How to tell your boss you're leaving your graduate job for another?

MrSnuggles

gibson123 wrote: »

Glad I don't work for you then! I am sure you are in a minority.

Most employers I know are perfectly fine about people leaving and do so on good terms with the person leaving.

No, you're just being naive. Most employers do cut off people they know plan to leave but haven't yet handed in their notice. It's an ego thing. Employers want to say they get to choose who leaves, not the other way round.

It's not nice but reality's a b*tch.

KingJohn_2

agrinnall wrote: »

I seriously doubt if there is any organisation in the UK with such an expectation these days, and you can be absolutely sure that as soon as they get hit by any sort of downturn in business the loyalty will be straight out the window. Move on to your new job and don't look back.

Its just the culture of the company, they dont expect us to leave basically, none of the others have. However youre right I would be one of the first to be potted if the time came. One of the reasons I am moving is because the company is like that about things.

I actually can't wait to leave!!

Thanks

KingJohn_2

MrSnuggles wrote: »

If I'm the employer I'd find a reason (don't even need a reason really) to sack you before you get the chance to hand in your official notice to leave. You'll be doing yourself no favours by telling a single person you're leaving before handing in your notice in writing.

Thanks I thought there was a bit of a risk- I will hold off until the last day, pretty nervous already though!!

KingJohn_2

gibson123 wrote: »

So in reality you officially have 4 months of the graduate scheme left, and you are required to give 4 months notice...so assuming that you have no firm offer from your current employer, a reasonable employer should expect you to be looking for employment now, that's just good planning.

Simples..

Dear Boss

As you are aware, my graduate internship finishes on ........ I am writing to you to inform you of my intention to leave at the end of my current contract on ...... I have accumulated holiday leave of .... so would like my actual last day of work to be..... Thank you for your support over the last 18 months, which has given me the skills and experience to progress within my career.

Hi sorry I musnt have been clear in my post- it is a 2 year scheme so 4 months left, however it is actually a permanent job so would run indefinitely. (until one of the parties terminates!)

We are supposed to go straight into a permanent role however for various reasons the business isnt offering me a clear and stable future within a dicipline I can progress, hence why Im leaving.

Thanks

wapow

Alot of points raised here.
Some of them are in contrast yet they are both correct.

First of all, let me say that some managers and people are vicious and they will look for an excuse to sack you if they find out that you are leaving soon.

This happens at all levels of business. Believe.

Also, as people have said, if the company is going down the trotter then loyalties are out of the window mate. They will rid of you end of.

Anyway look,

You clearly are not at the mental stage yet where you can just hand your notice in and have the confidence to move on.

Youre giving alot of thought to this so here is your best option -

The 6 week thing is a good idea.

Find out how much notice you have to give first of all. Then what you want to do first is ask your manager to sit down with you because you want to talk to him/her.

Just say simply that for your personal development you are looking at a different career path and you have found a job that offers this and therefore you will be taking on this new role. Thanks for the time skills etc etc. I really hope we can keep in touch for the future as your experience and knowledge will be invaluable....plus i still wanna keep in touch with the team and yourself! Love you guys!

Something along those lines.

Trust me, they wont keep you in for long. If your manager starts asking you what it is youre getting there that you wont in this job, then just state accordingly. Dont go into too much detail.

If you get asked what company/wage/etc - Just say unfortunately you cant divulge that information youve been requested of this.

Break it to your team. Look above someone put a good letter for you and typed it out, one about holidays, so write a letter aswell and make sure you hand it in.

These are all rough guidelines, just tailor it to suit your personality.


FYI - You dont need to say nothing as some have mentioned. There is nothing wrong with this approach. Its just not for you

DCFC79

Just hand your notice in as you would do for any other job,

Judith_W

OP can you clarify if you have to give 4 weeks or 4 months notice as you are talking about giving 6 weeks (2 weeks more than you need to give).

If 4 months just mention that you know your graduate scheme is finishing.

If 4 weeks, just bite the bullet. I get the impression you wouldn't want to come and work back here so it is short term pain for long term gain and many others have done it before you.

KingJohn_2

wapow wrote: »

Alot of points raised here.
Some of them are in contrast yet they are both correct.

First of all, let me say that some managers and people are vicious and they will look for an excuse to sack you if they find out that you are leaving soon.

This happens at all levels of business. Believe.

Also, as people have said, if the company is going down the trotter then loyalties are out of the window mate. They will rid of you end of.

Anyway look,

You clearly are not at the mental stage yet where you can just hand your notice in and have the confidence to move on.

Youre giving alot of thought to this so here is your best option -

The 6 week thing is a good idea.

Find out how much notice you have to give first of all. Then what you want to do first is ask your manager to sit down with you because you want to talk to him/her.

Just say simply that for your personal development you are looking at a different career path and you have found a job that offers this and therefore you will be taking on this new role. Thanks for the time skills etc etc. I really hope we can keep in touch for the future as your experience and knowledge will be invaluable....plus i still wanna keep in touch with the team and yourself! Love you guys!

Something along those lines.

Trust me, they wont keep you in for long. If your manager starts asking you what it is youre getting there that you wont in this job, then just state accordingly. Dont go into too much detail.

If you get asked what company/wage/etc - Just say unfortunately you cant divulge that information youve been requested of this.

Break it to your team. Look above someone put a good letter for you and typed it out, one about holidays, so write a letter aswell and make sure you hand it in.

These are all rough guidelines, just tailor it to suit your personality.


FYI - You dont need to say nothing as some have mentioned. There is nothing wrong with this approach. Its just not for you

Thanks for the great advice.

So you would advise not telling them where I am going to?

I was wondering this as obviously they will ask, but I wouldn't want anything to jeopordise my new job.

Cheers

unsure

You don't really have much to lose. You are in a job you don't like with a firm you don't like who are offering you no satisfactory career progression and who, from your comments, seem to expect unquestioning loyalty which you are not prepared to give.

If you have secured another job ( do be 100% sure!) then you clearly have marketable skills which have been recognised elsewhere. Your concerns really seem to be that you feel bad about having "gone behind their backs" to get another job - how else could you have done it?

The only problem I could see would be if you've had regular reviews and never indicated at any point that you were unhappy with the situation. If that's the case, they can reasonably ask "why didn't you say something before?" To which your answer might be; "I really wanted to make it work. I didn't want to let anyone down so I tried to tough it out and hope things would get better, but it didn't happen and, in the end, I was forced to accept I had to make a change." It's the equivalent of the breakup speech:
"It's me not you - you're a wonderful company and employer and you will find your dream employee one day. I'm just sorry it can't be me, but we don't fit together well and it's better for both of us to see that now. I'll always be grateful. goodbye."!!!

You've made your decision so now hold your nerve and see it through then move on.

Stay professional and don't let things get personal.

When the time comes either see them personally or send a letter (have the letter ready anyway since that usually states your formal resignation and states notice period, leaving date etc...the sort of details that can get lost in a difficult personal conversation). Thank them for the opportunity they have given you and say that you have now had sufficient time and experience to appreciate that it is not for you long term and you are therefore tendering your resignation.

I would not actually go into details about another job. If they ask, just say once you realised you needed to make a change you started looking around and have been fortunate to secure something you think will suit you better. No sensible employer wants to keep an employee who doesn't want to stay, and you clearly don't want to. They can't really expect all their graduate recruits to work out for them and stay long term (even if they say so) so it may be less of an issue than you think.
If they are a good employer they might even want to know why you are leaving to help them with future recruitment/retention.

It sounds to me the only real difficulty is the awkwardness you feel about telling them. That will only get worse worrying about it for weeks. It's a bullet you will have to bite in order to get where/what you want. Get the dates/terms sorted clearly and then make your move firmly and politely to your timetable.

wapow

KingJohn wrote: »

Thanks for the great advice.

So you would advise not telling them where I am going to?

I was wondering this as obviously they will ask, but I wouldn't want anything to jeopordise my new job.

Cheers

If you're asked, you can mention the company - it wont be an issue. If they start probing as to wage and shifts and manager names, department etc, just say this has not been discussed yet. But will be discussed closer to start date.