Can I withdraw my resignation after immediately regretting leaving my job?

[itsme55]

I was sure about leaving my job for another and handed in my notice. As soon as I did it, I felt regret and wanted the old job back because I realised how good it was. I have asked by email if I can withdraw my resignation. I was told my my manager there is nothing I can do apart from reapplying. I've sent emails to other parts of the company including HR who have opened an appeal.

Is there anything I can do?

I mean after you change your mind. They can say, too bad, it’s been accepted, or they can tear it up and say let’s pretend it didn’t happen.

at my workplace once it’s in the system it’s enormously complicated to get it out so normally, no. You can’t go back in time.

Yes, it is possible to withdraw it of course, but it's up to the employer if they want to effectively tear it up, and pretend it never went in, and want you to stay. Once you've put in a resignation letter though, they do not have to let you withdraw it (if you change your mind.) And you will have to leave.

If they want to keep the employee they will happily let them withdraw the resignation... Sounds like your employer is not sorry you're going @itsme55 Bad luck. Maybe it's for the best that you leave, seeing as they're not fussed about you staying, and you clearly did want to leave.

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I’ve withdrawn a resignation before - I was head hunted for a job and the goal posts started shifting almost immediately during their on boarding. My manager fought to keep me, I had a particular skill set they needed and have proved myself reliable. I stayed for another 4 years and enjoyed my time there.

If your manager is saying you can apply is that because they’ve started the recruitment process already and it would be tricky to abandon it now? I’d have a proper discussion with my manager as a starting point if you really want to stay.

I love the job and the people and got on well with the managers, there is a waiting list of applicants and a lot of people leave. Our family had planned to move and I applied for another job because of that. We haven't fully jumped yet and are staying with family. Now we are having second thoughts.

Best of luck and hope you ge the outcome you want.

Can you just talk to your manager and explain

So you resigned before you had finalised plans and got another job? Well that’s on you really isn’t it.

Depends if they want you back or not, and have they started the hiring process?

They higher new staff all the time, but a number of people find the job stressful. My record there was pretty good. So they have a high turnover of staff.

I hate to say this, but if you were really valued and got on as well with the managers as you say, they would surely keep you, and not just say 'tough titties, you made your bed, you will have to apply for the job like everyone else.'

A number of posters on here have said when they handed their notice in and then changed their minds, their manager/employer happily ripped up the resignation letter, or if it had gone further down the line, they fought to keep them and got the resignation cancelled.

Why do you think this is not happening with you?

Well that language is a bit extreme and over the top.

People can leave organisations and come back, provided they maintained a good relationship.

"Burning bridges" would be if you did a shite on the doorstep as you were leaving.

There are quite a few studies. 'Boomerang employees' is the search term you want for journals.

Times change. HR have a tighter grip with greater loyalty to process and less to valued employees, In my experience they are now truly out of touch with Humans. I believe their title is now a misnomer.

Maybe the hiring process is out of their hands. I told them I was thinking of leaving and my reasons and they sat with me and tried to help me make the right decision. They said there was a 3 month waiting list, so maybe they felt it's fair to give the highest person on the list a chance.

Sorry, I read wrong. I thought you meant all leavers returned within six months 🤦🏻‍♀️

You can try but they don’t have to let you

Nigel?

That’s not quite what you said in your op. “was sure about leaving my job for another and handed in my notice. As soon as I did it, I felt regret and wanted the old job back because I realised how good it was”

One time many years ago I was a bit bored in my job and took a gamble on a startup. I managed to get fired from that new job before I started. My previous company took me back (they hadn't even started looking for a replacement) and we had a good laugh about it, but things were never the same and I left again about 18 months later, because I was still bored.

The thing is, in almost any work relationship, everyone who doesn't have buttons up the back of their head knows that everyone's loyalty is provisional, but we all agree to put up with the polite fiction that it isn't, as long as nobody actually says that out loud. (This is also the entire basis of LinkedIn.) By saying you were off, you used up your one chance to pretend that you might have been the only employee ever who actually cared about the company. So while they might take you back, it's a bit like you just confessed to an affair or something.

How long after handing in your resignation did you email to withdraw it? Hours, days, weeks?

Where do you work which has a 3 month waiting list? I’m curious!

Well, as someone said earlier, I hope you get the result you want.

Yes

I wondered that too. Never heard of this before. A 3 month waiting list to apply for a job? Where?