Negotiating a shorter notice period?
Discussion
Hi all,
I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
Really depends on employer.
Larger they are less likely any flex
Large orgs see keeping the barrier to exit high for everyone better for retention and so make no exceptions. Smaller companies may value the money more.
Increasingly it seems to be the exception rather than rule that people get out early.
New co will wait if they want you & you explain situation & your intent to try reduce notice, but no promises.
Larger they are less likely any flex
Large orgs see keeping the barrier to exit high for everyone better for retention and so make no exceptions. Smaller companies may value the money more.
Increasingly it seems to be the exception rather than rule that people get out early.
New co will wait if they want you & you explain situation & your intent to try reduce notice, but no promises.
Get the formal written offer first.
If you decide to take it, advise the new employer that you've a 3 month notice period, which you'll try to reduce by negotiation.
I'd suggest that when speak to your current employer about notice and termination, they would likely let you go sooner.
You're unlikely to be fully engaged with the current employer, despite what you think, once you've accepted another offer.
If you can get your notice down to 1 month, great. Tell the new employer it's 6 weeks and take the time to have a break between roles.
I find you need to be able to switch off from the old and be clear minded when starting the next.
Good luck!
If you decide to take it, advise the new employer that you've a 3 month notice period, which you'll try to reduce by negotiation.
I'd suggest that when speak to your current employer about notice and termination, they would likely let you go sooner.
You're unlikely to be fully engaged with the current employer, despite what you think, once you've accepted another offer.
If you can get your notice down to 1 month, great. Tell the new employer it's 6 weeks and take the time to have a break between roles.
I find you need to be able to switch off from the old and be clear minded when starting the next.
Good luck!
The convergence of existing work culminating is the key here.
Make sure all the ducks are aligned and they all end on time without overrun and negotiate based on this end point plus a small number of days to ensure all loose ends are wholly tied off.
They should be amenable - I know we certainly are (in this space for a specific industry) - when all these stars align
Make sure all the ducks are aligned and they all end on time without overrun and negotiate based on this end point plus a small number of days to ensure all loose ends are wholly tied off.
They should be amenable - I know we certainly are (in this space for a specific industry) - when all these stars align
Thanks for the advice. It is appreciated.
It is a small company, about 35 employees. My work revolves around my employers finding things for me to do, and sometimes there are gaps, so I’m hoping all that counts towards being allowed to leave early as that might actually save them money if they haven’t got clients to keep me flat out at that point.
Also, I agree that even if you are a caring employee, you have mentally checked out once you resign. Your head won’t be in it.
It is a small company, about 35 employees. My work revolves around my employers finding things for me to do, and sometimes there are gaps, so I’m hoping all that counts towards being allowed to leave early as that might actually save them money if they haven’t got clients to keep me flat out at that point.
Also, I agree that even if you are a caring employee, you have mentally checked out once you resign. Your head won’t be in it.
It's amazing how often this comes up and the answer is always the same, the best time to negotiate is before you accept the contract! No doubt your rate reflects the level of job and the 3 month requirement, you were I assume happy with that.
Doesn't help you now of course - I've successfully negotiated down, I was on 4 week notice but threatened to leave immediately unless we agreed 2 weeks - they did agree, but I was leaving on bad terms.
It doesn't hurt to ask, having a plan in mind for how the business will adapt/manage and how it benefits them (or at least how they can minimise impact), rather than just say I want to leave early would help. Also consider the message it sends to your new employer...
Doesn't help you now of course - I've successfully negotiated down, I was on 4 week notice but threatened to leave immediately unless we agreed 2 weeks - they did agree, but I was leaving on bad terms.
It doesn't hurt to ask, having a plan in mind for how the business will adapt/manage and how it benefits them (or at least how they can minimise impact), rather than just say I want to leave early would help. Also consider the message it sends to your new employer...
You're completely in the hands of your current employer
If it suits them and they want to help you out, you may be allowed to leave earlier. If not, you're staying - unless you really want to burn some bridges.
All you can do is be professional, co-operative and helpful and hope for the former.
If it suits them and they want to help you out, you may be allowed to leave earlier. If not, you're staying - unless you really want to burn some bridges.
All you can do is be professional, co-operative and helpful and hope for the former.
I had a 3 month notice a few years ago. I negotiated to 2 months - I was going from one company to a direct competitor but I was deemed to be leaving under good terms (I wanted to move in with my at the time girlfriend so had to move to another part of the country).
Best bet is to ask and figure out a plan to hand over anything you're responsible for.
Equally another colleague of mine at the same time got held to his 3 months though. That was mainly as he'd pissed some people off so his leaving was under slightly less good terms.
Best bet is to ask and figure out a plan to hand over anything you're responsible for.
Equally another colleague of mine at the same time got held to his 3 months though. That was mainly as he'd pissed some people off so his leaving was under slightly less good terms.
Lord Marylebone said:
Hi all,
I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
Ah....some time back, I was on a months notice, & due to head to Nairobi for some work in January.I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
I'd had a couple of interviews with a small company which led to a job offer, with a minor 'caveat' that there was a "stock split" opportunity if I could join them later that week.
I found a teammate who was able to cover my work abroad, presented my request to my boss (who I got on well with) - he made some calls, & 3 days later, I had moved across.
Turned out to be a good move.....
Summary: cover your upcoming workload, make a reasonable case, & only a nasty management would decline your request.
Lord Marylebone said:
Hi all,
I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
I have always done this. I talk informally to whoever can make the decision and ask for it to be reduced to a month. Then I reiterate this month, along with a projected leaving date, in my formal resignation letter. Companies don't want to keep you if you don't want to be there, as long as you're not leaving them in the lurch, and do a meaningful handover of documentation and responsibilities, they will usually say yes.I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
Just say sorry got a new job would like to leave in a month. They can’t force you to come in. Just be nice about it.. Notice periods are difficult, never really enforced if the person wants to go. They don’t want you hanging around dragging everyone down or doing such a bad job it damages them.
I have known people leave the same week, just saying sorry can’t work here anymore. In 35 years of work in multinationals never saw anyone penalised for breach of contract. Known senior managers go off sick and never return, then magically appear in a new company. Companies can march you out the door in an hour for redundancy, restructuring etc, so the only reason you stay 3 months is fear of authority.
I have known people leave the same week, just saying sorry can’t work here anymore. In 35 years of work in multinationals never saw anyone penalised for breach of contract. Known senior managers go off sick and never return, then magically appear in a new company. Companies can march you out the door in an hour for redundancy, restructuring etc, so the only reason you stay 3 months is fear of authority.
Thanks again all. Some things to think about.
I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
Lord Marylebone said:
Thanks again all. Some things to think about.
I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
Any problems: remind them of your moniker here: "don't you know who I am?" I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
mikeiow said:
Lord Marylebone said:
Thanks again all. Some things to think about.
I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
Any problems: remind them of your moniker here: "don't you know who I am?" I wouldn't want to be upsetting anyone or burning any bridges. Thats not how I have left any employer, and it is a fairly close knit sector so you often bump into the same people again years later.
I will try to put my case together and go from there.
The 'Lord' bit of my name is totally made up sadly... Almost every time I have had an offer I have been asked if I can shorten my notice period, and every time I have asked I have been told no. Funny how companies expect people to do it but don't seem to willing to themselves.
As for the OP as others have said it depends, ask you'll get an answer, they either will or wont let you
As for the OP as others have said it depends, ask you'll get an answer, they either will or wont let you
Lord Marylebone said:
Hi all,
I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
I managed to do this about 2 years ago, I got it down from 3 months to 5 and a bit weeks. I have a 3 month notice period in my employment contract and I have just been approached by a different business, for a discussion of employment with them.
The nature of my work is contracting, projects, and interim cover. Essentially working on a variety of different things for clients. I am possibly coming to a convergence of being offered a new position whilst coming to the end of my current projects with my employer.
Ideally, if offered a position by this new employer, I could do with being out of my current role following 4-6 weeks notice.
Has anyone successfully asked for or negotiated a lesser notice period?
Any advice, tips or suggestions?
What you don't want to do is burn bridges, you never know when you might want or need your old employer. I started by listing all the tasks I was carrying out and the team I was looking after and how to transfer that to my successor. I also agreed a list of training items and handover meetings/tasks I was going to complete before I left and set out a timetable within a few days demonstrating that a 3 month notice period was excessive to replace me (they had a ready made replacement in house) and that all my handover items could be done within a set time not exceeding 6 weeks.
I got everything done I said I would and more and got a few days to myself before starting my new employment.
I also didn't piss anyone off crucially as I'm now back with that employer after my other role not working out as planned.
By way of a conclusion to this:
During my call to my manager to inform him of my resignation, I asked that as a gesture of goodwill to me, would he consider reducing my notice period. He said he would consider it.
He called back a few days later and said that he would half it to 6 weeks. He also said that the door was always open for me to come back if I wanted to. As I expected, it was a good time to leave as I was just coming to the end of my long term projects so there was no undue disruption.
It has all been very cordial.
During my call to my manager to inform him of my resignation, I asked that as a gesture of goodwill to me, would he consider reducing my notice period. He said he would consider it.
He called back a few days later and said that he would half it to 6 weeks. He also said that the door was always open for me to come back if I wanted to. As I expected, it was a good time to leave as I was just coming to the end of my long term projects so there was no undue disruption.
It has all been very cordial.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 19th January 23:25
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