How do I manage changing jobs?

[GrandNebSmada]

I am currently looking to get a different job. What I am confused about is how to manage the transition phase between quitting my existing job and starting the other.  I am told that you're supposed to give your current employer 2 weeks notice before you have to leave. Where the confusion starts is that on the application for the new job they ask when I can start working. I feel weird saying that I can't start until 2 weeks from now because I am asking for a job now. Is this ok to do or do I have to deal with having 2 jobs for 2 weeks?

 

I am 17 and its my first time quitting and starting another job so I'm a little lost on some things and how to handle them.

Any help is much appreciated!

[Tsuki]

the 2 week notice is mostly a courtesy in case you ever want to get hired back.

 

i always just put my start date 2 weeks out. but theres nothing stopping you from getting a start date from your new job like 2-3 days ahead and then letting your current boss know you'll be gone in a couple days.

and honestly, if you're currently working somewhere like retail, or fast food where the turnover is really high, i would say fuck it and just peace out.  let your boss know you got a new job and you start tomorrow.

[IntMD]

13 hours ago, 5Beans6 said:

I am currently looking to get a different job. What I am confused about is how to manage the transition phase between quitting my existing job and starting the other.  I am told that you're supposed to give your current employer 2 weeks notice before you have to leave. Where the confusion starts is that on the application for the new job they ask when I can start working. I feel weird saying that I can't start until 2 weeks from now because I am asking for a job now. Is this ok to do or do I have to deal with having 2 jobs for 2 weeks?

 

I am 17 and its my first time quitting and starting another job so I'm a little lost on some things and how to handle them.

Any help is much appreciated!

Assume you are in the US or something, so things might be different there, but normally where I am, you would have any notice period you are required to give in your contract (mine is 4 weeks notice, which is pretty standard here). Your new job would normally ask in the interview how long the notice you need to give would be to give them an idea of when you can start. You just need to tell them, well, X amount of weeks after you give me a contract. They're usually quite flexible on start dates here too, so if you wanted a few extra days, they generally don't care. I would suggest not giving notice until you actually have the contract offer in front of you for the new job.

[wasab]

Your first time? Congrats to you. I had switch jobs like 5 times already.

[Yoinkerman]

You just tell the new job "I can start on x date I have to give two weeks to my current employer"

[dalekphalm]

On 2018-02-28 at 8:27 PM, 5Beans6 said:

I am currently looking to get a different job. What I am confused about is how to manage the transition phase between quitting my existing job and starting the other.  I am told that you're supposed to give your current employer 2 weeks notice before you have to leave. Where the confusion starts is that on the application for the new job they ask when I can start working. I feel weird saying that I can't start until 2 weeks from now because I am asking for a job now. Is this ok to do or do I have to deal with having 2 jobs for 2 weeks?

 

I am 17 and its my first time quitting and starting another job so I'm a little lost on some things and how to handle them.

Any help is much appreciated!

Yeah just tell your new employer when you can start, and tell them it’s the standard two weeks notice to quit your current job. 

 

Unless they've never hired anyone before, this should be standard procedure for them. 

[jmack]

On 2/28/2018 at 6:27 PM, 5Beans6 said:

I am currently looking to get a different job. ...

Normally the 2 week thing is not legally binding, but again, if you want a nice ref. letter, you have to make a choice.

That being said, any reasonable new employer who is really interested in having you on-board, will wait two weeks. Sometimes we forget how much work is actually involved in on-boarding a new employee from a HR perspective, and how two weeks is nothing to wait.

 

 

[dalekphalm]

29 minutes ago, jmack said:

Normally the 2 week thing is not legally binding, but again, if you want a nice ref. letter, you have to make a choice.

That being said, any reasonable new employer who is really interested in having you on-board, will wait two weeks. Sometimes we forget how much work is actually involved in on-boarding a new employee from a HR perspective, and how two weeks is nothing to wait.

 

 

Yes. It's costly to train new people. It's in their best interest to accommodate the OP with the start date, and to ensure he stays onboard long term.

[AshleyAshes]

On 28/02/2018 at 9:23 PM, Tsuki said:

the 2 week notice is mostly a courtesy in case you ever want to get hired back.

 

i always just put my start date 2 weeks out. but theres nothing stopping you from getting a start date from your new job like 2-3 days ahead and then letting your current boss know you'll be gone in a couple days.

and honestly, if you're currently working somewhere like retail, or fast food where the turnover is really high, i would say fuck it and just peace out.  let your boss know you got a new job and you start tomorrow.

Yeah, check your regional labor laws.  As an example, here in Ontario Canada, while I am guaranteed a certain amount of notice OR paid time in leu of notice depending on how long I've worked somewhere.  However for quitting I have no requirement of notice I can literally go 'SCREW THIS I'M OUTTA HERE' right now, sign some stuff and walk out the door.  Of course one must consider what bridges that could burn.

Fun fact: I was NOT going to give my last employer notice and kept my intention's to quiet.  A week before I was set to start my new job my current job fired me (Probably cause I tried to start a union and clashed with payroll whenever they screwed up).  Anyway they HAD to give me two weeks pay and ontop of that gave me a bunch of pay as severance to ensure I'd 'go away quietly'.  Once everything I was signed I simply said 'So, this is legal now so I gotta ask; You had no idea I was going to quit for free in a week huh?'  HR gave a dumbfounded look and asked me to exit immediately.

[dalekphalm]

2 minutes ago, AshleyAshes said:

Yeah, check your regional labor laws.  As an example, here in Ontario Canada, while I am guaranteed a certain amount of notice OR paid time in leu of notice depending on how long I've worked somewhere.  However for quitting I have no requirement of notice I can literally go 'SCREW THIS I'M OUTTA HERE' right now, sign some stuff and walk out the door.  Of course one must consider what bridges that could burn.

Fun fact: I was NOT going to give my last employer notice and kept my intention's to quiet.  A week before I was set to start my new job my current job fired me (Probably cause I tried to start a union and clashed with payroll whenever they screwed up).  Anyway they HAD to give me two weeks pay and ontop of that gave me a bunch of pay as severance to ensure I'd 'go away quietly'.  Once everything I was signed I simply said 'So, this is legal now so I gotta ask; You had no idea I was going to quit for free in a week huh?'  HR gave a dumbfounded look and asked me to exit immediately.

I'm, uh, assuming the whole "Start a union" thing didn't work out, then?

[AshleyAshes]

Just now, dalekphalm said:

I'm, uh, assuming the whole "Start a union" thing didn't work out, then?

Too many dumbass millenials who were afraid to take any action and basically thought that if they made anything better than minimum wage then they shouldn't rock the boat.  They waited 6 months to fire me but I was a thorn in their side if they deviated from the labor law or someone had to ask some harsh questions.  Most of those who were onboard for unionisation saw that it wouldn't get enough momentum and quit for better jobs.  I was doing the same and got poached just before they fired me.

 

...Three months later the company fired 200+ people who all basically got one weeks' pay and directions to Service Ontario to file for EI, where as I made a BUNCH of money and even a better benefits plan and had a new job lined up already.

 

The important thing is that they all democratically decided that there should be no form of government backed collective bargaining to offer any interference for when the employer decided to completely screw them.

[Anghammarad]

I received some offers, went for a personal chit chat to see if the companies and I would match... 

 

Then I had to chose which one, and I went with my gut, went there for another chitchat, this time conditions, like wage, vacations days etc... told them I had a 2 months time when quitting that I would need to stay with my current employer... they were ok with it, so I filed my resignation and in may I start at the new company... smooth transitioning.

 

And even still got 25 vacation days with this employer I can take before end of april... 

[dfsdfgfkjsefoiqzemnd]

On 3/2/2018 at 9:44 PM, jmack said:

Normally the 2 week thing is not legally binding

In some countries the notice period is legally binding, as it is actually intended to give employers the time to find a replacement for the employee who leaves.  Fines for not actually working during that period may depend. 

 

That being said, if your employer is reasonable you can usually agree to have a shorter notice period or even none at all.  Many employers would rather not have someone working their last weeks against their will, as the lack of motivation will negatively affect the employee's productivity and/or may lead to employees sabotaging the organization or stealing secrets.

I do administrative work for a cleaning company and have seen several cases where personnel in their notice period either does a bad job on purpose because they can't be bothered anymore or where the personnel gives the clients' details to their next employer or even tries to convince the clients to go along with them.  

[andrewmp6]

Make sure its a job you want that your changing to,Reason i say this in the future if you keep changing jobs that won't look good on a resume.If i see a resume and they worked 2 months this job 4 months this job and maybe 6 months another job that screams they won't work somewhere long pass over them.when you go on the job interviews try to dress like the workers do there,And be early if your late your already screwed.And like said let them know i have a job you will put in a 2 week notice and your first day at work can be and say the date.This will look better on you for the next job,If i interviewed someone that had a job and told me they can start anytime ill pull the ill call you on them.Reason being if you will quit on them with out a notice you'll do it to me.

[dizmo]

Do you want to use them as a reference, have you been there for a while, or do you like your coworkers/employer?
Then give two weeks notice.

 

If you just want to get out, and don't care about any of the above, just quit.

 

It largely depends on the company you're applying to when it comes to two weeks. If you're moving from one retail job to another, and you don't really have much experience or skills to bring to the table, then having to wait 2 weeks can very easily be a deal breaker for them. They'll just hire someone who can start right away. If they need someone immediately, that too can cause you to lose the position. If it's a job you really want, just ask how long they can wait.