Timing of leaving one job for another [closed]

Question

Some time ago, another company made me an excellent job offer. After some consideration, I asked the other employer to move out their offer's start date into the new year. My plan was to inform my current employer of my intent to resign shortly after the new year with about a month's notice to provide time to transition my work.

Now, however, my current employer's annual bonus is being paid later than expected. The start date of the offer is only two weeks after my bonus is expected to be paid. It seems to me that my current employer has little reason to give me a bonus if I have announced an imminent departure.

I expect the bonus to be about 10% of my annual pay (so it is rather significant). Since I have already negotiated an offer from my new employer, it does not feel acceptable to go to them and say "Oh, by the way, I'm also (maybe) giving up a bonus for you. Could you please throw that in as a signing bonus?"

I think that I have a few options:

1. Wait until the bonus is paid, then give notice that I will be leaving in 2 weeks. Try to help as much as possible to transition the work.

2. Inform the company now so that they have an extra week or two to transition work. Hope that they'll pay the bonus, but expect that they won't.

3. Ask my new employer to push out the start date a second time. Wait until the bonus is paid, then give notice that I will be leaving in a month. Hope that my new employer does not suspect some kind of delaying tactic. (Also, I must stay at my current job for another few weeks rather than starting the excellent new one.)

I'm inclined to choose option 1, but am feeling a bit guilty that I am "using" my current company for the bonus. What is the right choice?

Answer 1

Unless you are working for a very small company, then two weeks notice is enough. If it's not, that's their problem, not yours. Turnover happens, and it's their responsibility to prepare for it.

Collect the bonus, give them two weeks, and start the new job as promised.

Answer 2

I'm in the United States, where the majority of employer/employee relationships are "at-will". That means, at any point during tenure, either the employer or employee can choose to sever their ties without recourse. That being said, you'd be better served tossing aside the guilt. If you no longer served the company's purpose, the company would be well within their rights to terminate the relationship with you immediately following that realization.

Now, about the bonus...you are right that 10% is a big number. However, you have a company patiently waiting for you to come aboard. I believe your trepidation is due to the fact you know there is very little chance that the exiting company will pay you the bonus should you leave prior to distribution. You've already asked the new company to extend your start date once, hoping that your present company would distribute the bonuses according to their traditional schedule. It sounds to me like you are simply a victim of bad timing.

Historically, I tend to use personal relationships for comparative analogies when faced with these types of situations, because the context usually fits. Put yourself in the position of the unhappily attached individual whose significant other still loves them, but the spark has all but gone from their relationship. One day, the unhappy individual meets that special someone whom they believe can provide that spark. After a period of stealth communication and contact, the unhappy individual finally decides to leave the boring predictability of their current situation. However, they have come to that decision on December 8th, and they know that their current significant other has already purchased and wrapped that Christmas present they've always wanted. So, a dilemma ensues: does the unhappy individual wait until after New Year's to drop the bombshell to leave (much-desired present in hand) or do they let their significant other know immediately and risk not receiving the much-desired present? Even better, put yourself in the position of the unknowing significant other and ask yourself how you would prefer to be treated.

I don't know what your relationship is like with your current employer. I also don't know how much longer the new employer is willing to wait. I had a similar situation with my previous employer. Fortunately for me, I wasn't introduced to my new "relationship" until after I got my bonus, so there was no hesitation on my part. In this case, you need to decide whether risking the new relationship any further is worth the 10% bonus.