Accepting new job/quitting old job...someone walk me through?

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Received a job offer. Need be returned within 3 days. So I did so yesterday. However, I haven't submitted the resignation letter because I am still waiting for background check and drug test result.

Do people usually accept new job and put in a two-weeks notice at the same time? What if the background check fails? You lose both job?

I actually submitted to background check and drug test on Monday before returning the signed offer yesterday. I told the new employer that I will put in my resignation letter only after everything is fine. I feel a bit like an idiot now because I feel I can still negotiate on my offer while waiting for the result.

So how do you guys handle situation like this?

 

[jaedaliu]

Well, you kind of did sign the offer letter. It'll be tough to renegotiate now that you've already accepted their offer. Feel free to try, but that's some bad faith BS if you ask me. Heck, HR departments dislike it when you try to negotiate after the official offer letter is already sent. As a courtesy to the guy in HR completing your paperwork, it's nice to accept the offer letter after you're done negotiating.

All that aside, don't tell your current job that you've accepted the offer until your background/drug checks go through. You can give your current boss 2 weeks once your stuff is official, and set your start date for the new job after that. (If your finances can handle it, and you have something else to do, take some time off between jobs. Time that is completely mine is pretty rare these days.)

 

[amdhunter]

Do what I would do.

Take an emergency 2 week vacation for when you start your new job. If you don't like the new job, you can quit it and return to your old job with no problem.

If you like the new job, quit your old one with no notice.

 

[Krazy4Real]

Do what I would do.

Take an emergency 2 week vacation for when you start your new job. If you don't like the new job, you can quit it and return to your old job with no problem.

If you like the new job, quit your old one with no notice.

LOL! That is such an asshole move.

 

[purbeast0]

don't give your two weeks notice until your background check goes through. im sure the offer letter you signed was contingent on your background check coming back clean anyways. this is pretty standard stuff.

the odd part is that they paid for a background check and drug test before you even accepted the offer. that doesn't sound right at all.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Well, you kind of did sign the offer letter. It'll be tough to renegotiate now that you've already accepted their offer. Feel free to try, but that's some bad faith BS if you ask me. Heck, HR departments dislike it when you try to negotiate after the official offer letter is already sent. As a courtesy to the guy in HR completing your paperwork, it's nice to accept the offer letter after you're done negotiating.

Well, the headhunter did the negotiation so I didn't have any input. Once I was told the salary, I asked for further negotiation but the headhunter felt this was the best she can do.

The HR called to give me a brief walk through of the position and the company, I didn't tell the HR that I wasn't 100% happy with the negotiation because I wasn't not sure if I should go around my headhunter for negotiation.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

don't give your two weeks notice until your background check goes through. im sure the offer letter you signed was contingent on your background check coming back clean anyways. this is pretty standard stuff.

the odd part is that they paid for a background check and drug test before you even accepted the offer. that doesn't sound right at all.

Well, the drug test, background check and offer letter were all emailed to me at the same time. They were under very tight deadline (within 2-3 days of offer)...so I went through them before returning the signed offer. This is the part I wasn't sure either. Can they rescind offer if I don't return within 2-3 days?

 

[Farang]

Well, the headhunter did the negotiation so I didn't have any input. Once I was told the salary, I asked for further negotiation but the headhunter felt this was the best she can do.

The HR called to give me a brief walk through of the position and the company, I didn't tell the HR that I wasn't 100% happy with the negotiation but not sure if I should go around my headhunter for negotiation.

You had input with the headhunter. An offer is the hardest thing a headhunter can get. Candidates are a dime a dozen. While they will try to get you as much as possible, really the only reason they do that is so it's easier to close you. The extra $5k or whatever is not a huge deal to them.

You would blow up this whole thing if you tried to renegotiate at this point.

Important to remember who pays the headhunters bills. They work for their client, not you.

<--former headhunter

 

[jaedaliu]

Well, the headhunter did the negotiation so I didn't have any input. Once I was told the salary, I asked for further negotiation but the headhunter felt this was the best she can do.

The HR called to give me a brief walk through of the position and the company, I didn't tell the HR that I wasn't 100% happy with the negotiation but not sure if I should go around my headhunter for negotiation.

Sounds like your problem is between you and your headhunter. Are you a direct, permanent hire? who's paying your salary directly to you? If it's a yes, and the company you're going to be working for, you might have a chance by talking directly to HR, but I would imagine that it's probably too late, and might look bad for you to change your mind after accepting.

If the salary is truly too low, go ahead and ask, and if they don't budge, withdraw your acceptance and keep working at your current job.

 

[jaedaliu]

Well, the drug test, background check and offer letter were all emailed to me at the same time. They were all under very tight deadline (within 2-3 days of offer)...so I went through them before returning the signed offer. This is the part I wasn't sure either. Can they rescind offer if I don't return within 2-3 days?

yes. I'm surprised the offer letter doesn't have an expiration date. Heck, they could cancel your position the day before you start if they wanted to.

 

[SunnyD]

LOL! That is such an asshole move.

To be fair, when your employer terminates you for whatever reason (layoffs, downsizing, performance, jerking off all over their keyboard, etc.)... you, the employee usually end up walking out the door saying something similar about what your employer just did to what you just said.

Tit for tat, no?

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Maybe I am just being paranoid. But I feel like everyone who passed by my office this morning had a weird look on me...I am guessing the new employer already called in to verify employment.

 

[Midwayman]

Do what I would do.

Take an emergency 2 week vacation for when you start your new job. If you don't like the new job, you can quit it and return to your old job with no problem.

If you like the new job, quit your old one with no notice.

Smart if you don't mind burning bridges. Either way don't tell the old work anything until you're 100% certain you're starting.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Do what I would do.

Take an emergency 2 week vacation for when you start your new job. If you don't like the new job, you can quit it and return to your old job with no problem.

If you like the new job, quit your old one with no notice.

OP, don't do this.

 

[Corporate Thug]

To be fair, when your employer terminates you for whatever reason (layoffs, downsizing, performance, jerking off all over their keyboard, etc.)... you, the employee usually end up walking out the door saying something similar about what your employer just did to what you just said.

Tit for tat, no?

Kind of different situation as in most cases you will rely on the employer for a reference but when they get ride of you, they aren't relying on you for shit.

 

[dougp]

Kind of different situation as in most cases you will rely on the employer for a reference but when they get ride of you, they aren't relying on you for shit.

AFAIK, when an employer contacts a previous company, all they can do is say that the employee worked there, no? They can't divulge anything other than title and employment duration. Unless you're using your boss or someone else up the food chain as a direct reference, there's no way "legally" for an employer to know you walked.

Probably wrong but this is how I understood it - but I'm not in HR.

 

[Corporate Thug]

AFAIK, when an employer contacts a previous company, all they can do is say that the employee worked there, no? They can't divulge anything other than title and employment duration. Unless you're using your boss or someone else up the food chain as a direct reference, there's no way "legally" for an employer to know you walked.

Probably wrong but this is how I understood it - but I'm not in HR.

There are no restrictions that I am aware aware of as long its its truthful

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/backgroundcheck/f/whatemployerscansay.htm

Employers tend to air on a side of caution because they don't want potential liability for defamation, etc. But to say someone left without notice isn't even an opinion.

As a practical matter, I would hate to sweat out the possibility of what my former employer would say because I was too bone headed to give proper notice...it's not rocket science!

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

So when does counter offer come into play?

I am just wondering the logistics of things to happen. If I ask the current employer to match, if they don't, I would quit the job. But what if the drug test fails? Wouldn't I lose both job? It's almost impossible to know the background check and drug test result before asking for a counter offer. Or do you guys ask for a counter offer without threatening to quit the job?

 

[Midwayman]

AFAIK, when an employer contacts a previous company, all they can do is say that the employee worked there, no? They can't divulge anything other than title and employment duration. Unless you're using your boss or someone else up the food chain as a direct reference, there's no way "legally" for an employer to know you walked.

Probably wrong but this is how I understood it - but I'm not in HR.

IIRC they can say more, but risk a suit if you end up not getting hired.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

So when does counter offer come into play?

I am just wondering the logistics of things to happen. If I ask the current employer to match, if they don't, I would quit the job. But what if the drug test fails? Wouldn't I lose both job? It's almost impossible to know the background check and drug test result before asking for a counter offer. Or do you guys ask for a counter offer without threatening to quit the job?

Do you seriously not know what the result of the BG check and/or Drug Test will be? ()

It's not ridiculous to let it slip that you're looking and see if your boss gets the hint.

 

[jaedaliu]

You can tell your boss that you got an offer and are considering it. If he doesn't offer the raise, and you don't get the job in the end, just tell him the original job is better.

 

[Kadarin]

don't give your two weeks notice until your background check goes through. im sure the offer letter you signed was contingent on your background check coming back clean anyways. this is pretty standard stuff.

the odd part is that they paid for a background check and drug test before you even accepted the offer. that doesn't sound right at all.

For my current job, I accepted a verbal offer, and signed the written offer letter after the background check passed.

 

[Krazy4Real]

To be fair, when your employer terminates you for whatever reason (layoffs, downsizing, performance, jerking off all over their keyboard, etc.)... you, the employee usually end up walking out the door saying something similar about what your employer just did to what you just said.

Tit for tat, no?

Very true, but I just don't believe in burning bridges. You never know when you might run across somebody again or need some help. References later down the road can mean the difference between you or another really good candidate getting your dream job.

 

[KentState]

Very true, but I just don't believe in burning bridges. You never know when you might run across somebody again or need some help. References later down the road can mean the difference between you or another really good candidate getting your dream job.

Depends on who you are leaving and why. I would never want to deal with the current management or industry I'm in again. Then again, this place is a revolving door, and I'm on my 8th boss in 11 months.

 

[purbeast0]

So when does counter offer come into play?

I am just wondering the logistics of things to happen. If I ask the current employer to match, if they don't, I would quit the job. But what if the drug test fails? Wouldn't I lose both job? It's almost impossible to know the background check and drug test result before asking for a counter offer. Or do you guys ask for a counter offer without threatening to quit the job?

you don't wanna even consider a counter offer. google counter offers and you will see how much of a bad idea it is.

you are obviously looking for a job because you are not happy at your current job. no amount of money will give you long term happiness there. sure if you did accept a counter offer it would be nice for a bit, but then you will just remember all the reasons you were looking for a job in the first place are still there and that you are miserable.