When should I tell my employer I am looking for other employment 17

[StrucDesignPE]

I recently applied for a job with another company. It was a random job listing that I happened to see and was instantly attracted to. I met all of the qualifications easily. After several weeks of waiting, I was contacted for a phone interview. I feel like the interview went well and I was told I was likely to hear something within the next week or two. No other interviews will be required.

I am relatively happy where I currently work, but the main motivations for leaving are better pay and benefits and a better path for career advancement. My career at my current company is as far as it can go, even after I obtain my PE.

I have a good personal relationship with my boss and other employees, so I feel some guilt for possibly leaving, but know that this different employment will be much better for my future and family.

The firm where I currently work is small and were I to leave, the capacity of the firm for new work would be reduced by a decent percentage; but I am reluctant to tell my boss that I may get another job as I don't want it to affect my working relationship, especially if I don't actually get it. The potential employer is not a competitor to where I work now, but someone who has contracted with us for past work. If I am offered a position, I would insist on giving my current employer at least two weeks notice.

Should I talk with my boss about this and let it be known that I have interviewed and may leave? Or should I just wait until I am actually offered the position and know that I will be leaving?

 

[MintJulep]

Wait until you have a written offer in your hand and have actually 100% made up your mind to accept.

 

[phamENG]

It's usually best to know that you have your new job offer in hand. Otherwise, you run the risk of forever being the guy who wanted to leave. No matter how 'friendly' you may be with your boss (I'm assuming they own the firm), your relationship should be business first. If you have developed a friendship as well, so much the better - they should be able to see the logic behind the move if the pay and benefits are better and there's more room for advancement.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

Sometimes people get asked to leave once they mention they applied somewhere... so I wouldn't say anything before you have an offer.

To be fair to your current employer, you can talk to them about advancement or providing the things the other job offers without mentioning a different job. If they say "no" , you don't have to feel guilty for leaving - you gave them a chance to keep you.

If you tell them, and don't get the offer, you will be forever branded as the guy who will leave. So no more training, better software or whatever. And if they have to cut back, you will be the first since you "wanted to leave anyway".

 

[LittleInch]

Are you mad?

What possible good can come from telling your boss about this potential, repeat potential other employment before you have an offer? None.

If you're applying for other positions then your mind is already >50% there.

At the end of the day you're an employee and the firm will look after themselves. Try not to burn any bridges, but if the company really valued you then they would pay you more and look after your career better. And give you more than presumably one weeks notice period. Works both ways.

Think of this like breaking up with someone when you're the one fancying some one else. Sure you feel a little guilty and a bit sleazy, but hey, It happens every day and life goes on.

And like pham eng says, make sure you are prepared for an immeadiate exit BEFORE handing in your notice. You can get marched out the door....

Not what that might entail I'll leave to you - taking data, emails etc is not strictly legal, but everyone many people do it.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[IRstuff]

I agree with the general sentiment expressed above; some companies will walk you out the instant they decide you're no longer needed or wanted, and I can see the same if you are the instigator. Now, there are exceptions, obviously; in my first job, I gave one month notice to ensure that everything I was involved with was cleanly handed off or completed. Of course, I had already accepted the offer for a new job elsewhere. I expect to give many months of notice for my retirement, since there is no one currently able to take over my duties, but I've worked for the company over 25 years.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

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[JohnRBaker]

In my 49+ year engineering career (I retired five years ago) I only changed jobs once (now it is true that in my second job, the company I worked for changed nearly a dozen times, but that was due to spin-offs, sales, acquisitions, mergers, etc.) and I waited until I had a firm offer (it wasn't actually in writing, although I was told that 'it's in the mail', but it was a world recognized company so I took their word for it) before I informed my boss that I was taking a new job, for significantly more more money and in retrospect, a much better career path. And I left a small company where I respected the people I worked with and for, but I had a growing family and I had acquired certain skills and capability which my first employer was not in a position to properly compensate me for. While it was a tough decision to make, once I saw what my options were, and I had that 'firm offer', I never looked back.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-'Product Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[phamENG]

LittleInch - to be clear, I didn't say anything about taking data with you. It's a good point, though. Be careful doing it, of course, since the data probably belongs to the employer (even the excel calculators you built! - check your contract/employee manual). Stealing IP is not condoned here...

 

[LittleInch]

Phame eng - apologies - i've amended the text.

I can still remember leaving my first job. You feel bad, but know it's the right thing. Once they get over the shock, most decent managers know it happens all the time and if they have half a heart will be pleased for you as person if not for the company or their own workload.

But never ever tell them if you don't get the job that you were looking seriously.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[StrucDesignPE]

Thanks for the advice everyone. This all confirms what I think I need to do as well. Lol, I'm not mad, just want to do right by all involved. I will wait.

 

[phamENG]

One thing I used to do at my old firm...I'd drop casual hints about the recruiters reaching out to me on LinkedIn or mention that one of our competitors was hiring. Never in a "I'm going to leave" sort of way, but just enough to remind management that I had options. I never had to ask for a raise .

 

[LittleInch]

Please let us know how it goes, one way or the other....

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

If you get the offer and tell them you need 2 weeks, keep the option open to start immediately.

We hired a guy and he gave his old firm 2 weeks notice. The morning of the day after he gave his 2 weeks they called him and told him he doesn't need to bother coming in. He was already in the car on the way to (his old) work. We let him start earlier than planned, but that isn't always possible.

 

[JohnRBaker]

When I gave my two week notice back in 1980 when I changed jobs, my old company demanded three months, but we were moving cross country (Michigan to California) and that would screw-up our two sons starting school so I finally negotiated it down to five weeks.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-'Product Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[TheTick]

I've never been offered the courtesy of multi-week notice from an employer laying people off.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

my old company demanded three months

Companies can demand what they want... what they get from me depends wholly upon what they're asking for as well as HOW they ask for it. I provided two weeks notice in my last position, they came back and asked if I could stay three... I was adding a week off in between both jobs as a mini vacation, so it wasn't a huge deal to keep working the extra week (not to mention it was the week before Christmas, so I knew I would be sitting at my desk doing zero work... never did understand why they wanted the extra time).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[FreddyNurk]

I had a (verbal) job offer rescinded once, they eventually did come to the party and provide me with a written offer which I subsequently accepted, but if I'd acted on the initial verbal I'd have been unemployed for about 2 months.

I am also aware that employment law varies by location, but here, if I'd given my notice and the company decides they no longer require my services for the notice period they're still obliged to pay me, regardless of whether they require me to attend or not.

EDMS Australia

 

[LittleInch]

That part made me curious as well.

What's the normal in the US for notice period both ways?

UK it's usually a min of one month and now often three, but that can often be negotiated down if you've got a new job to go to. Or the current employer puts you on "gardening leave" to stop you working for a competitor. A bit spiteful but legal.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[EnergyProfessional]

I'm not sure if there is a law or rule, but 2 weeks seems to be a typical notice for the employee. It seems employer can fire you without notice. So there is that. A lot depends on the law in each US-state. But if they run out of money, it is often that Friday an employee gets told to pack their stuff... watch the movie " Office Space".

A co-worker told me in a previous firm they had a staff meeting on Monday. There they were told that the reason only half the people are in the staff meeting, is the others were fired over the weekend.

But can they enforce the 2 weeks, or whatever? It only makes sense if the employee is eager to leave on good terms. I mean what stops me from calling in sick, or working really slowly? Forced labor isn't productive. A manual laborer maybe can be forced to work and shovel a certain amount of sand or whatever. But us engineers aren't very good in forced labor situations. So I bet if for some reason an employee insists on leaving immediately, they get their way.

 

[Guest090822]

The standard 2-week notice in the U.S. is still common, but you have to check your employee handbook and any agreements you signed when you joined the company. I gave my 2-week notice to my last employer and they requested that I also take a 30-day "time out" period to which I laughed, gave them my attorney's card, and started my new job a day after my 2-weeks were up.

I agree with many others though, when people got fired or laid off, I don't recall a 2-week notice. I've been in that awkward spot of having to both fire and lay people off - it isn't fun at all.