New job announced me joining before I've resigned

[Downthisroad]

Hi

I got offered a job, accepted, signed the contract. I have no start date and a ton of paperwork still to get done so haven't yet resigned formally.

In the meantime, new company have declared I'm starting, my job title, my name and team. I work in a tiny industry, have worked with people at the new company and news will get around. I wanted to resign when everything was tied down and I had a start date, tell my current team including those I manage in person (or at least tell them myself over Zoom) and manage the news in my own way. That's seeming less like a possibility now, I'm royally pissed off and considering revoking my acceptance.

AIBU? Would you feel the same?

I agree it's on you OP. You should have told them if you wanted them to keep it quiet. After signing a contract I do t think they would think it needed to be secret.

Would you not anticipate that all paperwork and a start date should be nailed down first?

Yes before you sign. If you’ve signed a contract with no start date, what have you actually signed up to?

Did you not discuss a start date when you signed the contract?

I’ve always formally resigned and told others once I’ve signed the contract. Your start date should be in your contract. I would expect them to tell you they were planning to announce it publicly though so I can understand why you’re a bit taken aback.

I hear you OP, I’ve recently taken a new job and signed contract with a start date still to be negotiated - I’d have been mortified if the new company had announced it before I’d told everyone. I have now formally resigned, but there are still clients that don’t know, I don’t think it’s on for new company to share that info. That being said, don’t do anything drastic

I get exactly what you mean about being pissed off but not to the extent of revoking the acceptance. That won't benefit anyone, least of all you. Will burn the bridge with the new company and the current one will know you wanted to leave.

I wrote an expression of interest for a job in another hospital on a different type of ward. I expected to have to interview and accept the job ect. They emailed me a few weeks later to inform me they would love me to join their team and had emailed my matrons to organise a release date.

I was over the moon BUT I was gutted with the way it was dealt with as I felt that I should have been the one to tell them, to have spoken about it with them and explain my reasons for the transfer as I don't want to burn any bridges and I love it there and would like the option to move back one day if I wanted and still go there for my bank shifts.

There is nothing you can do but I understand feeling upset about it!

I’m surprised you received a contract before the start date was negotiated tbh. I’d formally resign myself the moment the new contract has been signed, although if you don’t have the start date then I’d imagine the new company will be flexible on this. It sounds like they’ve maybe just got over excited about you joining and announced it a bit soon? I’d see it as a positive, but understand the stress as you’ll want to tell your team now asap before they find out second hand.

Indeed, what have I signed up to?

It is that kind of job that's still conditional on other stuff, such as conflicts, which are yet to be confirmed.

On the start date, really, I'm not that bothered, it'll happen sometime after my notice period and that's fine so long as I don't have a huge gaps between jobs, hence I wasn't jumping up and down for a start date.

I'll accept maybe I've been a little naive here. I've only changed jobs before properly once, discounting jobs while at uni. And that time they asked me if I had resigned before announcing. Given that they are recruitment HR and have done this process hundreds of times I would've expected to be lead a little more on this sort of thing.

I think by law an employment contract has to have a start date.
Agree you shouldn’t resign before new contract is signed.
It’s courteous to resign as soon as new contract is signed.

It probably wouldn’t have crossed new employer’s mind that you hadn’t resigned.

Oops yes - that is a major fuck up, that can really bugger up relationships with clients.

It’s not really going to make any difference by the sound of it, so gin and chill, but it is embarrassing for you and useless of your new employer. I would ring in the AM say they’ve put you in a difficult position and try and use it as leverage to get a new contract signed.

.... I have noticed a few posters saying they would have assumed you resigned etc.

Seriously not - you NEVER do an announcement till everyone is happy, it’s not just about the current employer, it’s about client management. They also should have checked the wording with you.

It’s very very poor so do try and use it to your advantage

@Downthisroad

What am I trying to achieve? Good point - I'm not sure, I'm just annoyed and have had a couple of G&Ts.

It has stressed me out though, it just feels really inconsiderate of my current position, like I have barely been thought of in this at all.

"like I have barely been thought of in this at all"

How have you come to that conclusion?

When your new employer made what they thought was a happy announcement, presumably excited that you would soon be on board, I'm pretty sure they were thinking about you.

Normally you need to resign before you can work out the start date, get all your final dates sorted with current role etc.

@DeadGood at best they're excited to have me, which is nice.

At worst they haven't considered the impact that announcement has on me; my relationship with my current colleagues, how/when I want to resign and tell people.

When I accepted my current job it was subject to a medical and PVG (Scotland’s version of DBS) check. I didn’t resign or agree a start date until those were through, although my line manager knew I would be leaving. I think you are right to be pissed off, OP!

You've accepted and signed this is down to you not giving your notice in . I get it's not great for you but the new company has done nothing wrong .

@TSSDNCOP

HR here, you've accepted the job and signed a contract. I am unclear why or even how that could be issued without a start date. Can you explain further?

Also hr here. It is totally normal to sign a contract with “start date tbc” then another with a start date. Usually in between signing those 2 contracts person resigns and therefore has a confirmed leave date and better idea of when they can start. Hence start date then being agreed.

I think you are reasonable to be upset that you could not tell those you wanted in person first. I don't think it reflects well on your new employer, and hope it is not an indication about confidentiality.

You should not have needed to ask for no announcement.

@Downthisroad

Some interesting (and different!) points of view.

Would you not anticipate that all paperwork and a start date should be nailed down first? Why would I formally resign and potentially risk a period without pay just to keep my current employer satisfied?

Yes, you never resign until everything is 100% sorted with the new contract. Your new work has handled this badly and owe you an apology.

You are right, best practice is no announcement until start date is confirmed. Hopefully someone just got over excited and it’s not an indication of other bad habits!

@Downthisroad

Some interesting (and different!) points of view.

Would you not anticipate that all paperwork and a start date should be nailed down first? Why would I formally resign and potentially risk a period without pay just to keep my current employer satisfied?

Err, because you have a contract of employment with them and you want to avoid the situation you've found yourself in.

I also don't understand how you have a contract signed without a start date.

Id say you are the one in the wrong. Youve accepted the job and signed thd contract. Bit odd though to have no agreed start date at this stage.