New job hasn't confirmed starting date and I want to give current employer as much notice as possible

Question

I have applied for a new job that has a lengthy hiring process. They keep telling me I will be working for them soon and that the paper work is just a formality, but I still haven't got a final offer letter with a start date (I do have an offer letter describing my position and pay).

I haven't told my current employer that I will be leaving and I want to leave on as good terms as possible and give them as much notice as possible.

The other day I went in to show the new job my SIN card (same as SSN). The actual hiring manager wasn't available so the person I spoke with made a copy of it to give to the manager. I asked her if she new anything about where in the hiring process I am and she did not.

Also it sounds like they will be having me in for training before I start working full time.

So I'm thinking of sending an email to the hiring manager and need help wording it. Here is what I'm thinking

Hello:

I am wondering when I can expect to start working? I haven't given my current employer notice that I'm quitting and would like to give as much as possible.

Thanks.

I would like to avoid a bureaucratic response such as "as soon as all your paper work clears". This is only for seasonal employment and there's been a lot of back and forth so it seems to be getting silly. Legally I'm supposed to give at least two weeks notice.

UPDATE: the company dragged their feet so long I was offered another job by a different company and accepted it. Less than a month latter the first company came back with the official offer and I apologized saying I had already accepted another job offer. Snooze you loose.

Answer 1

You don't have a start date, so you don't have anything. Until you receive a written communication from your prospective employer that states your start date, where you are supposed to show up and at what time and who is there to receive you, you have NOTHING.

You can tell your current employer that you are leaving but many if not most current employers will react by choosing the time and date you are leaving for you - Like right now. And you have half an hour to clear your desk and get yourself escorted out of the building.

Until you actually start, there is always the chance that your prospective employer is going to rescind the offer on you before your start date. The more time you want to give your current employer, the bigger the time window for a possible rescission to occur. You say you want to give your current employer as much time as possible? I say don't be an idiot. Stick to the two-week notice or whatever notice is customary in your locale. Don't try to do more than that, you are in self-preservation mode and you need to look out for yourself and your dependents if you have any.

Of course, you don't give your two-week notice UNTIL you have the written communication from your prospective employer in hand - the written communication I mentioned at the very beginning of my answer. Stick with the custom, that's enough courtesy to your employer.

Answer 2

You mentioned a 2-week delay for the notice. Just tell them you have this hard constraint, which is independent of your will, and if they want to have you "asap", they need to clear your start date issue.

Answer 3

"as soon as all your paper work clears".

This was my first answer. Since you clearly don’t wish for this I'll elaborate on the more risky approaches.

Here's a list of "moments" in which you could announce your 2 weeks’ notice. This goes from safe moments to less safe moments.

1. As soon as all your paper work clears. (no risk)
2. As soon as your starting date is clear
3. As soon as you have an "indication" to around which date you will work.
4. Right now. (Taking all risk on to yourself)

I don't know how badly the other company wants you and how easy it is for you to find a different job in general. The main thing you need to worry about is having your new job go back on their offer. If you think this chance is negligible, then you don’t need to wait for the papers to clear. If you're financially stable enough to take the brunt of being un-employed for a few days up to a month. Then you could announce that you're leaving right now.

The main reason why people wait for papers is because no-one likes to take the risk of not getting that other job and then be unemployed. Just think of how much this would impact your life. If it impacts you very little, then obviously you would be capable of taking this risk casually.

And feel free to send that letter to ask when you could be expected to work. Or at-least ask for an indication. If you know in which week you'll start working but not the day, will still help you a long way.