 4 weeks but 6 out you KNOW you are leaving still give 4 weeks as required. You owe them only that.

But my "problem" though Strumms is that I don't yet have a signed contract so I don't want to resign until I have another job to go to.

Squidgy Black

gerard1970 wrote: »

But my "problem" though Strumms is that I don't yet have a signed contract so I don't want to resign until I have another job to go to.

Don't then.

You've given verbal notice to your current employer, but it's not set in stone. Similar to your job offer, you have a provisional offer but not a contract, it's not 100% confirmed.

If I was in your shoes, I would send an email this week to the new employer, explain that you're waiting on your contract to hand your notice in to your existing employer, and that your notice period will start from that date, and your start date for the new job may be pushed out as a result.

Sometimes recruiters/hr can be very slow on getting contracts out. I wouldn't panic yet.

LizzeyBenett

I wouldnt have said anything till i signed a contract they could pull that job offer is they wanted to you and you would be without a job