To not hand notice in until contract signed and references passed

I’ve always seen referencing take place before final offer? I’ve never resigned until the day I have signed a contract and that’s always been the expected behaviour from hiring companies.

Some of us work in areas where references are checked before we can be employed. So if we need DBS or another type of security check its effectively finalised before we can be given a start date.

Therefore we have no contract of employment just a conditional offer so the job dont have to pay out a notice period. So you leave one job and get no pay cheque from the other if something happens eg the role is gone or they decide they dont like your face.

In this situation the new employer is not being flexable or trying to meet her needs with regards to a start date.

Or about her leaving her current job on good terms so that her manager would be happy to give her a good reference to her next employer and the ones after that too.

On seeking references I would normally say that a potential employer can contact all prior employers except the current one until such time as they are willing to offer me the job.

I have told them what type of reference they will get from my current employer. So if I am leaving for reasons and my current manager brings that up its not a suprise and the new emoloyer has already decided to go ahead anyway.

In financial Services not listing all past employers is a sackable offence as they need to know that you were not sacked for cause by the 2 day/week/month job you left off your CV.

The OPs employer is setting a tone If/when they ask her to break her current contracts notice period.

In some ways you're right, because once you're at the reference stage the job is yours pending on that. Ime it's always pending on those, although it's unlikely you'd give poor references in the first place so technically it's arbitrary

‘I will hand my notice in when I have received a copy of my signed contract and confirmation of passing referencing. My earliest start date will be wholly dependent on those three factors.’

Having a contract is irrelevant. All it guarantees is your notice once you've started. They can pull the offer at any time for any (non discriminatory) reason, or sack you on your first day, and at any point up to two years years.

Confirmation of passing referencing - again, irrelevant. You can pass all your referencing and they can still sack you the second you walk through the door if you tell them that you like Mrs Brown's Boys (and rightly so).

Every company I've worked for has only done references as part of the onboarding process on your first day. Surprised to see so many people in this thread with a different experience.

You really need to work on your boundaries and assertiveness. Even your amended email said if that's okay - which is a coded way of saying please let me lie down while you wipe your feet on me.

I don't even know where to start with your original email!

I think it's insane the company won't let you change the start date, especially as it's them holding up the process with checks. I wouldn't want to work for a place that is showing this kind of behaviour when you haven't even started yet! I think it's fine if you can negotiate an earlier end date, but it all sounds very awkward and stressful. If you can't start on that date are they then withdrawing the offer, in which case it confirms they are a dumb place to work as they will then need to start the process again. Red flag!!

It’s a bit chicken/egg but how do you expect a company to write a contract and send it to you without knowing an expected start date?

Reference checking / vetting is usually pretty comprehensive for almost all Financial Services roles these days, and most employers outsource this to professional vetting services hence there is a cost to them. This is why they want you to accept their offer before they kick off the vetting process. It’s normal to say you accept their offer subject to reviewing the offer letter (which is usually a combined offer letter and contract). They won’t produce the offer letter until you verbally (or via email) confirm you accept the offer. This is quite normal. Basically:

Employer makes offer (verbal / email)
Candidate accepts (or declines of course)
Employer prepares offer letter (which needs signing at their end before it can be sent)
Candidate receives formal offer letter, reviews, signs and returns
Employer kicks off reference checking / vetting process
Employer confirms all checks are passed (or if not, what they are waiting for / there’s an issue with)
Candidate resigns

Most FS reference checks / vetting will check employment going back 6-7 years (although some employers go back longer), check highest level of study direct with the uni / school, check any professional qualifications with the awarding body and run a credit check. Plus right to work and electoral roll of course. Some will also check for negative press / social media. If you have any gaps in employment of 3 months or longer, they will probably want evidence of what you were doing during that period (so evidence of study, benefit receipts, travel etc).

Edit: FS checking can be nerve-wracking even when you’re used to it. Just hang in there. If you are aware that problems will be identified (for example, you have a CCJ or you’re not on the electoral roll), flag it to the recruiter NOW. Better you raise it than they find out themselves.

Fill in and return what was asked.

Wait for the contract and review it.

Do not hand in your notice until you are given an unconditional offer as in they confirmed your checks are done and OK and you will work and get a paycheque.

The start date is not "your problem" their HR needs to work the 31day maths from their end. As in if we need J1 in the job by X date
• we need to have done our job on time or
• remove the conditions and hope for the best or
• push the start date out to match the notice period.

Sorry random numbers in post but everything I say still stands.

1.Sign and reply ‘I accept the offer’.

1. Wait for the contract and confirmation of references. As @Hedgedone sensibly advised.

(Edit email back eg ) Yes I can confirm I am happy to proceed. Please go ahead and prepare/ send over the contract.
[ You can contact X for a reference phone no xxx or
As discussed HR will be able to provide confirmation of my period of employment but company policy it to not issue further details ot a character reference ]

The UK courts recognise that employment is a Master ( employer has the most power) Servant (you have much less as you are giving up selfauthority to earn money) so you cant be held to contract terms that ever discussed/agreed to during the negotiations. So if anything ods or off was included you dont have to sign.

And until you get a signed contract you should not hand in your notice.

However if the new employer contacts your current one your manager will be aware you are job hunting.

Do not allow the recruiters bully you.
They don't care about you, just their commission.
Contract and confirmation of references approved before you resign.

Red flag if they push back on you protecting yourself.

The magic words "on or after" with a side letter when the actual start date is finalised.

And as the OP has as yet only got a conditional offer she would be very wise not to terminate her current contract untli the other party is in a position to ensure their specific performance bits are locked in.

Too ‘nice’ IMO. Flip it back. “I can confirm my notice period is four weeks. So my starting date would be four weeks following confirmation I have passed referencing and receipt of the new contract . Can you let me know when that is likely to be?”

Some people/employers still give real references.

'feeling more comfortable' isn't strong enough, but 'not prepared to' isn't very polite. Why not 'I really can't...'.

Yes, this is the problem. I've always had to resign first to agree on my start date to have in the next contract. Always had an offer by email, but I suppose it can always be withdrawn.

I am a recruiter with 15+ years experience and I will say that it sounds like the one you're dealing with is very unprofessional. I always advise candidates not to resign until they have the contract.

I would reply with something along the lines of "If you are able to get me a contract today then my start date will be XZY. It will naturally be delayed if the contract is late."