Quitting Job - Etiquette?

Evilmagus said: Hello folks,

I have an etiquette question for you. FYI I am a software engineer. I work for a consulting company.

In my current job, I have a very good working relationship with my manager, enjoy my job, and would not leave if not for money. I have found a new job which pays much more, and am planning to leave my current job to join there. The new job agreed to hire me in 4 months (I want to finish my current contract). I believe it is important to leave the current client with a good feeling about my current company. They have great potential for contracting more consultants from my boss if I leave them with a good impression.

Anyway, I am wondering what is the best etiquette in this delicate situation as far as informing my boss. On one hand, I can give him a heads up right now (he is currently looking for my next contract), but as much as I have a good working relationship with the guy, I am worried that company policy might be to terminate me ASAP, or something along those lines. The other option is to wait 2 weeks before the end of my current contract and give him my notice then. This guarantees that I am safe, but it will put him into a tough position of already having signed a contract for my work.

For those of you who say that he will just provide another consultant, I have to note that I have been working with repeat customers for last several years, and already have the necessary learning curve for all their products. They are negotiating to contract me specifically rather than just "a consultant".

Any thoughts?

~Evil

Talk to your current boss about your compensation, let him know it isn't competitive (but don't tell him you've got another job lined up). If he can't/won't bring your wages up to an acceptable level then you have no reason to do more than give him two weeks notice at the appropriate time.

dweick said: Talk to your current boss about your compensation, let him know it isn't competitive (but don't tell him you've got another job lined up). If he can't/won't bring your wages up to an acceptable level then you have no reason to do more than give him two weeks notice at the appropriate time.

I agree. When I have had a similar situation crop up in the past, I would mention that I had received another "unsolicited" offer. That puts them in a position where they don't feel like you are actively looking for a new position and they can't blame you for weighing your options to make more money.

Tell them you what you mentioned about how you like working with them and how you are trying to help avoid the impending predicament you could cause them by not mentioning this until a new contract has been lined up. It will also help them have time to make any changes to their pricing if they plan to compensate you more due to the news of your offer.

Keeping them in the loop and not acting like you already have one foot out of the door should help him/them understand that you aren't looking to leave them high and dry and hopefully will make it so you don't burn any bridges when you leave. You never know if you may need/want to go back.

It would be smoother all around if you could tell them in advance.

However, if there's any significant chance that it would result in immediate termination, and you don't want to be unemployed for a few months, it's understandable to act defensively.

Oh, and what about the possibility of saying you want to "take some time off" after the project ends, eh?

Like another poster said, you will feel like an "outsider" the moment you indicate that you're leaving. Even if you don't think you'll feel "different" in the environment, you will because your associates will make you feel that way.

Three week notice should be enough, so you aren't without work....and it's far longer than the typical "2 weeks."

Evilmagus said:

Talk to your current boss about your compensation, let him know it isn't competitive (but don't tell him you've got another job lined up). If he can't/won't bring your wages up to an acceptable level then you have no reason to do more than give him two weeks notice at the appropriate time.

not always a good idea. If your boss needs you for a just a little while (read: until he can get someone else trained), he could match your new salary but then ditch you as soon as the load lightens a little bit.

In other words: he might be willing to pony up more money, but only until he can find + train a suitable replacement for you. He then hires that person to take your position at a lower salary, and you get the boot.

Of course, not all managers would do something like this but it happens.

In terms of the discussion of letting your boss know that you have received another offer in hopes of getting a counter-offer to stay for more money - based on what you have said I wouldn't even go down that road. It doesn't sound like the current boss can match the offer even if he wanted to (for the reasons you said) so it may come across badly and sour your relationship. I wouldn't even go there.

Don't tell your current boss until 2-3 weeks before you intend to leave. It's just not worth it. There are several obvious risks that others have already pointed out, while there is no real reward to telling him early.

Unless you tell him later, there is no way he will know you've been sitting on this offer for 4 months. So to the best of his knowledge, you would be just giving him the customary 2 weeks notice. He should *appreciate* 2 weeks notice, because that's a courtesy.

As others have said, the minute you tell an employer that you are leaving them, you immediately become an outsider to them, like it or not. The less time you have to deal with that uncomfortable situation, the better. In addition, whatever good will you think you will gain from giving such long notice will probably be forgotten after a few days and then you are still stuck in an awkward situation for 4 months.

Starting new job in 4 months? Regardless of whether that was your choice or the new employer's choice, that is a long way off. A lot, good and bad, can happen in the interim....the new employer could have a meltdown and pull the job offer (it happens), you might get a raise/promotion where you are and reconsider, etc. Two weeks notice is standard and expected. Anything more is gravy for the employer, but the increased benefit (financial, ethical, or otherwise) to you of giving three weeks vs three months is virtually nil. Reevaluate the entire situation three weeks out from the proposed start date at the new employer. If you still decide to go with the new employer, give notice then, not a moment sooner.

People come, people go. They'll get over it. You may think they can't do without you, but they will. Give 'em two weeks and go start your new job.

Evilmagus said: Unfortunately, I am 99% certain that, I will be going to the new job - I'm moving from development to project management, and the pay scale is much higher. The current company does not hire project managers, just technical consultants, so I couldn't even negotiate for a promotion in company.

how much higher in paid there?

Email him around close of business on your last day.

j/k

2-3 weeks is reasonable. Try not to make it so complicated. Would it hurt terribly to have a week or two off between gigs?

Well first I'd check if the other place would let you start earlier. And if they would, even a month earlier, I'd just tell your boss now-and explain that you're doing it for their sake.

Chances are that they won't be able to find a replacement for you right away-hiring people takes some time-you don't just hire the first guy who walks in the door (well, unless that guy is really unbelievably awesome). So even at a fairly clippy pace it could take months.

Also, you won't be leaving them with unfillable contracts-which would be really not cool.

Worst case then, is that they fire you as soon as they find a replacement-although even that seems somewhat unlikely since that would mean suddenly switching consultants on their clients. Most likely, they'll just find someone who'll be able to start shortly before you leave-it makes very little sense to force clients to deal with a sudden change of personnel for no reason.

But even if the very worst happens-your new job won't take you for 4 months, and you get fired as soon as you tell your boss. Well, then tell them in a month, and take a 3 month vacation lol.

Of course that's assuming you have plenty of money saved up and could use a 3 month vacation anyway.

Seriously though, it's VERY unlikely that they'll just kick you out the door-it'd be bad for their clients and bad for you and bad for them. Unless your boss has some kind of really warped vendetta against you it's not gonna happen.

And this way you won't burn your bridges for the future-you never know when it'll come in handy that you were their best consultant, and not "this jerk who left us holding contracts we couldn't fill"

I will be going to the new job - I'm moving from development to project management, and the pay scale is much higher. The current company does not hire project managers, just technical consultants, so I couldn't even negotiate for a promotion in company.
First of all, you're comparing apples to oranges. The new job is a proj mgnt job so you can't really compare. One thing to keep in mind, if you move from Dev to PM it is very difficult to move back. Make sure this is what you want and not simply for the money. If this is your career direction, wait until you sign an acceptance letter, but don't give more than 2 weeks notice, with your new company and then explain to your boss that your career aspiration is in the PM area and your current company cannot meet your career aspiration. In the meantime, discuss with your boss about your interest in PM and ask for his advice on how the current company may fulfil that. Use him as a mentor. Drop hints here and there so when the time come it won't be a total surprise. In fact, your boss may actually advice you to go after a PM position in another company.

Here are my thoughts...

First, make sure everything is lined up at the new place. Explain the situation and make sure you have an understanding with them and you aren't going to be hung out to dry somehow.

Then, have an open discussion with your boss. Explain the situation and that you don't want to screw him over. He should appreciate that. Focus on making it as much of a win/win situation as possible by helping out with the transition. You don't want to burn any bridges and he should appreciate the fact that you're trying to help.

I did something similar recently, and worked out about a 3-month transition plan with my former boss. We worked out a formal transition plan with objectives and targets and he offered a retention bonus payable in installments for completing the mutually agreed upon items for a successful transition. We then worked out a plan where I was "consulting" for a transition period and I was basically getting paid to be on call and answer any questions over e-mail or the phone as needed. It was a true win/win situation. I was rewarded financially, still have a great relationship with my old boss and company, and I was able to take some time off to recharge before starting a new job. My boss "won" too by not having nearly as much lost productivity and being able to save face in front of his boss by coming up with a creative way to keep me around longer and motivated. The company "won" by having more time to find a replacement and by less lost productivity (though this is offset by a retention bonus).

In summary - make sure the new job is lined up, don't burn bridges, and focus on making it win/win/win for all 3 parties involved.

2 weeks is standard. Might want to look in your contract though. There may be someting in there about it.

I work in IT so I'm familiar with the consulting company world.

How big is your consulting company? If its a small firm I'd say you have a better chance of telling your boss now. He doesn't want to waste all the time and lose face on negotiating you a new contract with his clients. Reputation is everything and if you let him sign you a new contract and then he's gotta back you out of it then nobody will be happy and you have burnt your bridge with a bigger flame.

However if its a huge firm w/ 300 contractors and they do this all the time then I'd take that into consideration and stay mum for a while.

Finishing out your current contract will help your current boss tremendously to save face with his corporate client and also keep your bridge from burning.

The chances of you getting terminated early are pretty slim if you have a current contract w/ 4 months left on it and everybody (read: your client) is happy. Large companies that can hire a contractor and pay good hourly money don't want to be left out in the cold, so even if your boss wants to fire you, he won't because he can't let his client the large company swing out there in the wind with a dropped contract. that's the quickest way to get off the preferred vendor list and piss off everyone in the consulting world.

Good luck. As an IT worker I vote that you stall your boss from looking for a new contract for you (ie, him wasting time), then tell him you're leaving in the best possibly way. If you are a valuable contractor and everybody is happy with you right now, you shouldn't have a problem finishing out your contract.

cirrus said:
Chances are that they won't be able to find a replacement for you right away-hiring people takes some time-you don't just hire the first guy who walks in the door (well, unless that guy is really unbelievably awesome). So even at a fairly clippy pace it could take months.



Not so sure that is the case, perhaps for a fortune 500 being picky...but he's a consultant. If they don't have someone idle at another project or on the bench, he can be replaced in about 3 weeks, instead of days. The only question is transition time to the new guy.


No..don't burn bridges, don't PO people or a company, but look out for YOUR best interests. To be in the company's shoes...will THEY give YOU 4 months notice? And if laid-off would they give you 4 months severance? Whatever you feel the company would do for you, then you should do for them. Have you heard ppl getting cut with only a couple/few weeks notice...then your own company has set the bar.

Best of luck.

The 2 weeks standard that is being used by the overall community is not a requirement, but just a measuring stick for "reasonable notice." I won't be too hung up on them.

What's best for your situation is what bwjgmail mentioned which is focus on the win-win situation. I would work out a transition plan after lining up the new job with a flexible start (1 month vs. 4 months). I wouldn't just go back and talk to them about pay since if your manager matches there are probably expectations that you would stay whereas you are looking at a new position AND higher pay. Stick with the game plan of notice and work out what's best (completing the contract for your current employer, transition to another contractor for 2 weeks, work out a long-term consulting agreement, etc.) for both parties.

I would say that if you are really friends with your manager, giving him a head's up is fair. You might want to ask him to hold back from notifying HR right away so other's don't get involved and mess up your negotiation.

-Splints

87% of people who use statistics in their arguments make them up.
Ok your turn now.