ALT-1 How to Tie up Loose Ends before you Resign
Before you resign at work make sure that you have not left any loose ends. Some things may seem trivial but it would be a shame for them to put a blot on your good reputation.
It may seem obvious but a good place to start is ensuring that a job offer is definite. It's always worth making sure that your prospective employer really has offered you a position in the company, before you jump ship. After an interview some firms verbally inform you that you will be offered the job. If this happens you must wait for written confirmation before you hand in your notice to your current employer. Apart from written confirmation it is wise to wait until your references and, or, health checks have been cleared. If you do not you could be left high and dry.
For example, my current employer always gives you a phone call saying if you are the preferred candidate. This is then confirmed in writing. However, even at this stage you are actually advised by them not to hand in your notice. All the letter says is that they are 'Actively pursuing your application'. This means that they will be contacting your referees, checking your health status and obtaining a police check. All of this can take a couple of months to complete. It can be a pain having to wait so long but, in a case like this, wait you must.
If you do not wait, but simply hand in your notice immediately, even if everything checks out, you may have a gap between leaving one job and starting another. This can be scary and expensive if you have no other income. There is always the possibility that you may fail part of the checks and the job offer could be rescinded. It is much better to wait. In my employer's case, when everything is clear, you are told to contact the human resources team to arrange a start date and then give notice at your old job.
Even without the complications of such an employer you are always better to wait. Hand your notice in too soon at your peril.
Make sure that the people you have put down to give you references, are happy to do so and that you will not get a bad reference from them. Remember there is no obligation to give a reference and they may not want to. Never presume that a person will be happy to supply you with a reference.
Think through very carefully your decision to leave your current job as, once you have put your notice in, you may not be able to withdraw it if you change your mind.
Leave your old job in good order and help yourself get a good reference.
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