New job has asked me what start date I want - please advise

[newstarterrr]

I received a written job offer recently. They want me to suggest a start date to put into my contract. Pre-employment checks (references etc) are still being carried out.

My notice period is currently 1 week until the 10th August when it will then be 4 weeks.

• When do I hand my notice in?
• How do I respond to their email? I can't really give a start date until I know roughly when I will hand my notice in.

I know in the interview they said they wanted someone to start ASAP.

I've never resigned from a job before so no idea what the protocol is.

Thank you

Just hand your notice in and tell the new job you can start the day after your notice period ends.

Do you have holiday in your current job left? Usually I’ve taken holiday for my last week or two of work and started after that.
If you have a gap in employment obviously you won’t be paid, so if you don’t want that then you obviously ensure you start straight after you leave. If financially that’s fine then you could give yourself an unpaid week off effectively by starting a week after finishing.

Definitely do not hand your notice in until they’ve completed your references and given you a written unconditional offer of employment.

I want to have an unconditional offer, but how long they take to give me that dictates how long my notice period is.

Can I say that in the email? Ask for a start week 4 weeks after I sign my contract?

I would ideally like a week between my old job and new job just to rest (it's been very hectic at work recently).

Ella is correct, you should never give notice until you have all your clearances and, ideally, your contract of employment for the new job. If you want to start straight away (no break), my advice is to tell the new job that if they expedite your checks you can start sooner. Otherwise you will be a minimum of four weeks from the date your checks are concluded and the formal offer is made.

If you want a break however, just add this on to the notice period, or take any leave from your current job. Some employers will pay unused leave in your final salary, others expect you to take all your leave or lose it.

Just explain what your notice period is and say you will be able to confirm a start date once all the checks are complete.
Good luck in the new job!

The only thing is in the interview I said my current notice period is 1 week and then will then be 4 weeks. Should I just lie and say my notice period is now 4 weeks even though it's currently 1 week (until 10th August)?

Also is it rude to say that I want to wait until my offer is unconditional?

No, not rude at all. Just say the start date will depend on when you receive the contract or unconditional offer, if you receive it before the 10th of august it will be 1 week (or 2 if you want the gap) from the day it is received and you have checked it, if after the 10th it will be 4 weeks (or 5) from that date.

When I gave my advice I presumed the offer was unconditional.

Contact your new employer and talk to them.

Don't give notice until you have an unconditional offer in writing, no matter the pressure.

Try to start the beginning of the month or no later than the first Monday of the month. I've done many a battle over annual leave calculations.

Some jobs wouldn't give me the starting month if I didn't start at the beginning of the month or later than the first Monday of the month

dont take too much holiday, you wont be paid.
perhaps your current job will let you give less than 4 weeks notice?

I replied saying I wanted to start 4 weeks after as I have a 4 week notice period. I think they are frustrated as they want me to start ASAP. I think they may have remembered that I have a 1 week notice period for another week until my probation ends at my current role (it was asked in a screening call with HR). I feel really awkward about it and don't know what to do.

I want a chance to have a good handover at my current job and to tell people in person rather than send a sudden resignation email before I have had a chance to talk to my manager and colleagues/work friends (I'm on annual leave at the moment). If I gave my notice in today (I'm receiving my contract today) I would never set foot back in work again.

Do I send another email and say on further consulting my contract my notice period is currently only a week as I am still in probation so I would be able to start sooner, on X date? Or just let it go and start at the start of September?

I don't know what to do and feel really stressed out that I have given a bad impression and annoyed my new employer...

I would leave with the one week as soon as you get confirmation from your new job. So close to the end of your probation with a one week period I don't think it will make a huge difference to your current employer. Keeping your new one happy is probably more important.

If you'd been there for years it would be different.

Just tell them you need confirmation ASAP so you can stay in the 1 week notice period at the old job and therefore start the following week.

If I gave one week on Monday I would have to work Saturday, Sunday and Monday in old job (nightshifts) to start new job on that same Monday so I can't do that.

I could start work the following Monday (23rd) should I suggest that instead?

How can I professionally back track and say "oh I got it wrong my notice period is only a week"?

Just say “I’ve just checked my contract and my notice period is only a week. As soon as I receive your unconditional offer I can hand in my notice and begin work the following week.”