2 weeks notice or more?

[valeriek]

I am unhappy in my job, and was just offered a great new position. I am a mid-level professional with "manager" in my title, but don't have anyone reporting to me. I went to my current boss on Monday to give my two weeks notice, and she flipped out. She said standard notice for my level was four weeks. She claims I am being completely unprofessional and she urged me to give her a full month of notice. I said no - two weeks is standard. She then had our VP of HR call me, and reiterate that I should have given four weeks, and that I need to work out with my current boss when a mutually agreed upon leave date would be. I told the VP of HR no - I am sticking with the date on my resignation letter. Am I nuts here? Is two weeks appropriate, or should I have given more? I don't have any outstanding projects right now, and prior to me giving notice my boss even told me that things slow WAY down in the summer. I pride myself on professionalism, but I am miserable in my job, and can't wait to leave. So, am I wrong in giving only two weeks?

[SheRa]

2 weeks is standard. they're just freaking out because they'll have to replace you. it's not your problem IMO - you're being responsible by giving them notice.

[ChristieinMB]

I did this ten years ago this month.
I told another manager of my plan, he told me they would try to guilt me into staying longer but to stick to two weeks, that is what I did, like you I was able to complete the necessary projects in that time. I worked many hours in that two weeks to "clean up" everything. I gave them my phone number for any necessary phone calls. It was very stressful, but everyone survived.
I would only buy the guilt trip in you were in the middle of a something messy.
Since you don't like your job I would feel less guilty, I LOVED my job and the people I worked with, I just wanted to quit working.

[GingerPow]

I pride myself on professionalism, but I am miserable in my job, and can't wait to leave. So, am I wrong in giving only two weeks?
If your current boss "flipped out" when you presented her with your two weeks notice, I can see why you want out! :rolleyes:

[ellielk]

No, you are not nuts; they are. I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like you'll need their recommendation to get a new job. You already have a new job.

It's actually very cheeky of them to be giving you so much grief. Even in my work, state government when it takes about 6 weeks to even get a job posted, 2 weeks is standard.

Sheesh!

[funniegrrl]

Two weeks is "standard" but I agree that for manager-level positions it's courteous to give more, especially if you're salaried / paid monthly. In those cases I've never given less than a month's notice.

[myredcactus]

unless it was written into your contract, you're not even required to give ANY notice. You're being professional and accomidating by giving two weeks' notice.

[Beth]

Two weeks is the standard unless you are in a unique position, have a contract or some other agreement. Contracts often specify 30 days.

Can't say I'd want to, but if you wanted to work with them, you need to make sure you won't jeapordize the new position by delaying. Most employers will understand waiting 2 weeks because that is standard. Some can't or won't. Waiting longer creates a hardship for them and increases the chance they'll take someone else.

And don't forget that an employer often takes a 2 week notice and says clean your desk out now. Again, if you were inclined to work with them and you have made sure that your new job would wait for you -- also get in writing from the current employer that they have requested you to stay and agree to pay you for the 4 weeks even if they terminate your employment sooner. Otherwise, they could hire someone tomorrow, fire you and leave you in the lurch for 4 weeks pay rather than 2.

One point on their side -- do you think they are concerned that you are giving 2 weeks notice and will take vacation or sick days -- effectively not giving them any real time to hire a replacement or make a transition plan. Maybe they will calm down if they know that isn't the case.

Good luck with the new job. :)

[valeriek]

Thanks for all of the feedback - I really thought I was losing my mind. I am NOT extending beyond the two weeks I gave, even though they are still pushing me to do so. I have a start date for my new position, and I am taking one week off in between jobs. My boss has made many snide remarks to me, and has starting telling others in the company that I am screwing the department by leaving so abruptly. ALL OF MY PROJECTS ARE DONE! One of the reasons I am leaving is because I am bored of my mind! And, I have told them I won't take any time off from now until I leave. I just didn't know if I had missed some cultural shift in notice time. My boss is going to make these last two weeks miserable, but there is light at the end. Thanks again for your support!

[ChristieinMB]

Sounds like your boss is jealous of you. :D :D

[mst]

Valerie- as an HR person, I would tell you that you should give the same amount of notice as vacation you have. So, if you have three weeks vacation, you should give three weeks notice. Personally, I give a month's notice.

I once left a job, and I gave six weeks notice. My boss told me that I was selfish and unprofessional for giving so little notice. We did not talk at all for those six weeks.

If you are concerned, give another week's notice. Although it might be unfair, and not in your plan, it might help you somewhere down the line. Like, you might want to get into a company that a current co-worker is working at. And s/he might remember that you gave an "unfair" notice to this company.

Try to put off the new company a week. They will probably be ok with it. Just tell them that your current company has requested more time, and you would like to respectfully help them out. It will make you look good at your new company because they know you will be respectful of them when someday it becomes time to move on.

Either way, congrats on your new position!

[mobear]

Hang in there.

I recently quit my job. Although I was not a manager, I was a lead analyst. I gave SIX WEEKS NOTICE because I was finishing a major reorganization and knew they needed time to replace me. Well, they tried to get me to stay by saying they would make changes, then retracted that, then tried to get me to stay another FOUR WEEKS past my resignation date. Like you, I stuck to my guns. I really could not stand another month in that job with the level of stress and workload that I had making my health problems worse. Six weeks is more than enough time.

Just try to work quietly with those people who know the quality of your work to explain your side of the story and to get future references in case you need them. That is what I did.

[SheRa]

the last job i had was TERRIBLE, and they really used the "at-will employment" so that they could fire people without ANY notice. i saw them wait until a guy (who was with the company for 7 years!!) finished a huge project, and then told him not to come back the next day. when i finally found a new job to replace that one, i waited until i knew for sure i had it, took my lunch break, and then pulled my boss aside and told her i was going to take advantage of the "at-will employment" and leave for a better job. the exchange kind of went like this:

her: "so, in 2 weeks?"
me: "not exactly..."
her: "sooner?"
me: "yeah..."
her: "how soon?"
me: "right now, actually"

i figured they deserved it because they treated EVERYONE like dirt, and people were too afraid to leave. they were also the type of people who wouldn't give you a good reference EVEN if they loved you (and they did - i was good at my job!), so i went all Office Space on them. i even took my stapler just like Milton. Needless to say, i only recommend this approach in EXTREME situations. ;)

[SusanPC]

I gave a month's notice in my last two jobs. Incidentially, I am back at the first one that I left, so I was glad to have given them the time.

When I left the first, the new company wasn't thrilled (and I wanted to take a week off for vacation so it was 5 weeks until I started). But, I told them they would want the same courtesy if I left them (which I ultimately did).

My title was Manager and I came back to the first one at a higher level.

With that said, I had stuff going on at each place so I had loose ends to wrap up. And, I lost a lot of vacation when I left #1. If I had not had the stuff going on, I would have given 2 weeks.

Sounds like given their attitudes you made the right choice.

[Wendy w]

Two weeks is enough. Don't let them intimidate you. They wouldn't extend the same courtesy to you if the shoe was on the other foot. I've heard of employers who were such bad sports that they would ask people who would give notice to leave immediately.

A fellow coworker, who had been here for 1 1/2 years, unhappy and interviewing for other jobs throughout her time here, gave a month's notice. Her boss (a very difficult personality that no one wants to work for), got upset and had a fit. I should add that my friend got two very nice promotions since she left and that the boss scared off her next assistant after 7 months. The current assistant is funny, feisty, and takes no cr@p. :)

Hang in there, you will be out soon.