Argh - 3 months notice period is a nightmare!

[Hulababy]

I m wanting to change my work - asap to be honest, but that is another story. Trouble is, I have a 3 month notice period.

And this is a nightmare, I am finding, when looking for a new job. Most want you to be able to start within about 4-6 weeks max. And you have to put your notice period on job apps too, so I am likely to not even be offered an intervew as a result of it, esp when there is a known preferred start date.

I know noone can Offer a solution, just wanted to whinge about it.

Am seriously considering handing in my notie and then just hoping, with crossed fingers, that I find a new job within 3 months or so!

Hulababy is your notice period quite long for your type of job? By which I mean wouldn't it be reasonable of a new employer to expect you to have that length of notice period in the job you are currently in? Or are they perfectly reasonable to think that's excessive for your job?

I would doubt that someone wouldn't even interview you because of your notice period if you otherwise meet all the criteria and look like someone they might want to recruit. Notice periods can often be negotiated, so not shortlisting someone purely because of that seems unlikely. That's something to be dealt with once you've been interviewed ime, not a reason to reject someone out of hand. 3 months isn't that long.

Have you actually had feedback from potential employers that this is a problem? Have they actually interviewed you and then not offered you the job because of your notice period? Have they not shortlisted you and then specifically said it's because of your notice period? Just wondering where you're getting this impression from that it's going to be such a big problem when job hunting.

A preferred start date is just that, preferred. If the perfect candidate comes along and can't start exactly then, most organisations would be prepared to wait a few weeks. Recruitment is a chore and expensive and rejecting the perfect candidate for the sake of a couple of weeks would be unusual to say the least, as well as daft.

There is not a lot forcing you to work your whole notice period either, other than any concern you might have about a reference. It would technically be a breach of contract, but in reality in most cases there's not a lot an employer could or would want to bother doing about it. You could easily go to them with a job offer and put some pressure on saying that you really need to start as soon as possible, and ask if they would be able to compromise and release you a bit early.

Most employers wouldn't want someone sitting there for 3 months who is fed up and not motivated, so it's likely they'd at least consider releasing you a bit early, which you could then offer to a new employer as a compromise. Do you have any holiday owing that you could use at the end to make it quicker?

Does your role mean that you need to work the 3 months, are you more difficult to replace?

What are you working on - lots to hand over?

The above two things are what will really drive employers to hold you to your 3 months.

If you can hand over quickly, have a successor or don't have loads of work (or if there are redundancies) they may be more open to negotiating.

Most employers would wait for you if you are the successful candidate. I have had to wait 6 months for someone before - and they were def worth waiting for.

My notice period is normal for my employer (am on a lecturer's contract) but not normal for the posts I am applying for (teaching assistant type roles), who are looking for 4-6 week start minimum.

Only person I have spoken to about it is the Head of infants at DD's school who actually brought it up with me.

I am replacable - yes. But we are very short staffed at present, so not sure how much negotiation is there as a result. Also new staff coming in are likely to have similar notice period, and if not just ging through the security process can take 2-3 months anyway.

Would you not have a security process/CRB checks for teaching assistant jobs as well though? Excuse my ignorance, I don't know but that was my immediate reaction to your last post.

Yes, but not in as much detail as at the prison from what I can gather. Also, many TAs get to start before their security CRB is in place, as they will not be left unsupervised until it comes through.