Can I hand my notice in?

[mindifidont]

Posting this as a new thread as didn't got a reply when I posted it as a comment in my old thread so apologies for spamming.

I was offered a new job on the 23rd, it was verbally at the end of the interview. They want me to start on the 2nd feb.

I later had a phone call from the recruitment agent confirming they wanted to offer me a job and asked whether I wanted her to accept in my behalf. I said yes.

I have to give my current employer one months notice so have to hand my notice in today but haven't received my new contract yet!

Am I safe to hand my notice in deposits not having a contract?

I can't phone the new employer to ask where my contract is as they're closed until the 5th.

*despite not having a contract. Not deposits!

no, do not hand your notice in, new empolyer will have to give you few more days, their fault.

I wouldn't. They haven't got contract out to you. I wouldn't wish it

No, don't. My current employer tried to insist I did just that without one. When I put my foot down, I found an emailed contract suddenly appear in my inbox. Could you ask if they could do that?

You don't get an actual contract for up to 13 weeks. You should have a written letter of intent but it will be subject to references etc. At this point most people hand in their notice but it can be withdrawn if references etc not satisfactory. If they confirm a starting date with no conditions you have confirmation.

So I might not get a contract for 13 weeks?

What's the normal procedure then?

With my current employer I had the contract through my letter box the day after they offered me the job.

I've got an email that the company sent to the recruitment agent which she then forwarded to me. It says:

"We would like to employ (my name) on £xxk starting on the 1st Feb with 25 days holiday."

Do you have any annual leave you can use eg if you resign the middle of the first week of January and you give the months notice you can cover the overlap with holidays. Alternatively if you get in well with your current employers they may be happy to let you go a few days early. However I wouldn't resign on the basis of the situation you describe as this isn't a formal offer to you.

Unfortunately delays happen especially at this time of year and if they really want you they should be happy to wait a few days to do it properly.
Worse case scenario is you resign on the basis of this email, something happens and it all falls through and you don't have a job anywhere. If the new employers are reasonable then they should understand the difficulty and need to act properly.

The recruitment consultant should know better than to pressure you into resigning without a proper offer letter.

You need to email the recruitment company something like

Dear recruitment agent, I'm delighted that company x wants go employ me, I'm sure you will understand that naturally I'm reluctant to resign from my current job without a letter to myself ( at my home address) from x company formally offering me the position including all the usual terms and conditions (including job title salary pension annual leave etc)
I appreciate that they have indicated to you that they wish me to start on 2 Feb but with the seasonal holidays and associated office closures this may be difficult to achieve, but I will try to do my best to achieve this if at all possible.
Can I therefore suggest that if you get in contact with company x as soon as you can, taking in to account the festive season and advise them that as soon as I receive a formal offer letter I can set the wheels in motion.

Kind regards mindifidont

Thanks IDontDoIroning, that's a great letter. Will send something along he lines of that to the recruitment agent.

Good luck

Do not hand in your resignation, always a bad idea unless you have a contract from the new place which is signed and accepted

I've seen colleagues and family friends get caught out by this in the past when a background check turns up something they wouldn't think would be a problem, head count approval which was originally approved was then revoked, suddenly not enough money in the budget, hiring manager leaves the organisation, and so on.

It's just too risky. If new company is any good (i.e. normal and understanding!) this would be the norm anyway!

Thanks 1981, won't be handing my notice in now until I've got something in writing.

Just a bit eager to do it

It is best to wait until you have something in writing and your old employer may let you finish at the end of the month anyway as its daft making you work an additional month just for the sake of a few days.
Terms and conditions of employment, salary, hours, holiday entitlement etc are your contract and your new employer can send these via an e mail through the agency to speed things up just check the attachment is on your new employers company headed paper.
Good Luck