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Q: When to quit? ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   2 Comments )
Question  
Subject: When to quit?
Category: Business and Money > Employment
Asked by: routerx-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 14 Oct 2003 15:42 PDT
Expires: 13 Nov 2003 14:42 PST
Question ID: 266284
I'm looking for business etiquette advice.  I currently work as a
Network Engineer for a company that I've been employed with for 2.5
years.  Next summer, I plan to enter the Seminary to become a Pastor. 
This company has a lot of faith in me and gives me great
responsibilities.  My problem is that if I wait for 1 month before I
leave to tell them I'm quitting, they may be put in a real bind.  If I
tell them now, they may just fire me and I'd be probably stuck without
work until next summer.  How do most handle this situation appropriately?
Answer  
Subject: Re: When to quit?
Answered By: omniscientbeing-ga on 14 Oct 2003 16:10 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
routerx-ga,

The standard advance notice time to give employers in the U.S is two
weeks. To give more than two weeks (or whatever the standard time is
in your country--perhaps 1 month) is a courtesy gesture to give them
more time to make arrangements to replace you. (The exception to this
might be very highly compensated positions with contract clauses
regarding termination notice). However, giving them more than the
standard amount of time also means they may find someone sooner rather
than later, and replace you earlier than you had anticipated on
leaving. This is especially true of positions that are dificult to
fill. You may give them 2 months notice, and a week later they locate
a suitable candidate and may decide to hire him/her right then and let
you go early, out of fear of not finding anyone more quaififed around
your planned exit date.

It comes down to how much you value the compensation the job provides
you through next summer. If you're in the U.S. and give them 1 month
notice, that's a nice gesture in and of itself, and that's what I
would do. If you're in a country where 1 month is the norm, then maybe
consider giving 6 weeks notice, but I would give no more than that, if
you want to hang onto the job until summer.

Keep in mind also that the actual duties of your job may change
significantly once you give notice. They will no longer consider you
for long term projects, and you may be excluded from certain meetings.
In short, you'll be a "walking dead man," that they are only looking
to replace, even if regretably so. You may even end up training your
successor rather than doing whatever it is  you've been doing the last
2.5 years.

If it were me, I would give 1 month's notice if in the U.S., which is
twice as long as required, barring any special contracts or hiring
clauses. If the norm in your country is 1 month, I would give 6 weeks
notice. Any more than that and you seriously jeopardize having the
income until you leave for the Seminary.

Don't forget to look out for yourself when making your graceful exit.

The following advice board deals with this subject:

[ http://www.workingwounded.com/advice/display_message.asp?mid=5823 ].

Google search strategy:

Keywords,

"2 weeks job notice":
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=2+weeks+job+notice&btnG=Google+Search

Sincerely,

omniscientbeing-ga
Google Answers Researcher
routerx-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars and gave an additional tip of: $1.00
Excellent opinion and research.  I will take this advice.

Comments  
Subject: Re: When to quit?
From: omniscientbeing-ga on 14 Oct 2003 20:31 PDT
 
Thanks routerx-ga!

omniscientbeing-ga
Subject: Re: When to quit?
From: shikibobo-ga on 15 Oct 2003 14:10 PDT
 
Here's what you'll learn at seminary (I hope!): ask God and then do
what He tells you. Meanwhile, the 1-month rule is good advice. Of
course you're not legally required to give any notice at all, but if
possible you want to exit in a good way. And I agree that you don't
want to give your employer a reason to fire you until you're ready to
leave. I've been in the situation you describe more than once and 1
month notice is a nice courtesy. As a Christian your testimony is
everything, so work hard through your last day, but once you're gone,
your company will get along quite well without you. Have your boxes
packed the day you give your notice, and be prepared to be totally
ignored while you serve out your notice. Above all, make your decision
and don't fret about it between now and implementation. (1 Peter 5:7,
Philippians 4:6, Matt 6:25, John 16:13)

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