Two Weeks Notice - Definitely Put It In

I am beginning the job search and I often hear from recruiters who work for or are contracted by a large ISP in my area. Now ten (10) years ago I worked for this ISP on the help desk and left without giving two weeks notice. Long and short of it is the job was awful and I was in college full time so I didn't need to work full time as well. I was there about two months and decided it was time to quit. Since I almost never saw my supervisor I went to one I knew and told him I would be leaving. He thanked me and began to walk me out adding that it was a shame I couldn't give them two weeks because as a policy if you didn't you could never be hired again.

Fast forward 10 years and that ISP is bigger than ever. When recruiters have reached out, I've expressed interest twice, but I have been upfront with the fact that I had worked there and left without giving two weeks. The first recruiter just never replied after I explained that (he was an outside recruiter), but the second one was internal and asked me for a bunch of information on who my supervisor was and manager (which somehow I was able to find all my paperwork and supply). Low and behold that recruiter goes silent on me as well!

Moral of the story? Give your two weeks because you never know. As an aside, this isn't a complaint because I was advised of the policy and chose not to follow it (young and dumb, those days are gone).

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Comments

bgold87

I'm not sure I would have mentioned it to be honest. In a decade, systems change and I feel like that information would be hard to dig out. I'm not sure if they re-hired you and then later found out that they would let you go.

NOC-Ninja

IT is a small world. Never burn bridges. We makes mistakes and learn from it.

TheFORCE

Follow up with them and see if they reply. No reason for you to go silent also. Your old supervisor probably doesn't even work there at this point.

Deathmage

Good luck to you man!!!!

You'll find something quick, have faith.

GSXR750K2

Yes...two weeks minimum is an absolute requirement out of professional respect, even if a particular employer doesn't necessarily deserve it.

I put in three weeks notice at my last job because I'd been there six years and they took really good care of me. Fast forward a year after that and they fired the guy they hired to replace me and now I'm back doing consulting for them in my free time.

Just last month I was offered a position in a city that I really want to move to but they offered it to me on a Tuesday and said I'd need to start on the next week's Friday (10 days). I had to tell them that I won't leave my current employer with that little notice and that I would extend them the same courtesy in the future if I were to come work there.

Leaving a job is not like breaking up with a significant other...don't just rip the Band-Aid off and be on your way.

-EDIT-

Not a rant against anyone particular, just good advice. Some people/places can hold grudges if they felt they were jilted.

Nans

To my knowledge they only say they keep the record of the past employees for only 4 years say at most 8 years. You could have easily gone unnoticed. Being so honest is the best attribute of an individual, which costed you here. But I'll say it's a vast market some thing better is waiting for you...

Thank you for the advice it is a valuable one.

the_Grinch

It definitely is a fair point that they might not find out. But the way my luck goes they would have found out and it probably wouldn't end well. I look at it from the perspective of background checks I've had done and have done. When you're upfront you get the chance to give your side, where as if you don't disclose and the investigator finds it your side becomes much harder to argue for.

Regardless, solid replies!

Mooseboost

This is why you never burn bridges, you never know where future opportunities might come from. I've seen more than one instance where a company will offer someone a new position based on good past experiences. The NOC Supervisor at a previous position was offered the job by someone because they knew he was a good NOC technician while he was there.

IT can be a small world.

alias454

Consider it a transgression of youth. There are so many things we shouldn't do but f-it, life goes on. You did the right thing by being honest about it.

OctalDump

To quote the Clinton administration, this is a case of "Don't ask, don't tell". After 10 years, and a whole different position, I'd only have mentioned it if asked.

On the other side of the coin, if I were hiring and a company had this policy after 10 years, I'd think it was a stupid policy and do my best to ignore it. There is such a thing as growth and redemption, and people change a lot in 10 years. I mean, I get that rehiring someone (that inconvenienced you), especially in the entry level area where you can drive down to Home Depot and pick up a truck full of workers, after 3 months or even 12 months might be reasonable, but 10 years...

But maybe you dodged a bullet here. Maybe they have other silly policies. Or maybe your honesty scared them because they would need you to lie to customers occasionally.

thomas_

I think it still depends on the situation. If you have a better job lined up that needs you to start in a few days, are you going to take the job and give as much notice as you can or pass up on the job because you didn't have enough time to give two weeks notice before leaving?

I'd say if you are going to give two weeks notice, you might as well give 2.5 - 3 weeks notice. In some states for unemployment insurance purposes, if the employee gives two weeks or less of notice they consider the employee to have initiated the separation, even if the employer promptly terminates the employee right after notice is given, and the onus is on the employee to prove why they are eligible for unemployment benefits. However, if the employee gives more than two weeks of notice and the employer terminates them on the spot, then in some states it's considered that the employer initiated the separation and the onus is on the employer to prove why the employee shouldn't get unemployment benefits. Obviously, things vary from state to state. I always think it's a good idea to read handbooks that are written for employers by state agencies to help them understand different laws. You can learn a lot about what employers can and can't do.

renacido

Take it as a lesson learned. Always give 2 weeks notice unless you're leaving for safety/harassment issues or something like that. Always leave on a positive note and never burn bridges. Leave on good terms and you'll be surprised how that can help you down the road with referrals, references, recommendations, etc.

That said, also be prepared for the possibility that the company may decide to release you early after you've given your resignation. If you're leaving for another job, try to work it out with your new employer that if you're dismissed earlier than your effective resignation date that you can start your new job earlier.

Also, avoid succumbing to "senioritis" once you've given notice. Spend that time helping your soon-to-be-ex employer with the transition. You're the one who decided to leave. If you were downsized or terminated involuntarily that's a bit different, the company decided not to keep you so unless you're contractually obligated to give them turnover or train your replacement, or your severance package is contingent on that, it's not your problem. My two cents.

alias454

OctalDump wrote: »

To quote the Clinton administration, this is a case of "Don't ask, don't tell". After 10 years, and a whole different position, I'd only have mentioned it if asked.

I wouldn't suggest using the Clinton's as role models for honesty and the way to live your life

He was asked and felt obligated to fess up so to say. I agree with your point about the companies inflexibility and sticking to decade old policies as unfortunate for them and most likely short sighted.

JockVSJock

Why would you use a recruiter? is the ISP is advertising the job? If so, apply directly.

Also I would use Linkedin and check and see if your supervisor still works there. If that is the case then be honest with the decision that you made 10 years ago...

Remedymp

If a company wanted to fire you, they wouldn't give you two week notice on that...

UnixGuy

10 yrs jesus, they need to get over it