3 month notice period? Really??

[LEMtheoriginal]

That is our notice period. I am not a teacher nor do I work in a specific role that means they would be specifically disadvantaged if it were not filled immediately.

I can't imagine prospective employers waiting that long ?

How do people manage ?

It's standard, so no normal employer would be surprised by it when you moved.

Yes standard in my sector too.

It is really draining serving it out though when you've had enough of working there.

My friends DH was tied into a year's notice he was fairly critical to the company I think, but I can't believe that it was legal or enforceable.

DH’s is six months. It would take at least that long to get someone new up to speed in his role so he’d be expected to stay while that happened.

Read this, they could take you to court if leave earlier but it's unlikely:

www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/experts/article-2490277/Do-I-work-months-notice-period.html

I've had two months but was allowed to use my untaken holiday that I'd accrued so ended up being just over a month.

When DH was made redundant his firm waved the notice periods though he was sent to an employment specialist in law as they were adding to basic package with money if exit contract was signed and he was told a large number of clauses in the contract to get the money just weren’t enforceable at all.
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People saying it's normal: it's usually for highly skilled or managerial jobs. Standard for low level white collar work is 6 weeks so if you have a 3 month notice period it can damage your ability to get a new job. I recommend trying to negotiate six weeks on your contract. I know someone who just never signed her contract because of this.

As halesie says, the other option is to negotiate a shorter notice period when you leave.

"It's standard, so no normal employer would be surprised by it when you moved."

It's NOT standard in lower skilled jobs though so a new employer would be put off hiring you if they have to wait that long. It's a chain around OP's neck.

I had this conversation with a recruiter last week, they said that it’s not an issue as recruiting the right candidate can take a few months anyhow and if an interview goes really well then it actually can speed up a job offer.

In my role If I wanted a quicker exit I would just say that I was going to the competition and hope for gardening leave.

"DH’s is six months. It would take at least that long to get someone new up to speed in his role so he’d be expected to stay while that happened."

How is this relevant? OP has told you that her job would not be that difficult to fill.

That's a normal notice period for my employer although to be fair if you find another job/position they will let you leave earlier (within reason)

"I had this conversation with a recruiter last week, they said that it’s not an issue as recruiting the right candidate can take a few months anyhow"

Depends on the level of the job, doesn't it.

I used to work in a fairly low level job with a three month notice period. It made it very difficult for people to leave unless they were in senior roles. I got round it by resigning when I went on maternity leave but that's a bit drastic for most people.

Normal for senior positions. I've never had a situation where an employer wasn't willing to wait three months for me, or heard of a candidate being passed over because of a three-month notice period.

I was just explaining why it’s so long, because I was a bit taken aback when he got this job that it would be that much. Three months is pretty standard though.

Dh is six months, I think it's so that they can control the commercial impact of dh working for a competitor or a client and if he was so inclined limit sabotage - often they ask them to leave immediately and pay them for 6 months to sit at home.
But it is usual for people to negotiate their exit date, so don't assume you won't be allowed to leave sooner than 3 months.

I've had a three-month notice period for ages, in different jobs too, journalist at senior level, teacher and now in PR.

It's pretty standard tbh.

Standard in my industry, and my organisation tends not to recruit until the person has actually left, so we’re ised to having roles empty for 6+ months. The joys of cost saving

Mine is the same too. Except I'm on a 12 month contract, with first 6 months probationary, so they only need to give 1 month notice. So seems a bit ridiculous really.

I had a 3 month notice period, plus they asked me to do an extra 12 days to take it up to an appropriate time in our yearly project cycle. The person who replaced me was on something fairly similar, so we didn’t overlap.
The only awkwardness was applying for a job overseas where they’ve assumed I’d have a 2 week notice period and could relocate in that time as well!

MadTea so you have to give them three months' notice but they only have to give you one?

Mine too - anything above a grade 7 (university admin) is 3 months. More junior roles are 1 month, which isn't enough time to advertise and hire, so we get gaps, which is also annoying,

The only awkwardness was applying for a job overseas where they’ve assumed I’d have a 2 week notice period and could relocate in that time as well!

Yes.. Trying to explain to an American company I work with that they can't just hire and fire staff at will has been quite the learning curve for them. When I said that 3 months notice wasn't unusual, and that I knew at least 2 people with 1 year notice periods they noticeably blanched!

You should never question a good notice period.
In reality if something goes wrong like redundancy you have a decent notice period so they have to pay you that or make you work it so you will be very pleased about it.

Secondly in reality if you found another job it is likely that you could negotiate an exit earlier. In reality there isn't much an employer can do to stop you actually leaving. If you are senior or say have a specific skill then they may write you a cease or desist letter or put you on gardening leave.

Anyhow I always think long notice periods work in the favour of the employee.

You don't want to be someone made redundant within 2 years of service and made to leave in a couple of weeks with no redundancy pay and hardly any notice.