Job Switch Question

in-too-deep · Feb 11, 2014

Say you're a full-time employee, but you're not happy with your job and would like to change. Would you go about job hunting and interviewing without telling your current employer you're looking? Take a new job offer and then give your 2 week or however long notice? The way I see it, I would NOT tell my current employer, bacause if I didn't find anything, it would forever be a sore spot that I tried to quit. I would just come out and say I'm taking a new job and will terminate here in xx days. It may be harsh and a surprise, but I'd rather it be clear-cut than weird feelings floating around the workplace. Thoughts? Thanks.

rrlund · Feb 11, 2014

I think the only problem you'll find is that if you use them for a reference,the prospective new employer will call them and they'll find out anyway.

Two Dogs · Feb 11, 2014

If you tell him now he just might say "Go ahead, as of now you have plenty of time to look." Do as wives do. Don't leave or hint until you get a better offer. TDF

Wile E · Feb 11, 2014

You really should not tell anyone that you are looking, no coworkers, or bosses. Just out of the blue, My last day will be XX/XX/2014.
That is the professional way to do it.
I have left all places this way, except for when the last place I worked at closed down, I was given a 1 month heads up, I had asked to be terminated sooner due to a job that started on the first of the year, and I wanted my severence check on the first of the year.
You are right that the rumor mill will be cranking along if you throw out some comments that you are looking for a new job, you do not want that.
Unless you work for a family member, like your uncles sheet metal shop or something, bad feelings would be there maybe.

26cows · Feb 11, 2014

Can you talk to your employer about the things that you think that need to be address that would make this a better place to work. Sometimes managers or owners don't see things that need fixing. If you are changing jobs. Find the job and always give 2 week notice. Don't burn bridges. You may work for them in future. Never play the game of I want a pay raise or I quit. You will be gone now or with in 6 mouths. David

Pitch1 · Feb 11, 2014

In NY seeking other employment is legal reason for dismissal. Stay on the lowdown,and let no one know. Sounds kind of sneaky,but you gotta do what you gotta do.

VADAVE · Feb 11, 2014

You have it right. You describe a nice employer a lot of employers will terminate right then.
DO NOT give notice until you have a job to go to.

ShepFL · Feb 11, 2014

To 26cows point -
Folks dont quit jobs or companies - they quit bosses. Given how tuff the market it I would keep my mouth shut until I had the new deal secured.

Once confirmed give notice as required and good luck. I am now self employed due to the economy and off-shoring of jobs.

in-too-deep · Feb 11, 2014

That's a tricky spot, because my current employer would be a good reference. Which brings up another question, can you request that your prospective employer NOT contact your current employer?

VADAVE · Feb 11, 2014

YES
The prospective employer has to honor that.
It might, however, generate a question during an interview so be prepared to say why you do not want the new guy to talk to the old guy. Most of them will understand, unless they're not so nice and you don't want that anyway.

Robert Major · Feb 11, 2014

Hi
It"s kind of a tough question to answer. I worked at a seed plant /farm. Hours and work load got real bad, could not really afford sick days as we got so far behind. Figured it would take a while to replace me.

I gave boss a heads up mid Jan, I wanted out by April/ May before seeding started.
2 weeks later a guy came in could start in 2 weeks ,boss came over and said this is your notice that Friday. Didn"t matter to me I just became self employed a few months early and had work lined up the next monday after leaving . that was 4 years ago tomorrow, the 12th.
There"s no bad feelings he text me sunday and asked if i would go fix machinery for him at my shop rate, as he don"t have time or a guy to do it.

My girlfriend had a similar thing with her job was hard to find replacements, she gave notice and stayed till the right job offer came up, was there 12 months before she left. boss still didn"t find a replacement for a few months after.
You got to do what you feel is right but don"t be surprised if you get dumped on, by your current boss, for trying to be the nice considerate guy.
Regards Robert

Bobl1958 · Feb 11, 2014

I would not tell your employer that you are looking. If they know you are looking, they will be looking. They will also possibly look at you as a traitor.
If they are a good employer, they should be happy if you find a better job and move up. If they are mad you are leaving, then they were not a good place to work anyway. Good luck.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 11, 2014

You can request it, but if they do there is nothing you can do about it. I can't imagine any good comming from telling your current boss you are unhappy. He probably knows anyway. Unless you are under some form of contract he can, and many times will terminate you on the spot, or more likely, after he finds YOUR replacement. Nothing illegal about it at all. Not even in a Union Shop state.

greg oliver · Feb 11, 2014

I have also thought about leaving my present employer.I have worked for him for 15 years. We do excavating landscaping and concrete house foundations and plumbing. There are only 4 of us and sometimes have disagrements.I do a lot of different things so that's why I have stayed.Two weeks notice is best way to go.Good luck Greg

Spook · Feb 11, 2014

I will pose a couple of questions:

1) What kind a job do you want 5, 10 years out?

2) What will a new job do to get you there?

Don't think for today, think for tommorrow.

I know my previous employer, GM, you put in your 2 week notice, you were out the door within a hour. With a security escort. That is the way it works in corporate America, it isn't the 1950's, Father Knows Best world anymore.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 11, 2014

never tell current employer your leaving till you turn in your 2 week notice. you'll just be setting yourself up to not be treated very nice while you continue to work there, and you will be subject to be fired more so than anyone else since you let it known you might be quiting. a 2 week notice is curtious enough when the time comes. if you need a referance, you might use a co-worker (that knows whats going on) instead of the owner themself. if your not happy with your position or pay, you might let that be known to see what they'll do to make it better but do it in a way that your not threatening to quit. just tell them your not all that happy. sometimes they'll offer a better deal when you do turn in your 2 weeks. if they do, leave anyways. after your gone and they realize what they lost, the deal always gets better if they persue you to come back. i always figured a greedy employer that you have to pry pay raises out of, isnt a good person to work for. my area employers are really bad about not keeping up with the cost of living with thier pay raises. then they suck you into working overtime so you can make enough to live. and thats money in the bank for em too. they don't have to dole out as much money for benefits with a smaller work force. its cheaper for em to go ahead and pay the time and a half overtime. its a visouse circle. the economy is bad. it just sucks all the way around.

oldtanker · Feb 11, 2014

I have in the past given 2 weeks notice only after I had secured another job. I did not tell anyone anything until I had a firm offer. For some odd reason employers have a tendency to consider an employee disloyal if they find out they are looking for other work. Few employers consider loyalty to be a 2 way street.

With were you live do you think you can find a decent job within a decent driving range?

Rick

in-too-deep · Feb 11, 2014

No. Everything is too darn far away.

donjr · Feb 11, 2014

Don't tell them a thing. Look on your own time- take single days off if necessary for your search. And, when you have a good offer, give your two weeks notice.

Don't be like the idiot next door and stroll into the bosses office and tell him you want the afternoon off to go look for another job. His boss told him to just go and draw his pay, and he could have the rest of the year off to look.....

wilamayb · Feb 11, 2014

If your current employer decides to get rid of you they are not going to tell you ahead of time that they are looking for someone to replace you. They wont tell you a thing until they tell you to clean out your desk and go home. I say treat them just as they would treat you.

MarkWV · Feb 11, 2014

give notice, if prospective employer says we need their refernce I would say only if you have every intention of offering me the job and this is last part of the puzzle you need. most times they understand and wont contact, where i work if you give notice and stay in same field (competitor) they can you the day you give your notice, good luck

oldtanker · Feb 11, 2014

Hate to say it but with a wife and that very pretty daughter of yours you may just have to suck it up and deal with it. You just don't live in a very good spot for year round full time employment with decent wages and bennies. Bout your only other option would be to see about employment in the oil patch and come home on weekends. Don't know how well that would work. It takes a special wife to deal with an absentee husband. I know, first hand! My wife is one of those special ladies (don't none of ya tell her I was saying nice things now). She dealt with me being gone a lot in the Army and did a pretty darn good job with the kids when I wasn't there.

Rick

Jiles · Feb 11, 2014

I have been in that situation five times in my working days. I did as some suggested, and I told no one but my wife.
I always had a good job but just wanted a change and the last job I worked at was for 31 years. I made this move for job security and retirement and even took a cut in pay!
I even took a cut in pay for other jobs but was making more within a short time.
My background employment may have been different then yours, I went from a Certified Auto Mechanic to a Tool&Die Maker and then to a Machinist.
I gave a two week notice, or whatever they required, and I left all my jobs with a good standing with my employer and every one said I could come back but would loose my seniority.
So--I don't think any of them had a problem with notification after the fact.

David G · Feb 11, 2014

Do it on your time off, give 2 weeks notice.

I am an employer, and will give the employee 2 weeks pay and walk them out if they are going to competition, let them work 2 weeks and wish them well if not going to competition.

Ferd · Feb 11, 2014

I own a business and have employees so guess I'm a bit on the other side. That being said, I surely wouldn't tell an employer that I'm looking for a different job. First thing, is there any way of improving your current job? Are there things you could do to make your job better? Is your employer a fair and reasonable person? It cost a lot of money to the employer to replace an employee and especially if they like you.

On the other hand, the grass is always greener. You know what you don't like about your current job but you don't know what you won't like about a future job. Jobs aren't that easy to come by right now. Sometimes it pays to "sit tight" for a bit and put some thought into the pluses and minuses of making a change.

Formerly PaMike · Feb 11, 2014

I am an employer, and had an employee ALMOST quit recently. Heres how it went down.
-We gave yearend bonus checks out. Employee got a check equal to about 5 weeks pay.
-Three days later the foreman comes to me and says that "joe" told him he had an interview and is looking at another job. "Joe" told the foreman he could tell the owners...
-I sit Joe down. He gives me a song and dance about wanting to be at a cutting edge company, but he really likes it here etc etc.
-Joe tells everyone that he might be leaving because he had an interview at a cutting edge company.
-Cutting edge company gives Joe an offer of less than he is making currently.
-We tell Joe to make up his mind, stay or go. We need an answer
-Joe decides to stay
End Result
-Joe still makes what he was making
-Employees got all wound up about Joe leaving
-Owners realized he has no loyalty since he decided to leave right after his bonus. His potential with us is limited.
-Cutting edge company is ------ cause they wasted 3 weeks waiting for Joe to make up his mind.

-If you can better yourself at your current employer sit down and talk to them. If you cant, hold your cards close. And, above all dont burn any bridges. The world is a small small place and its amazing how word gets around. I do most of the hiring and I have a working relationship with many "competitors". I can call them up and say "Should I hire Joe that used to work for you?" They will say, yes or no, right off the bat. Of course, its all off the record....

Jim CIn. · Feb 11, 2014

Drove delivery truck for a local company, applied for another job that I could start at for $.72 more per hour.Received word to go get a physical, drove delivery truck to the new company and got a physical on employer's time. A couple days later got word I was hired,went up to the company president's big office W/ fancy 8 ft. long oak desk and told him a week from next Monday I was starting a new job. He quickly offered me a $.30 raise, I said no, then $.50 cent , I said too late. He had given me a $.05 each of the last 2 years= $1.30 per hour. This was 1961.

Spook · Feb 11, 2014

Same in Michigan. A "at will" state. Also now a right to work state.

Spook · Feb 11, 2014

So what are you quitting for? I think you ought to look at the local CC for some vocational training. Best bet, imho, is medical - a male nurse can pretty much write their own ticket.

Vito · Feb 11, 2014

What is your skill set?

The old saying " loose lips sink ships" is to be heeded if you go looking for a different job.

Wish you all the best with your decision.

Vito

MarkB_MI · Feb 11, 2014

Whether it's your work life or your love life, never let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. That means KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT, especially with your fellow employees! And once you've decided to make your move, make it clean: give notice and pack your stuff. Your employer doesn't need to know your reasons for leaving; there is nothing to gain by telling him anything other than that you found another job. It's not his business what your pay is at the new job, and any information you might give him about your reasons for leaving might just come back to bite you in the future.

My BIL decided he wanted to apply for an apprenticeship with the millwright's union. The week that he was go in to take the test, his boss found a reason to send him out of town. I asked him "who did you tell?" "Nobody! Just the guys I work with!" Doh!

LAA · Feb 11, 2014

The truth is most employers are not very worried if someone quits unless it becomes epidemic and the hiring/processing costs affect the bottom line, then they will look for a reason and either correct the problem or move the facility to a cheaper labor area. If you want to know how traumitized your employer will be at your departure just think back to everyone else you ever knew who quit, did the job shut down? was there any lull in production? Almost always the answer is no, they just find someone else to punch those buttons. A man has to do what he thinks is best for himself and his family because no one else is going to do it for you.

RandyB(MI) · Feb 11, 2014

Depends on size of the company you work for. Large companies HR depts are coached that whenever they lay off or down size , to walk those employees out the door when they are notified. The company I retired from did just that more than 3 times when laying off groups of people. NO NOTICE to them or their families. You are an "at will" employee meaning there is no contract and they can let you go at any time and you can leave at any time. I've seen some give their two weeks notice only to be led to the door. They will cite liability, theft etc as their reasons . Keep quiet and give the two weeks notice and don't burn the bridge but be ready to leave right then as you may be asked to.I've been on both sides a few times. As an employer, the last thing I want is an unhappy employee working for me and I would not argue to keep them from leaving,move on. As an employee, once my mind was made up, it would depend completely on how I had been treated and how they treated other employees in the past as to the terms of my departure.

Anonymous-0 · Feb 12, 2014

thats right. employers think all employees are replaceable. no matter how skilled you are or how good you are at what you do, your employer thinks anybody off the street can replace you. your not holding anything over thier head by thinking you have leverage in that regard.

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