Notice period - HR question

[thisfalseinsight]

I'm very unhappy in my current job and have been considering leaving to freelance. I have an interview next week, however, for another permanent role, which I would happily accept if it were to be offered to me. I have been wondering if there would be any implications if I were to resign from my current job now, and then be offered the other job in a few weeks. I assume that HR at the new company would call my current employer to verify my employment (before making an offer); would my current employer have to mention that I have resigned? If so, would this be a red flag? The person who would be line managing me in the new role is a former client of mine, and I know that he wouldn't mind (and would probably be pleased, as it would mean that I could start sooner than my 3-month notice period would otherwise allow) - I'm just a bit concerned about how it would look to HR.

I know that I could avoid all of this by just waiting to resign my current role until I know if I have the new job or not, but as I plan to leave regardless, I would prefer to get out sooner rather than later.

No, the fact that you've resigned will make no difference to anything

If you are on a 3 month notice don't you have to honour that. ie if you resign 30th November you have to keep working until end Feb? How does resigning now allow you to work for your new boss sooner?

I personally would not resign from a job without having a new one to go to, which is what I think you're proposng to do.

Are you suggesting resigning now, and if you get this job, doing that. If you don't get it, freelancing straight away? Will there be sufficient cash flow for you to do that, or do you need to build up the freelancing?

Daisy if she resigns now, she'd be released at latest music d Feb. If she waits til new job all sorted, resignation might not go in til end Nov, making it end Feb to start new job.

FWIW, of the last 3 people who resigned from my (old) place, we worked 2 mths, 2 mths and 1 mth of out three months notice. It is negotiable.

Thanks greensand, that said I still feel it's a risk if insight hands in their notice with no solid commitment to securing the new role, but I can understand why, if the current situation is so awful and there is sufficient in the bank to cover living expenses.

It a tough world out there at the moment! Although I haven't any experience of freelancing, I can imagine you either have to already have such a strong established reputation in your industry that you have the inroads already in place, or else 1 or 2 secure offers of work in hand, to get things started maybe for the first year.

I know that I could avoid all of this by just waiting to resign my current role until I know if I have the new job

Sorry in my long winded way, what I'm saying is that I agree with your more cautious approach....

Another thought, could you start laying the groundwork towards freelancing, even while you are employed, for example doing the necessary research, putting out the feelers to see what demand there is for your service etc. At least you will have steady income while doing that.

Maybe that's already part of your plan ......

Sorry, I have been so slow to come back and respond - but thank you for your advice! I'm not terribly worried about finding freelance work in my field as I have quite a good network, and if worst comes to worst, I can sign up with an agency that places people in contract/freelance/temp roles. As a matter of fact, someone on my own team quit because of the long hours at our company, and then started freelancing for us right away - we had no choice but to hire her as it's so hard to find qualified people (and now she charges a day rate of nearly twice what her salary was, and can set her own hours besides). I don't think I would do that but I'm not terribly worried about finding something.

I've decided not to do anything for the moment, though - I have a second interview for the above-mentioned job on Tuesday, and I hope to know soon after that if I'll get an offer. Fingers crossed!