3 month notice - resign before finding job?

[Popskipiekin]

I detest my job, it’s making me rock bottom miserable. I’ve been there for nearly 5 years (including 2 mat leaves) but now the work load, the hours, the expectations have rocketed and the role is nothing like it used to be. I’m not suited to it and feel like a failure. I have clung on in the hope it will change. I have kicked up a fuss and requested additional resource, and I have a new hire arriving in two weeks.

However, I can’t bear it any longer. My notice is 3 months; this is surely ample to find a new job (and it’s also very easy to find short term contact work in my industry). I’ve told my manager I’ll be leaving by the end of the year, and she understands and appreciates my honesty, but tbh I just want to go in tomorrow and get the ball rolling.

1. How would you feel as my new direct report, arriving to find out I’ve actually handed in my notice. I worry he will be put off/ask awkward questions/not stick around...!

1. Is handing in your resignation without a job to go to (given my notice is so long) really such a bad thing? I could be interviewing within a couple of weeks and I’ll still be employed for a fair while, so I’ll still “have a job” iyswim. Financially we’d be fine if I had to dither about for a month or two, so that’s 5 months to find something. (And as my notice period ticks by, with only eg 1 months notice rather than 3, I’d be much more attractive to employers).

Any thoughts/advice? Many thanks.

It's much easier and less stressful to find a job when you've got a job. Also it doesn't look great on your CV if you've left with nothing to go to. I'd advise starting to look actively but not handing in your notice.

I had a 6 month notice period and resigned with nothing to go to. Was in a director level position at that point. However, I was fortunate to be mortgage free, kids almost finished uni and enough savings.

I did some temping and it took over a year to find the right next permanent position.

I have no regrets but what’s your situation?

I disagree that it’s easier to find a job when you’ve got a job. It’s almost a full time thing in itself. And I had no negative comments on resigning with nothing to go to. But I’d been in previous role for 11 years and had excellent letters of recommendation from former colleagues.

Mortgage free but have 2 young DC. Childcare is our biggest expense. I am the higher earner and they see a lot more of DH (and have done since I returned after mat leave 10 months ago) which just makes me so sad. I’ve spent the most lovely weekend with them and I doubt I’ll see either during the week. DS1 is being very clingy to DH, understandably, and I just want this all to change and come down a gear. He goes to school in a year and I feel a terrible sense of loss as to how much I’ve missed out on.

When I said I could be interviewing within 2 weeks, actually I couldn’t. The hours I’m doing are so hellish (sometimes till 1/2am) that there’s no chance of prepping CV let alone going out to interviews. And I’m not earning the big bucks for this either. I work for a charity and we are simply very underresourced and doing badly, and I’m stupidly conscientious.

Thank you both for your advice. I do worry cherub what people will think about me throwing towel in though I thought I could simply present as a desire to delve into a more varied fixed term contracting career and experience more ways of working etc (having been at current employer half my working life basically)

It really depends on your situation. I had a job for 5 years, the role evolved to something unmanageable and the company didn't take my health concerns seriously until I completely burnt out, was signed off work and extremely ill. I was lucky enough to join the company before they increased notice periods so my notice was only 1 month and I told HR that I was going to look for new work after returning to work for 6 months and nothing improved, it took me 6 months to find a new job and I wasn't in any kind of position financially or mentally to leave my job before finding a new one.

If you are in a position where you can manage without a salary for a few months or can easily temp/contract until you find the right thing then that might be your best option. But in my experience, if a new company really wants you then they will wait the 3 months for you as it seems to be the norm in some industries.

I'm contemplating doing this. I hate my job to the point it's making me ill. I haven't got an overly long notice period but I'm worried about how it will look on my cv if I just leave with nothing to go to. Also, I don't want to look like a complete snowflake in any interviews when asked why I left my current work place

What area of charity are you in? Is it something like finance where you can easily take a step outwith the third sector?

I’d be wary if you’re in something like fundraising because you’re everywhere (or everywhere I’ve been) feels the same. Too much work, not enough time.

I love how everyone thinks the charity sector is less pressured.

How long have you been with your current company and do you have any professional qualifications?

crypto I worry I am getting very close to burnout too. I actually had a 1 month notice period which I agreed to increase to 3 for a slight pay rise. Not thinking straight when I came back after DS2 and just needed the money.

3 months is very normal in my area - Cavycava yes I work in finance and karting I am a fully qualified accountant with 6 years PQE (5 years in current company, with 3 different roles) - so doubtless employers would wait but 2 months or less is always seen as a bonus. So often employers don’t get the ball rolling quick enough for there to be a handover between the new recruit and departing staff member.

I was wondering naively about a move to the civil service - so many mums I know seem to have lovely 3 day job shares there. Funny, I used to be all career woman but I cannot justify not seeing my children grow up for a job which makes me cry.
Thanks for the cava, they made me cry too. Fortunately I come across at work as exceptionally resilient but I am anything but.

In your position with that qualification I would have no qualms about resigning! What are you waiting for?

karting haha ok. I’ll blame you but seriously, I suppose I have been waiting because of the whole “need a job to get a job” has been so drummed into me and recruiters have always advised in the past to wait and not resign. I also feel bad about my direct report who could be a bit knocked back by my imminent departure.

I’m leaning more and more towards resignation and this is all wonderful grist to the mill so thank you all.

Best decision I ever made and if I’d stayed put I’d have never found the great job I’ve now got.

@WhiteRabbit79 so sorry I did mean to respond to you, I’m sorry you’re in a similar situation, it’s awful. How long have you worked there? There must be another way you can spin your reason for leaving to future employers. Eg extreme hours of working meaning you wouldn’t actually be able to focus on finding the right job for you without resigning first.

OP, I was in a job I didn't like very much, but it suited my family life. We had to make cutbacks and I decided to take voluntary redundancy as I would have 6 months to find another job. I'm not normally a risk taker and like you, I am the higher earner and we rely on my salary. As it turns out, it took me about 3 months to find another job, which I started a few weeks ago.

My observations of this have been:

1. Job hunting made me realise there is a whole world out there and lots of exciting opportunities!!!!!

1. The key is to find the right job for you. You don't want to leave one horrible job for another.

1. Job hunting can take a few months as it takes a while from applying to getting interviews.

1. Looking for a full time job is a full time job in itself.

My suggestion (if you can bear it) is to take a week or two off work (either annual leave, sick leave or unpaid leave) and use that time to prepare yourself for job hunting eg get your CV updated, LinkedIn profile, contact some agencies, prepare some good examples of your experience to talk about in interviews. Go back to work and resign a few weeks later. That way, you get a head start on your job search. I'm sure you will find something quickly, but my suggestion is a good middle ground.

I worked with an accountant about a year ago who was a professional temp. She said that she always has work but likes being able to choose when she works. As she was finishing with my organisation, she said that she was going to take her child on holiday for the 6 weeks holidays!!!!

I jumped from my last job - although I don’t have kids - and took the first job I was offered. It was a mistake. I stayed just under a year and moved on. Even if you jump to another job, if it doesn’t work out that’s ok, you’ll find something else. You’re well qualified, in a good field and have a good work history. It’ll work out whatever you do

It's not uncommon for people to take career breaks so it won't look bad on your CV. People take career breaks to travel, study, volunteer or spend time with the family. One of the positives is that you would be immediately available to start a new job.

Thank you lovely people for taking the time to offer such sage and boosting advice. I am reading and re-reading. Empress such a great run down of helpful points. Taking a week or two off is pretty much exactly what is called for, hard to arrange right now but we have holiday booked anyway in a few weeks time and I will use what time I can pull together then and over the bank holiday weekend. DH is very behind this change as he’s seen how miserable it’s making me - and weighing us down as a family really, when everything could be so lovely right now. I will update

I totally agree with empressjob

I have been stuck in a senior level role I hate, but my job makes it impossible for me to job hunt. Too busy, too stressed and then with the kids to sort out I am constantly in burn out mode.

I second the advice of taking some time off to kick start it and then resign. That's exactly what I am working towards as well...…..

@blackeyes72 I’ll chum you as we do it then! Though I’m having to head back to work now, after dashing home to see DC as I’d promised, and this is making me think I’ll hand in resignation on Monday as this is not sustainable! Good luck with your own search. It’s miserable feeling stuck.

I have cobbled together half decent CV (had to write it until 2am one night...) which my very lovely family have all cast their eyes over, so I’m planning to send out to recruiters next week. Fingers crossed.

I have done it now!! Just negotiating notice times now....better get down to job hunting !!!

Brilliant well done you! I’ve written my letter and handing in Monday. I’ll probably have to work all my notice but that’s ok. Meeting a recruiter next week, this is really happening! .

@blackeyes72 resurrecting this to ask if you found a new role? Hope it’s all going well for you. I worked my 3 month notice then did some PT contracting at my old place of work, had a super lazy Christmas and start my new job week after next! Fingers crossed. I am so so glad I did just hand in my notice, 100% the right thing to do. So thanks everyone for the encouragement!

Hi popski, so pleased for you, it sounds like it's been brilliant for you!
Unfortunately for me I was emotionally blackmailed to extend my notice u til the end of March... I have been finding it really difficult to jobhunt properly with such a long notice period but I have 3 mo this left now, so I will be starting properly soon!

I will let you know how it all goes but in the mea time good luck with your new job and we'll done!!!

Ps sorry about typos, fighting with autocorrect!!! 😆