5 Rules for When to Tell Your Employer You are Quitting?
If you are considering a career change that involves leaving your current employment, there will come a time when you must tell your employer. That conversation is no less important than any other step in changing your career. Choosing the right time to announce your resignation requires some planning and understanding.
Rule One: If you have a contract that defines how much notice is required, honor that contract. Violating your contract can put more than just your honor at risk. There can be legal and financial consequences of giving less notice than is required by your employment contract. All of the remaining rules assume that you are first abiding by any contractual agreements.
Rule Two: Don’t give notice of leaving your job until you have firm confirmation of what you will be doing next. If you are going to another job, wait until you’ve accepted a written offer. If you are starting your own business or retiring, don’t turn in your resignation until you have begun a clear plan and are ready to act.
Rule Three: Except in certain circumstances, don’t give more than one month’s notice. The problem with resigning too early is that both you and your employer can easily grow anxious about your departure. This anxiety will often interfere with your work and do damage to your relationship. If you believe your employer needs more advanced notice, carefully consider the possible consequences. I have personally made the mistake of giving notice to early only to have my supervisor respond by showing dissatisfaction in my work for the first time. And even thought I thought my employer would use the time to search for my replacement, they did not begin looking until my final week on the job.
Rule Four: Tell your employer before you tell co-workers and other business associates. You don’t want your employer to hear from someone else that you are leaving. Telling others first will put your reputation and relationship at risk. You don’t want to burn bridges with your current employer. Who knows, they may someday be your customer.
Rule Five: Except in extreme circumstances, never give less than two weeks notice. Even if problems at work make you want to leave on the spot, think first about what is best for you. Working just two more weeks shows your commitment to doing thing right. Give your notice, put in a few more days of excellent work, then move on to the next exciting stage in your career. By the way, the two weeks should not include using paid leave unless your employer recommends it and you agree.
When it’s time to move on, give careful thought to how you will make your resignation. Choose a time that is fair to your employer and allows for a friendly departure. Regardless of your plans for today, you never know how important that relationship may be in the future.
[PhotoCredit:CoreForce]
17 Responses to “5 Rules for When to Tell Your Employer You are Quitting?”
By Ron@TheWisdomJournal on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
I agree wholeheartedly with your suggestions. How would you handle it if your employer didn’t want you to finish your two week notice? Should you insist?
By Coryan on Feb 26, 2008 | Reply
Hi Ron, great question. Before even discussing the matter with my employer, I would first be sure I’d given my written resignation indicating that I was intending to work up until my final day two weeks later. Then the specifics of the employer’s request become important.
If the employer wants me to leave earlier and use my accrued leave time, I would only agree to do so if this option worked best for me. If I needed the money AND payment for my accrued leave, I would politely decline and share my reason with my employer. Then, if s/he agreed to pay me for the two weeks in addition to all my accrued leave, I would take the offer.
I think you have to decide what is best for you and negotiate any other request your employer may have…whether it be an earlier or later departure.
By Ron@TheWisdomJournal on Feb 29, 2008 | Reply
Thanks - one thing I appreciate about my current employer is when we get asked these questions by people we’re interviewing, the CEO always says, “I want you to come to work as soon as possible. I will take you tomorrow, or two weeks from tomorrow. Either way, you will have a job.”
It really puts candidates at ease.
By Coryan on Feb 29, 2008 | Reply
Ron - Good point. I think any decent employer is willing to wait for someone to give notice at their current job. I always tell new hires that I want them to give two weeks notice before coming to work for me. I would worry about my decision if they didn’t give proper notice (unless there are exceptional circumstances).
By Mid-life Personal Achievement | Phil on Mar 14, 2008 | Reply
Nice article. Just found your blog and just this WEEK gave notice
Your article rings very true. Although, for the first time in my many years of working, and because of various conditions, I ended not staying the two weeks. The ending was amicable, but corporate policy says I would not be re-hireable by them….even though this is a company that has and will hire people they have previously fired! 
By Coryan on Mar 15, 2008 | Reply
Hi Phil - I’m glad you found us.
I understand that sometimes you just can’t give the two weeks notice. But I agree that it is strange that a company would not rehire someone who left on short notice, but would rehire someone they’ve fired.
By Kris on Apr 8, 2008 | Reply
Hi — I just gave notice to my job that I’ll be leaving at the end of July (trying to be nice and make sure they have plenty of time to find my replacement), but now they are saying they’d rather I leave at the beginning of June, which I simply cannot afford to do. Is it legal for them to make me leave earlier than I had planned? What options do I have? Please advise.
By Coryan on Apr 9, 2008 | Reply
Hi Kris. First, let me say that I’m no attorney, so this is just my opinion based on my years in business.
If you have given notice of leaving at the end of July, your employer is well within their rights to ASK you to leave sooner. But you don’t have to comply with their request. On the other hand, if they say you must leave or pressure you into leaving, then they are, in effect, terminating your employment. In that case, you should have the same rights as any other employee being terminated, regardless of your intent to leave after July.
If it were me, I would sit down with my employer and ask if my employment is being terminated. If the answer is no, then I would simply say that I will be leaving at the end of July as I had indicated. Then go back to work.
If you feel you are being terminated or pressured to leave, I suggest you speak with an attorney.
I’m really sorry to hear that this is happening. I hope that your employer does the right thing. This is an example of why I recommended Rule Three: Except in certain circumstances, don’t give more than one month’s notice. This lame duck period can be difficult for both employers and employees.
Good luck. I hope this is helpful.
By Norma P. on Apr 29, 2008 | Reply
After working for only three months with the present company, my husband has submitted his two week notice,after accepting another job. His present supervisor after reading the letter wants to meet with him and seems that he wants to convince my husband to stay. My husband does not want to work there anymore and has made a commitment to the new employer. Would it affect him in any way if he ewas to leave a week earlier and not honor the two week notice he submitted?
By Coryan on Apr 30, 2008 | Reply
Hi Norma,
If it were me, I would honor the two week notice. If the new employer really wants your husband, he should be willing to wait. Most employers understand the need for giving notice and would expect the same from their own employees.
Will leaving earlier affect him? That depends on the reference policies of his current employer. The current employer could give a bad reference in the future, but many would not. Again, I would honor the two weeks, not out of concern for the reference, but out of respect for the employer.
Finally, I am not surprised by the current employers attempt to keep your husband. Many employers do this when losing a good employee. However, it sounds like your husband already has a commitment to another employer. So, he really has two commitments to keep…stay two weeks, then move on.
By Trent on May 29, 2008 | Reply
By contract, either party must give 30 days notice to terminate for any reason at any time. Because I work overseas, I work nearly a full year to take my annual home leave which is already approved, and the ticket purchased.
I have now received my offer, and am ready to give notice.
The question is should I give the 30 days notice, and tell them I will take my leave, and return for another two weeks following leave to help them through the transition?
Basically, it would look something like this
May 30 - Resign
Jun 20 - Begin home leave
July 8 - Return from home leave
July 18 - last day
I would think this is fair, and the company OWES me the home leave, and with my new employer, I am not eligible for home leave for another year.
Thoughts?
By Coryan on May 29, 2008 | Reply
Trent, that’s a tough call. Since you have contractual obligations, of course, you follow those first. But you ask a good question about how to structure this.
Personally, I’m not nuts about the idea of giving notice, taking leave, and then returning to the job. But that may be best, if you think it will go well with your employer. Another option is to give notice after returning from leave, but that would mean 30 days more, instead of a couple weeks.
Good luck!
By Brian on Jul 28, 2008 | Reply
On Thursday I interviewed and accepted a job with a new company. This new company gave me the option to start work asap depending on my current employers decision on finishing my two weeks.
On Friday I put in my two weeks notice and sat down with my manager and he asked how soon could I leave. I mentioned to him (which I probably shouldn’t have) that the new company said I could start in less than two weeks. My manager then said “well then we’ll make tomorrow (Saturday) your last day.”
Turns out that after I met with my current manager I called the new boss and we decided on next Thursday to start.
My Question: Co-workers at the old company are telling me that I have to receive 2 weeks pay for the time they didn’t allow me to finish. I wish I knew this before I put in my two weeks. Is there any way this is legally possible? My exit interiew is tomorrow where I get my final check and I was going to ask about getting paid for the time they didn’t let me finish.
Thanks,
Brian
By Coryan on Jul 30, 2008 | Reply
Hey Brian, sorry I didn’t respond a little sooner. And actually, I’m not sure I would be of much help. Your question seems to need a legal response and I am just not the right guy for that. If you and your past employer came to an agreement about your departure day, you may have no recourse. But I suggest that if you want to pursue this, you should speak with an attorney or H.R. specialist competent in the labor laws in your state.
By Scott & Kim Tiehen on Aug 4, 2008 | Reply
I am in oiutside sales and have just found a great opportunity and have accepted the position at the new company. Today, I plan to give my 2 to 4 week notice, I know that is is not uncommon in sales that if you are “going to the competition” your previous employer cannot leave you on the payroll due to conflict…thus they let you go immediately. In this case I am going to a competitor and expect this to happen, no problem though, the new employer is ready for immediate hire if I need it. My question to you is my current employer will pressure me to tell them where I am going, is this legal or can I just say “a competitor” instead of disclosing the name of the company? they will eventually find out but just do not want to give them information they do not need.
By Peppermint on Aug 8, 2008 | Reply
I gave 3 days notice. I could not care less about doing the “right thing”. My pregnant wife was on vacation and I wanted to be with her. Doing the right thing is to be true to yourself, not being a corporate tool your whole life.
When laying people off, the company I worked for did not give any notice to the employees they terminated. When I gave my 2 weeks notice in the past, I was walked out of the building immediately. People should put themselves before the corporation they work for. You are just numbers on a report to them. They don’t care about you. If you are lucky enough to work for a company that really treats you good, then what I am saying does not really apply to you.
By Coryan on Aug 10, 2008 | Reply
Scott/Kim, First, thanks for visiting UTurnAhead. I see no reason you have to give your employer the name of the company you are leaving to work for. Saying “a competitor” should be plenty.
Peppermint, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. There are many who feel as you do that it doesn’t matter how you treat the corporation and the coworkers you have been with when you are leaving. As you see in the article, I take a very different position. First, for selfish reasons…I don’t want a reputation as someone who leaves people or corporations hanging. That reputation may hurt me in the future. Second, I want others to know I respect the work they have to do to fill in after me and find my replacement. I would never treat one company poorly because of bad treatment from an unrelated company. I don’t see how being a respectful employee and person make one a “corporate tool”.