Resign before being sacked

manuski

A friend started a new job 6 weeks ago - it hasn't gone very well. I will spare you the details but she had a meeting today - whilst on suspension - with her boss and HR and it looks extremely likely she will be dismissed in a few days time. Rather than be sacked and potentially receiving a bad reference, is it worth her resigning with immediate effect? 

Brie

Some future employers will be reluctant to hire someone who has been fired.  They will however take on someone who quit because a "job didn't fit".  Finance industry is like that.  Then again will she get needed benefits if she's seen to have willingly left a job.  

References are likely to be no more than "X worked here from this date to that date."

Hoenir

If the situation is irretreivable. Then yes resign. The matter can then be closed. 

MattMattMattUK

manuski said:

A friend started a new job 6 weeks ago - it hasn't gone very well. I will spare you the details but she had a meeting today - whilst on suspension - with her boss and HR and it looks extremely likely she will be dismissed in a few days time. Rather than be sacked and potentially receiving a bad reference, is it worth her resigning with immediate effect? 

As others have said "it is complicated". As your friend has been there less than two years they can get rid of her very easily, but from what you are saying, the fact she has been suspended and will be dismissed, makes it seem like there is a lot more to this, if they wanted to get rid of her because she did not fit or she was not good enough they would have just shown her the door and that would be the end of it, the fact that they has suspended her and are following a disaplinary process suggests something far more serious. Does your friend work in a regulated profession, finance, medicine or is there a potential criminal element to this?

manuski

No criminal element whatsoever, she worked in an education setting. So resigning better we think? 

EnPointe

manuski said:

No criminal element whatsoever, she worked in an education setting. So resigning better we think? 

Education ? 

resigning   and   a factual statement  in reference of 'resigned  while under  investigation' may  be a bigger issue  than ' dismissed as failed probation' 

manuski

Look they think she hasn't met the standards required, and also she had a run in with another colleague hence the suspension. She feels she has been very harshly treated but she is on probation and has very little rights. It feels tough not only to lose your job but to also then be in the position of possibly receiving a negative reference to hinder your chances of getting another. 

Marcon

manuski said:

Look they think she hasn't met the standards required, and also she had a run in with another colleague hence the suspension. She feels she has been very harshly treated but she is on probation and has very little rights. It feels tough not only to lose your job but to also then be in the position of possibly receiving a negative reference to hinder your chances of getting another. 

The reference - assuming they are willing to give one at all - is likely to be the same whether she resigns or is dismissed. It isn't going to look good either way.

She might well believe she has been harshly treated, but being suspended because of a run in with a colleague so soon after her arrival means the employer thought it was pretty serious. Depending on what actually happened (and remember you may not have been given a full and impartial account), then maybe she needs to try and learn from it to avoid any chance of repetition?

Ivrytwr3

She was there 6 weeks, does she really need a reference? Just miss it off the CV.

Marcon

Ivrytwr3 said:

She was there 6 weeks, does she really need a reference? Just miss it off the CV.

If she's working in education it'll show up on any future record check.

DullGreyGuy

EnPointe said:

manuski said:

No criminal element whatsoever, she worked in an education setting. So resigning better we think? 

Education ? 

resigning   and   a factual statement  in reference of 'resigned  while under  investigation' may  be a bigger issue  than ' dismissed as failed probation' 

Would be a bigger issue in more settings than just education. 

The problem is that references are normally that limited and so whilst neither is great the reviewer of the reference is left to make their own assumptions on what was "under investigation" and if falling on ones own sword is a sign of guilt. Easier to explain that you just didnt fit in the other environment and why that won't happen again this time than to convince an interviewer that you didnt think the disciplinary process was fair hence jumping