Handing my notice in at a bad time - is that okay?

[SarahCrowcombe]

Am I being unreasonable by handing my notice in now?

I have hated my job - I escaped teaching (which I loved, but it destroyed me) and started a job in marketing at an NGO. It was okay at the start, but I then soon found that it didn't interest me in the slightest, and the lack of human contact and constant screen time started to negatively affected me and my mental health.

Fast forward to 7 months in, and my lovely Line Manager left for a better paid role elsewhere. The company didn't replace him, leaving me to do both jobs (with only 7 mths experience in that field and no formal training). The company said that they wouldn't replace him and wanted to hold his job open with the view to giving it to me (in a year when I have more experience), and they got an agency in for a few hours a week. So I have now taken on a massive workload and am basically now doing the manager job anyway (and I am totally lost because there is so much I am being asked to, of which I have no idea how to do, and am being given ZERO help or training from my boss who just says: 'sorry I don't know'). On top of this, I took a £10,000 pay cut when I first took the job and have struggled financially. I also know the manager job that they want to give me in a year, will be a tiny salary increase - hence why my line manager left in the first place.

So, I have just been offered a job in Student Support at a brilliant University. Much more up my street, in Education, a £6,000 pay rise, great career progression, amazing holiday, amazing maternity (for future planning - my current job has almost no maternity pay), options for doing their apprenticeships whilst also being paid (so I can retrain in another career should I want to) and they seem super lovely! So overall, MUCH better for me!

BUT, I feel terrible. Me handing in my notice will come totally out of the blue, and will be leaving everyone in the lurch. The boss will likely be extremely annoyed because they've kept the manager role open for me, and they will have lost the entire team in the space of a few months. It is also a very bad time for the company in many ways, and they are VERYYY stretched for staff (with another manager quitting in another team last month, who they haven't replaced yet either), and I feel like I will be letting my close colleagues down and leaving them all alone.

I think I am looking for a little reassurance if possible.

Thank you so much in advance! 😊

Your line manager left because the employer was not paying enough (and maybe for some additional reasons like workload, training, prospects etc).

Another manager left last month for similar reasons.

You don't like the job, you have been strung along with "promises" of promotion while in reality actually doing the manager's job without getting the support and salary for the job, and you have a new, better job to go to. I don't understand why you think there is a problem with handing in your notice.

And don't be swayed by some bullshit that "they are just about to recommend you for promotion" when you hand in your notice.

If they want you to be the manager, they should pay you to be the manager. This workplace is not treating you well. Even if it was an excellent workplace, you shouldn't feel guilty. You owe them doing the job as well as you can in your working hours, including during your notice period. You do not owe them your future.

If they were going to restructure and make your post redundant, do you think they would check with you to make sure it was a good time?!

They clearly don't give a shit about you and how you're faring, being dropped in the deep end and expected to do the work of two people with minimal experience. The fact they say they are holding the job open for you in a year, all while expecting you to do the job right now - except without the pay or job title - is disgraceful.

Leave and don't give them an ounce of thought.

Of course. They wouldn't think twice about making you redundant at a bad time

They've saved loads of money by not paying for a manager.

You have to go for it.

Go for it!

not your problem

You're not leaving them in the lurch they've not given you anything you need to actually do the job you were employed for, and are leaving you doing two people's jobs on the lowest possible salary with no guidance or resources to do it, and at the end of it they won't give you the higher job because they'll say you couldn't manage (in a situation of their own making).

I wouldn't even blink if you've another, better paid job lined up!

🏃‍♀️Go Go Go op!!
Congratulations x

Go for it!

leave them to it. Fuck em. Id leave them with a smile. They fucked everyone over. Their business deserves to fail

They gave you another person's full role in addition to your own with no salary review. Talk about taking the piss and then some!!

I couldn't hand in my notice quick enough if I were you. You reap what you sow. This is fully on them, they caused it and if they handled it differently may have avoided it.

Go take the new job and enjoy it.

They haven't kept the manager job unfilled as a huge favour to you, they are just saving money by getting you to do two jobs!

If you died tonight they'd have your job advertised by the end of the week. Everyone is replaceable at work.

If they were keeping the role open for you , and you were doing the job then you should have been paid for it on a temporary basis. I would have no hesitation in accepting the new job and handing in my notice, if they can’t show you that they value their employees then that is a lesson they need to learn.

Exactly this. Resign and don't think twice about it! Don't get browbeaten into giving them any longer than your contractual notice period, either.

They would not hesitate to let you go if they had to, so my take is do what you need to do and hand your notice in.

Put yourself first, please don't worry,

Of course it is okay to hand your notice in sometimes you have to be selfish it is your life ultimately and life is too short to in this instance pass up opportunities just to be nice to others - do you think they would do the same for you? As harsh as it sounds but you are replaceable to them, you are not to your family/friends and yourself if it is making you unwell and unhappy.

The potential new job sounds great. Your enthusiasm for it shines through your writing.
You have one, short, life OP. Do what fulfils you.

Your existing company will cope. Your managers’ manager may have to put some graft in, but that’s on them.

Good luck

Go for it. This is 100% their fault and their problem, not yours. They will never learn how not to run things if everyone stays and just puts up with it.

Every employee is replaceable. This is your life! Most of our waking hours are spent at work- I see no reason why you shouldn’t go for it.

They haven't kept any role open for you. They are lying so save money and don't care how it harms you.

Take the job, it sounds great.

My thoughts exactly.

Congratulations on your new job. Go for it

With kindness they’ve taken advantage of you having few boundaries by dangling a carrot and getting you to do the job of 2 people for the pay of 1. Don’t let your lack of boundaries stop you from accepting a job where you will be treated fairly. And maybe do some work around why you find it hard to advocate for yourself and put yourself first to present similar unfair treatment from happening in the future.