Quitting Job in April - When to tell employer? Forum

[JDeezy]

Like a lot of current applicants I imagine, I'm taking some time off before law school starts in Sept 2014. I'm planning on quitting in April.

I like my boss and don't want to drop it on her in 2 weeks notice. Should I just tell her now? I feel like it will make it easier for them to replace me. Is it weird to be working for several months with people who know you are leaving? What's everyone else planning on doing?

[hayman]

I'm gonna give them 4 to 6 woks. Also have a list of candidates that can replace you. You should know some folks through networking.

[Carlo Von Sexron]

In my opinion, your boss should have no trouble finding a replacement in two weeks given the job market. If you actually like each other, three weeks, but not more than a month.

[Danger Zone]

Two weeks is more than adequate. You won't be "dropping anything" on your boss, since it's a buyer's market out there. You are readily replaceable.

[Fish127]

What do you do?

[Fish127]

By that I mean, what is your job?

[Tyr]

Like a lot of current applicants I imagine, I'm taking some time off before law school starts in Sept 2014. I'm planning on quitting in April.

I like my boss and don't want to drop it on her in 2 weeks notice. Should I just tell her now? I feel like it will make it easier for them to replace me. Is it weird to be working for several months with people who know you are leaving? What's everyone else planning on doing?

It really depends. If you're an hourly grunt, then 2 to 3 weeks is sufficient. How well do you know your boss? Would she get "weird" working with you, knowing that you're out in a few weeks? I've known people who give months notice because they have a senior position at their work and things went fine for them. Never burn bridges, but there's also no need to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation.

[TigerDude]

You will find out soon enough that companies do not owe you anything and really don't expect you to owe them anything either. All debts clear on payday.

If you want to be nice to your boss, 4-6 weeks is plenty. Know that sometimes when people give notice they are shown the door that day.

[hayman]

I tend not to be so cynical about the work place. Sure there are places that treat you like an expendable part of the machine, but some will value their employees. If one does have a good relationship with their boss and the job is fairly specialized, it's good to give ample warning. For example, where I work, some talents are extremely difficult to find. We've had cases where it took us half a year to fill a position. Plenty apply, but finding the right person can be tricky.

Plus, why not leave on more than good terms? It wouldn't hurt OP to give a bit of extra time the company to find someone. You may need ur former employer for recommendation later or reference. Reputation you create for yourself can stick around for years.

[withoutapaddle]

2 week notice. You don't owe your employer anything and they wouldn't hesitate to lay you off.. You come first, unless you're a shareholder.

[redsox]

It depends entirely on how specialized your job is/how easy you will be to replace. Will it be necessary for you to train your replacement? Will 2 week be long enough for your boss to find someone/you to train them?

I really don't understand these people saying that it's okay to just walk with no notice regardless. It really depends on how you feel about your employer/coworkers and how they've treated you.

For what it's worth, I gave about a month, but it was a soft deadline and I was open to staying on part-time a little longer to help with the transition, which I did.

[cinephile]

Giving more notice often means they'll let you go sooner than you planned to leave since they're preparing to replace you now. Don't give notice until the last possible moment unless you're okay with being unemployed earlier.

[hephaestus]

It depends entirely on how specialized your job is/how easy you will be to replace. Will it be necessary for you to train your replacement? Will 2 week be long enough for your boss to find someone/you to train them?

I really don't understand these people saying that it's okay to just walk with no notice regardless. It really depends on how you feel about your employer/coworkers and how they've treated you.

For what it's worth, I gave about a month, but it was a soft deadline and I was open to staying on part-time a little longer to help with the transition, which I did.

I did something similar. Plus my boss and I were relatively close so giving four weeks meant I could stay the four weeks without being replaced. It gave them enough time to hire a replacement and have me train her for one week so it worked out well for both parties.

[Tiago Splitter]

I told my employer more than a year in advance and got promoted and given a pay raise at least partially in the hopes that I'd stick around. You never know. I never found it awkward to work even after it became clear I was leaving.

[notalobbyist]

It depends on your job and the size of the organization. Small businesses take longer, and specialized/leadership roles take longer.

Paper pusher for Exxon Mobil gives 2 weeks, CEO of a small business gives several months.

[Redamon1]

Like another poaster, I told my employer a year in advance and got a promotion + raise in the meantime. If you have a good relationship with your employer that you seek to preserve, there should be no harm in giving them plenty of advance notice. 1-4 months should be fine. It's very case-specific, but chances are they will understand and appreciate your professionalism. That said, if you feel uncomfortable about it, giving less notice will probably be fine too, assuming that your job is not the kind of job that will throw the company in disarray if you don't give them enough notice.

[jbagelboy]

I told my project manager a month in advance, and the rest of the officers a few days over 2 wks notice. I wanted to give our team time to transition, but I also didnt want to be sacked early - often in consulting once you give notice, you just leave the firm. I achieved a pretty smooth transition and worked until the day I wanted to stop. Depends on who depends on you and to what degree.

No matter what, be professional. Dont burn bridges. Quitting can be stressful, but as others mentioned, you are replaceable and its not personal.