I resigned from my job today

[Koing]

I resigned from my job today.

Preface:
Not particularly happy at job. Job is kind of mundane (System Test Engineer) but the people are great.
50mins each way commute isn't great.
Salary was grossly underpaid

Performance review time: I knew I had been doing great work. Negotiated a big raise and 2 weeks off in August and got it. The performance review was great also. Boss doesn't know that I am looking elsewhere or that I am not entirely happy at work.

Project slips a bit and I ask for a 3rd week off and I get it on the condition that I may have to work some Saturdays.

A few round of interviews at another company and I get an offer, and today I resigned. Boss was shocked. I resigned by calling in as I'm on holiday (doing a kids summer camp) and wanted to use up some of this holiday period as my 4 week notice period also. Not sure where HR stand on that one but worth a try. The resignation letter was sent in the post today also.

He asks me why I didn't tell him in the performance review. And how long I had been looking elsewhere.

My thinking is it would have been career suicide to tell him I wasn't happy at work. I did tell him I wanted more challenging, technical work though in the performance review. The new job wasn't guaranteed so I wanted more £££ in the mean time. He probably wouldn't have given me the big raise had he known this and if I wasn't able to land another job soon I'd get the shaft.

How would you have played it?

This is my first real job after I graduated last year (KFC, temping jobs and summer camp don't count ). I have been at this job since 5th July2005.

Yes sorry it is a bit long and no poll as I wanted feedback and experiences from you guys. For the record nearly everyone I have spoken to agree what I have done was the right thing.

Thanks.
Koing

 

[Baked]

Very smooth. What's the pay difference at the new job?

 

[Maximus96]

i would do the same. in fact, i am doing the same right now. That?s how it works in the real world, start a job, get experience find new offer, then quit for more money.

 

[warbean]

well played sir

 

[zixxer]

I would do the same.


Companies will screw employees so fast it would make your head spin (If you've never seen it). In these times you can't worry about the company.




That being said - don't burn bridges

 

[zerocool1]

I think you handled it well.

 

[OutHouse]

I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

I don't think you handle it well. The company has basically given you everything you asked for. Big raise and 3 weeks off. Ok, the job isn't challenging enough but that's what the promotion is for. Once you get promoted, you get more responsibility and hopefully more challenging job.

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: Citrix
I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

it doesn't matter what he did or did not do. hes got a new job lined up and ready to go. as long as the OP don't burn bridges everything will be fine.

 

[Strk]

It sounds like you handled it pretty well.

 

[lozina]

wait, you consider your vacation time as part of your 'notice period' - did I read that correctly? If so I'd say that's a pretty unethical thing to do. I would say it shoud be a notice period during which you are at work so you can help 'de-couple' yourself from the company and perhaps show the ropes to the guy replacing you and what-not. Otherwise why not just abruptly quit anyway?

 

[z0mb13]

Originally posted by: Citrix
I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

he didnt have a new job yet back then.. stupid move to tell stuff that would jeopardize his old position

anyways koing, gg!

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Baked
Very smooth. What's the pay difference at the new job?

Hmmmm...are you being sarcastic? Sorry I have been working with kids for the best part of 9.5hrs today and I am beat. Trained also and lifted amazing so I am definately beat.

It is ~ the same £££ with benefits included but travel time is a lot less. 10minute leisurely cycle or 6minute fast ride as oppose to 50minutes in a car . 1hr for lunch and not 30minutes.

But the main thing is job prospects look A LOT better :thumbsup:

Koing

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: lozina
wait, you consider your vacation time as part of your 'notice period' - did I read that correctly? If so I'd say that's a pretty unethical thing to do. I would say it shoud be a notice period during which you are at work so you can help 'de-couple' yourself from the company and perhaps show the ropes to the guy replacing you and what-not. Otherwise why not just abruptly quit anyway?

Agreed. Such a thing could cause havoc...

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: zixxer
I would do the same.


Companies will screw employees so fast it would make your head spin (If you've never seen it). In these times you can't worry about the company.

That being said - don't burn bridges

Yes they fired a contractor guy. He has 1 weeks notice in his contract as he is a contractor, and he paid out for 6months rent on a house so he'll get shafted out of the month that he won't be staying in . Nice guy also and the company just booted him out.

I definaely won't burn any bridges but just wanted to get out and do something else.

Koing

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: IHAVEAQUESTION
I don't think you handle it well. The company has basically given you everything you asked for. Big raise and 3 weeks off. Ok, the job isn't challenging enough but that's what the promotion is for. Once you get promoted, you get more responsibility and hopefully more challenging job.

It will be the same job but for more £££. I don't want to do the same job and I really did want to leave. Thats the 'joke' about the place. Title goes from:

Trainee, Junior, Normal, Senior.

You do the same thing at all the levels just a title change.

Koing

 

[E equals MC2]

What reference did you use if you only had one real job (the one you resigned from) after college?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: E equals MC2
What reference did you use if you only had one real job (the one you resigned from) after college?

this could pose a problem....

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: lozina
wait, you consider your vacation time as part of your 'notice period' - did I read that correctly? If so I'd say that's a pretty unethical thing to do. I would say it shoud be a notice period during which you are at work so you can help 'de-couple' yourself from the company and perhaps show the ropes to the guy replacing you and what-not. Otherwise why not just abruptly quit anyway?

Well thats the thing, I'm not sure about it. Either way before this holiday I took I had not used any of my 25 days holiday a year. I was saving it all up.

If it is against policy to use holiday period up for my 4 weeks notice I will work the 4 weeks notice period. I thought that companies didn't like to pay you holiday if you weren't actually working for them? And just had it eat in to your notice period? This is my first real job so this is why I am not sure and I think it various by company to company also.

Koing

 

[yowolabi]

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Citrix
I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

he didnt have a new job yet back then.. stupid move to tell stuff that would jeopardize his old position

anyways koing, gg!

Exactly, the company looks out for it's interests, you have to look out for yours. Telling a company that you're thinking of leaving before you have anything lined up, pretty much gurantees that you won't advance anymore within that company. Then you have to leave, whether you want to or not.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Citrix
I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

he didnt have a new job yet back then.. stupid move to tell stuff that would jeopardize his old position

anyways koing, gg!

Thats bascially what I was thinking.

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: E equals MC2
What reference did you use if you only had one real job (the one you resigned from) after college?

this could pose a problem....

I used my current job as a reference. I think the HR of the other company were smart enough to not actually use it until after I was given the job, seeing as it is a Graduate position I don't think they were going to check much of it out if they weren't serious about me?

Koing

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Koing

Originally posted by: lozina
wait, you consider your vacation time as part of your 'notice period' - did I read that correctly? If so I'd say that's a pretty unethical thing to do. I would say it shoud be a notice period during which you are at work so you can help 'de-couple' yourself from the company and perhaps show the ropes to the guy replacing you and what-not. Otherwise why not just abruptly quit anyway?

Well thats the thing, I'm not sure about it. Either way before this holiday I took I had not used any of my 25 days holiday a year. I was saving it all up.

If it is against policy to use holiday period up for my 4 weeks notice I will work the 4 weeks notice period. I thought that companies didn't like to pay you holiday if you weren't actually working for them? And just had it eat in to your notice period? This is my first real job so this is why I am not sure and I think it various by company to company also.

Koing

"I thought" can get you into trouble if that is not what "they had written"

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Koing

Originally posted by: z0mb13

Originally posted by: Citrix
I dunno if you handled it well. i think you should have told him during your review that you werent happy.

he didnt have a new job yet back then.. stupid move to tell stuff that would jeopardize his old position

anyways koing, gg!

Thats bascially what I was thinking.

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: E equals MC2
What reference did you use if you only had one real job (the one you resigned from) after college?

this could pose a problem....

I used my current job as a reference. I think the HR of the other company were smart enough to not actually use it until after I was given the job, seeing as it is a Graduate position I don't think they were going to check much of it out if they weren't serious about me?

Koing

I don't know man....I would tread lightly

 

[sygyzy]

Where is the confusion here? Seriously. You obviously did the right thing. This is not rocket science. I think 99% of the people would agree. Maybe if you feel this much anxiety and regret over quitting, you shouldn't have done it.

 

[DAGTA]

In the future, I'd recommend waiting to give a resignation notice until you can do it in person. Giving it over the phone while on vacation is a good way to burn bridges in many places.

Congrats on the new job!