When do you quit your job after you receive a new offer?

[shouldiquit1]

Hi, sorry I know that this does not belong to AIBU but I need a few quick answers.
I have just been offered a new job at a big multinational company. The offer was confirmed in an e-mail, where they listed the job title, salary, additional benefits etc. I want to submit my resignation to my current job but I am worried that the new offer can fall through (no reason from my part why it should, I am just a worrier) and then I will be without a job. Is a job offer on an e-mail binding or should I wait to sign a contract or something like that? What do you normally do? Obviously I need to quit asap in order to serve my notice period and then start at the new company.
Thank you for reading.

Not it isn't binding, you should wait until you've signed your contract.

I've always waited for the unconditional offer, this is NHS, so may be different elsewhere.

Wait until the formal offer, accept it, then resign.

I think you need to accept that there will be a bit of uncertainty as even once you sign a contract it can still fall through especially as many companies have a 3 month probation period but it’s very unlikely to fall through once you’ve had the offer in writing (which is what you describe) so I’d contact them to discuss a start date based on how long your notice period is then once that’s agreed hand in your notice.

And not 'subject to references' - the final contract

Only once you have received the contract.The offer letter/email will be subject to references, health screening etc.

Only after you receive the contract, not before then.

Surely you need to resign before your current company will give references though?

Always always wait for the final contract

Are there pre-employment checks? If so definitely wait until they have been completed and you've had confirmation that they're satisfactory. You should get a contract at that point.

I'm in this position at the moment. My notice period is three months. New employer was happy to agree to wait until the checks were concluded for me to put notice in.

Surely you need to resign before your current company will give references though?

A lot depends on the employer. My organisation did mine before I put in notice. But then all my referees knew I was going for the role and were supportive.

Contract. Never ever resign until you have the new contract.

When you've signed the new contract, and not before!

I would expect a proper letter. Even via email would be fine. But a signed letter from the new employer.

You may not get a contract before. Legally you have you have to sign a contracts / terms of employment on (or before) day 1 of employment. So you might not get to sign before then.

I would however ask to see it.

Employers generally don’t go though the hassle of recruitment to then withdraw job offers. Doesn't make good press for them either. Is there a reason why you think they may withdraw?

For private sector, I would give verbally once receiving a written offer like you have received now so they know reference requests will be coming and you can start negotiating leave dates. Follow up with formal letter once agreed.
Public sector is different because they tend to know you have gone for the job.

100% wait until you have a contract.
I once told them verbally after being told I’d got the job- the day after budget cuts were announced and it took 6 months for my start date to come through. My employer ended my contract and I ended up having to do temp work for the interim.

Many companies these days don't produce a Physical contract until you're working there already. AFAIK, from a course I did with ACAS your email offer is as binding as a contract - as in, not really at all during your probation period.
If you've got the official offer through and are happy all your terms have been explained to you, I'd hand my notice in. You could always ask the new company about a contract but it's really common for that not to be produced until a later date. I work for a very respectable, by the book company and I didn't see or sign mine until about a fortnight on the job.

Thank you all so much, I will check with them when I can expect to sign the contract.

Edit: I should add, I had notice all my pre employment checks were completed and done, references had been checked and given a start date for the new company by the time I handed my notice in.
I also had on my first day a review of documents which had details of pensions etc on my first day, but the actual contract wasn't produced for a couple of weeks.

Contract- not sure whether a written offer would be binding/enforceable - probably but i wouldn't take the risk ... but there may also be conditions/terms in the contract that you weren't aware of- you are in a better negotiating position with the new company as well if you haven't resigned

From a legal perspective there's very little difference between an accepted offer and a signed contract. An offer which you've accepted creates a legal contract. It's no more difficult withdrawing from the contract versus withdrawing an accepted offer.

Unless you're expecting bad references, or have a criminal history, the checks will change nothing.

Where I work (I deal with new starters) 99% of people resign after getting the offer through. Those who ask for the contract first are always the worriers. It's a bit of a pain and delays the process and flags to me the people who may be difficult to manage.

@Level75

From a legal perspective there's very little difference between an accepted offer and a signed contract. An offer which you've accepted creates a legal contract. It's no more difficult withdrawing from the contract versus withdrawing an accepted offer.

Unless you're expecting bad references, or have a criminal history, the checks will change nothing.

Where I work (I deal with new starters) 99% of people resign after getting the offer through. Those who ask for the contract first are always the worriers. It's a bit of a pain and delays the process and flags to me the people who may be difficult to manage.

I think that’s a very unfair comment re the contract I have always waited to have sight of the contract, check it and then sign it before handing notice in - That’s common sense not the sign of someone who’s a worrier Things can be wrong, need changing and checking Ts and Cs of employment is critical I say that as a recruiting manager as well

Only once you've signed the contract and they've countersigned it. I was once offered a job via email then a few days later when I accepted they told me it was no longer available and the job would now be based in Denmark .

I'm always surprised that people say to wait for the contract - there was widespread amazement among my team at my current job that I actually got a contract before I started, a rare triumph for our HR team! Surely this can't be so hugely unusual?

A signed and countersigned contract can also be withdrawn. The only issue is whether notice is payable. This depends on when you were due to start and is equally applicable to withdrawing an offer letter.

I'm only speaking from my experience of those asking for contracts before they will resign. I'm sure it's not universally true but it's what I've observed.