When you take a job as a stopgap....

lady_fuschia

Just a few questions:
If you apply for or take a job that's ostensibly permanent, but you know it's only short-term and have no intention of trying to progress with that company/ career (either because it's just a stopgap until you find something you really want to do, or because you have other plans such as going back to college next September, or because you're studying part-time for another career path) is it better to be honest with your boss and colleagues, whether at interview, once you start, or in appraisals etc, or to keep quiet about it in case they decide not to give you the job/ treat you less well in view of your plans?
Also at what point in advance of your plan to leave should you come clean? Is it better to indicate your plans ahead of your official notice period just as a sort of goodwill gesture? Should you let your current boss/ colleagues know that you're applying for other jobs?

I'd be interested to know other's thoughts/ experiences on this.
Thanks.

Savvy_Sue

Tricky ...

If it was me with my employee's hat on, I think I'd keep quiet as long as I could, although I might talk about my longer term plans in vague terms. It would depend on the employer how far ahead I made it known that I was leaving to go to college etc. If I thought it would cause trouble, I'd keep quiet and just give notice. If I thought they would be happy for me (and perhaps offer me work in holidays!) I might give more notice. But although they can't pay you less than your minimum notice, if you give 2 months notice they could say "Sorry we only need 1 month", and you're a month's wages down.

Not quite the same situation, but I knew that I was moving about a year before we actually moved, so I spent the whole time making "When I've gone" noises and that was fine, given the kind of work I was doing and the people around me.

As an employer, if you were honest with me up front I might not take you on if I knew you weren't planning to stay at least a year. BUT on the other hand I might be desperate, and if you were good and there wasn't too much training to do, I might take a chance and even hope you might stay longer - after all, people's plans sometimes fall through.

As for giving me 'unofficial' notice, then that might be helpful, but in a lot of the places I've worked you can't do anything about recruiting until the person's officially in their notice period - in case they change their mind.

The other thing is that if your attitude ever comes across as "this is only a stopgap, I'm not really interested in this job or progressing in this company" then that may communicate itself, and your chances disappear!

Liz33

After 7 years of working and being loyal in a company who are trying to shaft everyone out now! I would say think of yourself and not tell them anything until you are sure you are going and are ready to hand in your notice. Although I do agree savvy_sue in part because if you get on really well and think they will be happy for you then it should be fine to tell them in advance.

When I employ people however I wouldn't take on someone who tells me they are not planning on staying long in the the interview. Unless the role is only short term anyway.

lady_fuschia

Hmm that's what I thought. In my current job I've kind of played it safe, I've never purposely given the impression that I'm in it for the long haul or been purposely secretive - more of "Don't ask don't tell" approach - but I also worry about the impression of just one day going "right, I'm off!" especially when it would be obvious that I must have known about it for a long while.
In a way I think getting on well with the people you work with makes it a bit more difficult!
It's also potentially a problem in terms of getting references.
I suppose the same issue comes up anytime you want to apply for a new job - do you tell your employers when you're looking for something else? What happens if they get the reference request through the post before you tell them?!

daphne_descends

Keep it to yourself.

You are no different to candidate B - he or she might be picturing a five year stint at company X but life gets in the way, and you just never know. You might change your mind, just as candidate B can.

Don't do yourself a disservice and give the employer a reason to choose B over you, when B for all they know might be planning the same as you but keeping their mouth shut!

It would put me off employing you if I knew because the application, selection, and interview process is tedious, time consuming, and expensive. Then you've to think about induction and training and all that goes with it...

It's none of their business if you're thinking of leaving either. You could do yourself damage by broadcasting it and people will get sick of hearing it - what if it takes you six months to find something?

lady_fuschia

Good points. The only thing that concerns me would be in terms of leaving a good impression. In my last job a few people left very suddenly, which seemed to make the manager think less of them - which might not be good in terms of references.
I guess it depends a bit on the job in question.

Savvy_Sue

lady_fuschia wrote: »

Good points. The only thing that concerns me would be in terms of leaving a good impression. In my last job a few people left very suddenly, which seemed to make the manager think less of them - which might not be good in terms of references.
I guess it depends a bit on the job in question.

"Left very suddenly" as in didn't work their full notice because they had holiday owed to them and wanted it as leave rather than as pay? Or "left very suddenly" as in walked out without giving full notice?

I'd think less of someone who walked out without giving full notice and would feel entitled to comment on that in their reference - it's a fact, and it is relevant to a new employer, IMO!

But while I might be a bit peeved by someone who gave notice and then took some as holiday rather than working it, I would feel it unprofessional to comment on such a thing in a reference.

MrsJ2008

Hi, keep it to yourself. Once you start you might not like it and leave anyway.

Or you could change your mind about your future and stay.

If you'd prefer to be honest, why don't you sign up with an agency & tell them that you don't want any permanent positions.

In the end do what you want to do. If your honest & they don't want you, it's their problem.

Good luck for the future x