Getting a start date on a new job

[jumblebee]

Hi everyone, I was just looking for a bit of advise and have always received very helpful advice in the past.

On 12th March I had an interview for a job and found out a few days later I had been succesful (Yey!) and told that I needed to provide my passport as proof of ID (I handed it in the next day to be photocopied) and that I would receive a call to discuss a start date.

My sister works for this company in the same department and told me that the training started at the start of this month. And the ad for the job stated the same. However I have still not heard anything about a start date from them. My phone broke so I contacted them with a new number and heard back a few days later asking to confirm details of my previous address. They then said they would get back to me in the next few days with a start date. That was last Thursday.

I called them today to ask if there was an estimated start date, my sister told me that there was more training for new employees starting in May and that it would be likely if I hadn't already heard back with a start date that I would be on this training. However I am currently on maternity leave and really need to hand in my letter of resignation. I am supposed to be going back to my old job at the end of this month so time is running out, yet I don't want to hand my resignation in without confirming a start date and knowing I actually DO have the job.

Anyway, when I called them today the woman said it was written in the notes that they needed to call me to ask for the previous 3 months bank statements (which I have just took screen shots off and sent) yet they didn't mention when I might be starting.

The whole thing just seems a bit disorganised. It's a large international company yet I have had very little contact through the recruitment agency who are handling my application.

People keep telling me I need to hand my resignation letter in but in the back of my mind I'm worrying that something is going to go wrong and that I won't end up getting the job. I don't want to burn my bridges with my current employers yet if I hand my notice much later I won't be able to work the 4 weeks notice period that is required and I know that for any future references this may go against me.

Any ideas what I should do? Should I keep calling the recruitment agency every day and push for a start date? I spoke to the person I put down as my personal reference and she said she had not heard anything from them which surprised me.

I'm just on edge because I really want this job, the last thing I want is to go back to my old job! Plus even though I would enjoy having a bit longer off with my baby, I'm quite keen to start the new job because it's a completely new challenge for me!

If anyone has read this whole rant, thank you so much! I didn't intend to write such a long post :(

Have you actually had a written offer of employment? Don't even think of resigning until you have.

You say you are due back from maternity leave at the end of the month-will you have had your full year?

No written offer yet, which is why I don't want to hand in my resignation. If anything happens and I don't actually get the new job I can't afford not to work.

No I'm just taking the 9 months off!

Thanks for replying

Do it resign until you have a confirmed offer and start date. My BIL did this even though we told him not to and ended up with no job.

do not, NOT do it
Bloody phone!!

Thanks for the replies! I'm just worried because if I go back to my current job and then get a start date, I'll have to work 4 weeks notice which may clash with my start date!

I just can't believe they could be so disorganised and not even email me to clarify they received my email with the information they requested. I'm so stressed, the thought of going back to my job is making me feel sick

I assume thye know you have a 4 week notice period - they cannot expect you to start less than 4 weeks from written confirmation of getting the job. Big companies are often the worst, as the HR department runs at their own pace, even if the operational team are tearing their hair out.

Would taking a bit more maternity leave be an option OP? You have another three months available to you, and although you won't be able to give the requisite 8weeks notice of changing your return date, you could ask anyway.

Another point is that if you hand your notice in just before you're due back, it's always possible you're employer would prefer to release you early rather than have you coming in for only a very short time.

When filling in my forms I wrote I only needed to give 1 weeks notice as I didn't know it was actually 4 weeks at the time! Stupid mistake, I know.

Unfortunately myself and my partner are both on minimum wage and couldn't get by without my wage, however much I'd love to have taken the full 12 months off.

When I had my back to work meeting they told me the rules had changed and I could not take last years holiday at the end of my maternity leave but I would be paid the 70 hours (2.5 weeks) at the end of last month (I wasn't paid this)
I have since found out, thanks to mumsnet, that they can only pay me holiday I have earnt if I leave the company, not if I were coming back. They (and I) were both unaware that I would be leaving at the time they offered me this.

Do you think I could have a meeting with my manager (a new manager I have never met) saying that I am aware that I cannot be paid this holiday and ask to use the 70 hours at the end of my maternity leave?

My 9 months maternity ends on the 13th of this month and they put 2 weeks holiday in (from my new allowance for the new financial year coming up) so I would be going back at the end of the month. That wouldn't give me much extra time off but at least then when I leave I won't have to pay them back for 2 weeks holiday that I haven't earnt.

I'm sorry this is so complex, I don't know how I manage to get into these situations!

Were you told by the recruitment agency that you have the job or by the actual company themselves? I was once told by a recruitment agency that the job was practically mine and the company just wanted to see me once more for an informal intro to the rest of the team. I never heard back, then the agent said they were restructuring blah blah....I hope it works out for you.

I was told by the recruitment agency. That must have been awful I'm trying now not to get my hopes up too much, in case it all falls through, it's just difficult when I know this job could be the start if a career and is going to work out so much better for my family (same amount of hours over 3 days instead of 4 at my current job, plus better pay!)