How to resign from a job after two days

[Lucyggy]

Started a new job two days ago. Gone from part time to full time (I have three young children, for reference).

I absolutely hate it. The atmosphere is awful, the staff are rude and dismissive and it's not at all how I expected it to be. The extra salary from working full time is not at all worth the time I am giving up, nor the added stress from this job, once you factor in childcare costs.

I enjoyed my previous job and only really left as I was feeling a pressure to further my career, which I really don't think this job is going to do. Was told by my manager on the first day that the previous person in my position left after being off sick with stress for months as she couldn't handle the job. And basically told me a load of other problems and issues that I was going to face and then said 'off you go, sort it out' as it were!

Anyway, I've been in touch with my previous manager and they are happy to have me back. I've not actually signed a contract with the new place (long story) so I can effectively leave immediately and go straight back to my old place.

Question is: what is the best way to do this? I don't particularly feel I owe them anything. If anything I think they completely mis-represented the job.

Get your offer/contract from old place first and then resign as quickly as possible.

People make mistakes when taking a job but best not to string the new employer along as they can start reaching out to the 2nd choice candidates.

Also unlikely they will make you work notice but that is for them and you to decide - if they are still training you to do the job - it's a waste of wages for them.

Lastly - think really hard - there was a reason you left your last job. New jobs and workplaces are always hard to begin with and maybe you just need more time or a frank conversation with new manager about your concerns

Thanks for your reply.

I just know it's not for me. I've been new before and have never felt this way. I did leave my old job for a reason, but that now seems completely daft.

I am more than happy to return. I just have no idea how to go about resigning. Do I go in tomorrow and do it in person, so I call and tell them I'm not coming back? Email?

Might not be the "right" thing to do, but if it was me I just wouldn't go back

I’ve had this twice recently where I work. One person worked a week, emailed to say they weren’t returning and didn’t respond to calls to discuss. That was it.

Another person called after one day saying they weren’t returning as it wasn’t for them. Willing to discuss, came in and addressed the issues and still here. It may be worthwhile calling and discussing it.

I'd just email this evening. Politely resign with immediate effect. Take the rest of the week off while making arrangements with your old employer.

Confirmed I'm back in with previous employer. I am still on the payroll and in all the systems so they've just rescinded my resignation so it's like it never happened.

Drafted email to send this evening.

I've done it twice. First one I rang up and said I wasn't coming back. That was it.

Second one I told them face to face and they made me work my notice.

If I have not signed a contract they cannot make me work notice surely? That's what I'm assuming anyway

When I googled this (also hadn’t signed a contract) I found stuff saying a verbal contract/implied contract was as binding as a written one.

Not sure how true that is.....I can’t imagine many firms would take action if you didn’t work the notice period especially if no contract.

Tell them to fuck off

My understanding is that if you have received the contract and haven’t raised any objections but have started working then there is implied consent.
Working notice, if you don’t it’s a contractual breach, but after two days working there I wouldn’t take it to court.

A new started just did this to me. Didn't like it after two days and emailed HR to say she wouldnt be coming back. It happens. Annoying but not big deal and nothing the employer can do or would do realistically-except maybe ask you to pay any DBS fee if you needed one-probably by extracting it from any pay you had earned.

Hi OP - I work in HR/internal recruitment and actually recently did this myself. Started a role and day one I was in the toilets sobbing. 2 weeks in , I just walked into the manager and said I would be resigning with immediate effect.
Yes technically you are suppose to work a notice but noone upholds it this early.
Glad your old work had you back

Just checked the GOV.UK website which says this:

You must give at least a week’s notice if you’ve been in your job for more than a month.

So as I've not been there a month I don't legally need to give any notice by the looks of it.

Started a role and day one I was in the toilets sobbing.

This is me the last 3 days. Except it was in the car on my lunch as you can't go to the toilet in this office without telling someone (no joke!). I am not as brave as you though. The manager is quite full on so I just don't have the balls to do it in person. So email it is!

Sounds awful. I would email.

Had the same. Was so sad. Wrote an email to resign with immediate effect. Can't believe my 'dream job' made me so miserable.

Send the email, go back to your old work, don't look back.

You took a risk, it didn't work out, you've sorted it. All's well that ends well!

I had a similar situation this summer. I lasted 2.5days. On paper it was a great job, but it was cold, strict and just a glorified factory. No one spoke to me at all, didnt tell me that to access the loo you had to request a key as they were locked.
I knew when I couldn't sleep with anxiety that it wasnt going to work.
I text my old boss about something unrelated to new job, he asked how I was getting on and I said not great. He told me there would always be a home for me at my old employer. I text him the next day to make sure my previous conditions still applied. They did. And I went to talk to my new boss. I explained that it didnt feel like it was the right fit for me, I felt out of my depth and I didnt want the job.
He kinda understood as he was from a similar background to me. I know had I stayed I would have learnt a lot from him but I'd have been miserable in my cubicle.
You owe them nothing. They wouldn't think twice about doing it to you.

I'd tell them exactly what I thought I'd their horrible work place and that you're leaving and won't be coming back in - you owe them nothing

Just email them and say you aren’t returning. Pretend it never happened.

Statutory notice is zero at this point and even if you were given a contract I doubt you’ve worked long enough to be bound by it.

Had to laugh at this thread though. I recently struggled to resign after a year and I desperately wanted to leave after two days

Email. No need to go in. No statutory notice after just a few days, and you haven't got a contract. Walk away and forget it.

We once had someone just vanish after a fortnight. We never knew why - we're generally a lovely place to work too. Sometimes the fit just isn't right though.

As an employer I'd rather know sooner than later if it's not going to work out.

What happened op?

What happened op?

I emailed them Wednesday evening after three days with a vague excuse. They called me on Thursday and asked me why so I was honest on the phone and told them exactly why. She didn't seem at all surprised.

Been back in my old job a week now and feel so much happier.

Thanks for all your reassurances and advice