Question on handing in notice

sortofwinning

Hi, I just posted another question on employment but this one fits into a different category so I’m posting this separately.
I have had to contact a solicitor as I’ve been bullied for a year and a half by a large no of people in my workplace and the management know about it and are covering it up. I have an interview for a potential new job this coming Wednesday.
Can someone tell me what the procedure is for handing in your notice? It’s not that I’m jumping the gun here, I know I’ve only got the same chance as everyone else for getting the job, but my circumstances are different from theirs. An employment law solicitor has told me I could legally get a bad reference from my employers, such as that I didn’t get along with my colleagues. So I can’t tell my current employers that I’m leaving until I have an unconditional offer from any future employers – is this the normal way of doing things? I can’t spell out to future employers, “OK, you might get a bad reference about me, so I’m not handing in my notice until I’m sure that you have read my references and you are still going to employ me.” So is it normal for them to send a letter saying, “We are offering you the job and are going to ask for references, “ and then I can reply saying, “No problem, please let me know when the offer is unconditional,” or what is the protocol for doing this? I’ve never actually done this before, the majority of my previous jobs were temping jobs.
Thanks.

sangie595

It is perfectly normal, and only wise, to not hand in your resignation until you have an unconditional offer. Not that an unconditional offer means very much, because there is still nothing / very little that you can do if it is withdrawn.

A reference can be bad - it is required to be true, not good, but "true" covers quite a large grey area.

Undervalued

sangie595 wrote: »

It is perfectly normal, and only wise, to not hand in your resignation until you have an unconditional offer. Not that an unconditional offer means very much, because there is still nothing / very little that you can do if it is withdrawn.

A reference can be bad - it is required to be true, not good, but "true" covers quite a large grey area.

Exactly.

That is a point that is all too often forgotten. In certain, generally high level, "head hunted" situations it is possible to agree contractual terms that can protect against that risk but it is almost impossible if you have simply "applied for a job".

robatwork

Normal:
Interview
Job offer verbal
Job offer written
You accept verbal
You accept in writing
You give notice in writing
They take up references in writing
Possibly follow up references verbally with current employer but unlikely
You start after working your notice

I am not sure what an unconditional offer is.
Are you after a letter saying "This is a job offer, we are totally happy with you as a person and no matter what comes to light subsequently you will be working here in 1 month"?

You will be waiting a long time to get that letter.

Sanne

robatwork wrote: »

I am not sure what an unconditional offer is.

The conditional offer is usually the one made after interview, subject to receiving x (usually 2) satisfactory references.

After receipt of these, the job offer becomes unconditional.

Some employers will explicitly confirm this, others won't (50/50 for my employers to date).

OP - it is normal to only hand in your notice when references have been confirmed. I must admit I've done both though, on two occasions I have handed in my notice before references were taken up but then I was as certain as I could be that they'd be fine. And, as was previously mentioned, there's nothing protecting you even after an unconditional offer anyway (and the first two years, but that's a different story).

[Deleted User]

My last experience went something like this

New position confirmed verbally and in writing.

Go to employer to be left who ask me to facilitate a leave as quickly as possible if I am intent on leaving. (It was quite a sensitive exposure job so I can't blame them as they would have struggled to find lighter duties)
As also is their right if I were to look at the gov links on employer handing notice. https://www.gov.uk/handling-staff-resignations
Ex employer even sent me a letter confirming discussion.

I could have sat twiddling my thumbs for a couple of weeks.

Though have to say in this time, I received from the new employer, a pre signed contract to be returned before I start, along with new starter check list filled out, my offer says satisfaction of 2 references though I'm not asked to provide any of this in paperwork to be returned in advance so I'll have them ready when I turn up to induction on the very best behaviour with the same risk everybody takes with a new job.

Find an employer recruiting on mass and you'd worry less.

sortofwinning

Thanks very much for your help everyone. Yes, Robatwork, that's what I thought was normal!! As mentioned, I've never actually handed in my notice in order to move onto another job. Nearly all my jobs were temping ones, and the only permanent one I had, I had to hand in my notice due to ill health and not move on to another job. So I really haven't a clue what to expect but thanks again for everyone's help, this has helped a lot.