At what point do you hand notice in?

[Littleorangecat2012]

I've got a new job, and not been in The position before where I'm leaving one company to go directly to another. At what point is it 'safe' to give your notice?
I've had a written job offer, which I need to sign, start date is to be confirmed, they've verbally told me it is subject to background checks & satisfactory references.
In what order do these things happen, I.e do I sign the offer then they do background checks & references then they confirm the offer? Or if I've got it in writing this is now a formal offer and I can give my notice to current employers? Confused.

Just write..

To whom it may concern
I wish to terminate my employment with (company you work with) I will work a weeks notice and my last day will be (date).

Sincerely

(Your name)

Hand it into HR or the gaffa.

It all depends on when the new employers want you to start, and how long your notice period is. Ideally you should wait till the job is confirmed after they have taken references. Remember to take into account any leave you are owed.

Thanks - I guess my question is 'when does an offer become confirmed?'
I'm on a long notice period (4 months), which new company understand. I need to give notice ASAP to get the clock ticking, but I don't want to until the new company completes background checks etc. Also it will be weird/ difficult for them to seek references when my current company don't know I've been looking for a new job.
I don't want to get into a position where my notice is accepted from current company then new company changes their mind if that makes sense?!? I haven't got any criminal records or ccj's etc so I don't think anything could crop up in the background checks which would stop it. Sorry if this is all confused, I don't know what I am doing!

The fact is, even if your current employers know you are planning to leave, until you formally give written notice, you are still employed by them.

If you've given your new employers your permission to do the background checks and references, which they've stated are a condition of their firm job offer, then state to them you will only formally hand your notice in when they tell you your job offer is confirmed (get them to email you that the checks have all been successful).

There is no benefit to you to relinquish your current job until they confirm you've passed those checks. You can tell them you'll hand in your notice the same day as you get their confirmation of offer.

Ok thanks, just been through the bundle of docs they sent me. There is a contract which they want me to sign but it's clear it's only conditional offer until all checks have been made. So I will hold off sending it back just yet, and I will ask them to I confirm when they have completed all checks.

I assume you have not given your current employer as a reference? If you have it would be bad form for them to receive a reference request before you have told them you are leaving.

I would ask them to carry out all other background checks and collect any other references so they can make you a formal offer subject only to a satisfactory reference from your current employer. You can then safely hand in your notice as your current employer could be sued if they supply a false reference and you have a binding contract with the new employer as long as that accurate reference is supplied.

The advice I gave was on the assumption that the OP has stated verbally the intention to leave, and the fact that they will receive a request for a reference, so it won't be a surprise.

I personally would not resign in writing until there was a solid offer (not a conditional one) on the table from the new employer.

I wouldn't even inform current employer verbally until I had a firm written offer in my hand subject only to a satisfactory reference from them.

If the offer fell through for other reasons and my current employer knew I had planned to leave it would leave me in a very awkward position.

I resigned when I had a written offer but pre checks. It was fine.

I would not hand in my notice until I had a formal offer from a new job, in writing. Give a month's notice if you get paid monthly

Does what you need to sign include data protection statements to enable them to do the checks? Check with them to make sure they can start the checks and process your data if you haven't sent them the signed form. You don't want to cause an unnecessary holdup.

i dont know about sueing your current employer for providing a false reference, they might have a point, we dont know that?

For a 'normal' job, I'd verbally tell my current employer I was going to resign, sign the contract and give details of references. Then formally resign straight away. But then I know my references are basic and factual, eg zebra worked here from x to x as a xyz role. Not much can go wrong there. If I was being cautious I might wait a little (eg a week) while before officially resigning as most referees respond quickly.
Your current employer will have to know before you get a final offer as they will need to give a reference.

If the new job involved a more extensive background check, I'd do the same but not officially resign until they were complete. I know someone whose background checks took 2-3 months to come back (application for a government role). His employer knew he was going to resign which was a bit awkward but unavoidable.
Once your offer is final you can also ask your employer if they are open to you working a reduced notice period too. Some will agree, some won't!