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I recently accepted a job offer which was contingent on a background check, which has finished and came back fine. So now I have to wait on "new hire paperwork."
Would this be an ideal time to put in my two weeks or should I wait for the paperwork? I haven't been given an official start date yet, but in the offer details I was given (in writing), the "estimated start date" would be in two weeks.
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The prudent thing to do would be to wait. As eager as you may be to move on and start at the new company, your income is at stake and you wouldn't want to jeopardize it, would you?
A few more days are not going to change anything and it will help you sleep at night.
Would this be an ideal time to put in my two weeks or should I wait for the paperwork? I haven't been given an official start date yet, but in the offer details I was given (in writing), the "estimated start date" would be in two weeks.
Wait!
You don't have a complete offer yet - you have a contingent offer awaiting real paperwork. Huge difference.
Anything can happen between now and a full offer.
I recently attempted to hire a contractor. In order to start work he was required to go through a background check and a drug check. The first drug test had handling problems (the lab's fault, not the contractor's fault), so it had to be done again. The background check took an extra two weeks due to summer vacations. Long story short - the contractor gave up after 5 weeks of waiting for it to get completed. I don't blame him.
And anything in the company can change between now and the real offer. A reorg could happen, making the position redundant, or having it report to a new manager. Layoffs could happen. Budgets could be realigned. Anything.
Wait until you have a real, written final offer in hand with a real start date.
Then, and only then, give your notice. The wait is almost certain to be very short anyway. The reduction in risk is worth the wait.
Wait for two weeks. The offer is CONTINGENT on the background check, which could give you a nasty surprise if someone stole your identity. Further, the ESTIMATED start date is not a hard and fast date but an estimate. You'll wait a couple days more until all your ducks are lined up, but waiting a couple more days won't kill you - you're not having a heart attack :)
Unless you have the standard two months' salary saved up and a job market where you can get a job quickly, wait it out.
I recently took a new job. One day I stopped by the new job with the signed offer letter in hand to turn in. The next morning, I submitted my notice to my (then) present employer.
I did this because I wanted to leave nothing to chance. I have bills to pay. I did not want to have to dip into savings unless it were a true emergency: a manufactured emergency caused by my own itchy trigger finger is not a valid emergency.
Do not leave anything to chance unless you truly have the extra cash to afford a mistake.
