How Much Notice Before Quitting?

[Raveni]

So, after much thought, I will finally be leaving one of my jobs soon. Things are getting so busy that I won't have time for my grocery management job anymore. It's already to the point where I don't function very well when I am there, but I've decided that December 1st I will no longer be there.

How much notice should I give? I tried searching for advice, but kept coming up with threads like giving 2-week eviction notices to a 13-year-old kid with a penchant for death threats.


My boss is far too short-staffed to get rid of me sooner than I am ready to go, but is not above making my life miserable until I leave once he finds out. I fully expect to get none of my day-off requests once I put in a notice. Prepared to call-out when that happens (because obviously this job isn't my priority), but then boss's boss might decide to just fire me.

Bonus complication: Grocery store doesn't know that I am moonlighting, even though technically I had the other job first and have always treated the grocery store as my second job.

[Magpie]

For a job of this type, don't give more than your (local) legal minimum, especially if you feel that they're going to make life hard for you once you give notice. Their staffing problems are just that - their problems, not yours.

[bainsidhe]

If you're already talking about how hard it is to function, think carefully if you will be physically and emotionally able to wait two months before your last day. I've worked a second job during most of the last 10 years. When I didn't have a second job, I was in school full time with a full time job. Last year it reached a breaking point, where I started having anxiety attacks, started sleeping all the time, and I was all-around truly miserable being at my 2nd job. The job itself didn't change, I just couldn't stand it anymore. I gave a full two weeks notice, and those 2 weeks were the hardest shifts I've ever worked.

All of that aside, do what you think is best. You don't want to burn bridges, but if you're secure in your primary job and your grocery manager will be a dick, then give short-notice. Two weeks notice would be nice, though.

One other thing: Since they don't know about the primary job, you can say that you were hired at XYZ company (you don't have to say when) and you're excited at the opportunity to learn another skill set. If you act positive and sincere, you generally get the same back.

Good luck! It's nice to have free time again.

[Whiskey]

Two weeks notice is the standard time frame, unless you're in a more professional position. Notice is given to give employers ample time to fill your position before you leave. If you're a cashier, two weeks is more than enough because cashiers are replaced quickly. If you're an A/P person, 2 weeks would be a minimum length of notice because A/P people are slightly harder to find than cashiers.

[Diablo]

Its a tight rope...ain't it. On one hand, you don't want to go out of your way and screw your boss and your coworkers, but on the other hand, be prepared for them to take as much advantage of you as possible. I personally would go with the two weeks notice.

When I was leaving one job, I basically had to make a decision public about it around two months prior to leaving. My superiors made my life pure hell cause I was leaving. I mean to the point they were screwing themselves just to screw me just a little. Your sanity and health are what is important, not what others think of you.

[trailerparkmedic]

I'd give two weeks notice, though perhaps a bit earlier or later to avoid freaking people out right around Thanksgiving.

Don't allow what "should" be done to get in the way of what you need to do. I've had many jobs and never gave less than two weeks notice until I left my last one. The previous people who had held my position gave two weeks notice and were told they would not be able to return and complete the two weeks. I told my boss the day before I left for a week long vacation that I wouldn't be coming back. My boss pitched a fit but everyone in the office congratulated me and told me I was very smart in watching out for myself. I needed my two weeks pay, so I did what I needed to do.

[Treasure]

a friend of mine just went through something like this

She was working for a department with the City - and was being harassed, job was stressing her out, etc - she decided to apply for a job with a Big Computer Game Entertainment Group (we'll call them B.E.G. from now on) because she has a friend (several actually) who works there;
J, interviewed on Thursday w/ BEG; then had a meeting with HR @ current job on Monday of the following week - went nowhere, in fact was going to require a 2nd meeting; After work she gets a call - got the job w/ BEG! tuesday when she's at work people who were not part of the meeting on monday are making snide and rude comments about information that they had no direct access to, she first requests time of on wed. for her "appt." (to fill out hiring paper work @ BEG) supervisor tries to ask all kinds of questions she's not entitled to; she had been debating up to this point if she should give 2 wks notice or not, but the comments continue and the supervisor decides to take the non-admin personnel out to lunch. J realizes its too much so sends an email "this is to inform you of my official 2 weeks notice" sent with a read receipt and while she's out to lunch gets a call from the supervisor -email has been forwarded and she can take the rest of the day off, and no issues with Wed.
Wed. J goes and takes care of what she needs to w/ BEG and goes in to work like normal on Thurs. where she gets a couple of duties that she's never been asked to perform before (kind of special opportunities), and when she returns to her desk is called into the supervisors office - is told we're accepting your resignation, but we want you off property now, we'll pay you through the end of the pay period etc etc etc, and was ESCORTED off property - not that she wasn't telling them "c'mon, hurry up, you move too slow!" and laughing her butt off all the way to the car...


now the point of all this is: Give 2 wks notice if you don't want to burn bridges, but if they're already giving you problems don't be surprised if once you do they terminate immediately

[Pimento]

Typically if youre past your probation period, try to give your 2 weeks notice and they fire you immediately then they are typically required to pay you out for the rest of the current pay period. Basically this is to avoid the "You cant quit, youre fired!" crap that happens (which reminds me of a story im going to post in MIM lol)

[Raveni]

Yeah, the December 1st thing coincides with me taking on more responsibilies at my 1st job, along with the pay increase so I don't need the 2nd job anymore.

Even if I gave notice now, there would be no replacement by the time that I leave. The company is just that far behind in their recruiting efforts.

I've been the guy who says, "we'll be accepting your resignation, effective immediately". But, I know that will not be the case here... They will just try to grind as many 60-hour work weeks out of me until I leave. I really just don't want the stress that comes along with that. Heh, maybe I'm just worried about my legacy, and don't want to be known as another jerk who just dropped his keys on the boss's desk in the office and walked out.

[It's me]

Even if I gave notice now, there would be no replacement by the time that I leave. The company is just that far behind in their recruiting efforts.

Don't make someone else's poor planning your problem!!!!!!

And don't worry about what your coworkers think too much... yes, you don't want to be a jerk and just walk out, but at the same time YOU own your life, not them. You have to do whats right for you and yours.

[underemployeed]

One of the things I love is I'm an at will employee, and as after a year I'm still only a cashier, I am having the same debate as the OP.
On one hand I want to be professional and give 2 weeks notice, because well I could never work for the corporate office or their parent company again without being eligible for rehire. On the other hand I have been with the company for over a year and they refuse to promote me and only training me enough to keep their bosses from asking why I'm not getting training to potentially move up, so is this really a company I want to come back to?

I guess it comes down to what my future company wants, if I get a job that says you start tomorrow, I think I will happy quit and not bother finishing the week out. I mean I would feel a little bad for the manager I like but me and him have had multiple conversations about the fact I went to college to go into a certain field and it wasn't dealing with rude assholes for the lowest legal wage, so he would be kind of annoyed but at the same time, as another person pointed out I need to do what is best for me.

So while it might help our co-workers out to both stick around, if they will only be resentful and take advantage then it best to leave the shortest notice possible, and if you get paid vacation, definitely get it in.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I agree with the sentiment of "you can't quit, you're fired!"= unemployment checks-- after all, it's not like there's nasty rumors about you flying around, nor is it that you don't have another job.
HOWEVER. One of the most satisfying moments in my life was when I left a job, same day quit, as a direct result of a manager I hadn't even ever talked to he was that poor of a manager. Sure, right-to-work can be a dick -some-most of the times, but sometimes....
But, it sounds like the management at your place cares more about being dicks than you, and it also sounds like you care more about bein' a chill dude than about your work ("my legacy").
Also, 60 hour work weeks means $$$$. >_> Money is good, right?
Right?

[PepperElf]

yeah it's a balance.

one of my friends worked at a salon where, once you put in your 2 week notice, the manager would cut your hours. so one woman saw that and said 'screw it' and gave a one day notice.

manager tried telling her "you can't quit" (o really?). then when the woman told her exactly why she didn't give a 2 week notice, the manager claimed "I wouldn't do that!" can't remember if the woman listed the employees she'd done just that too. either way... she was quitting and the manager couldn't force her to stay.

[tropicsgoddess]

I'd say two weeks and to be honest, I would start drafting a good resignation letter before your last two weeks. That's the best that you can do without repercussion, IMO.

[Bella_Vixen]

When I moved to GB, I gave 2-3 weeks notice to my manager. She, in turn, gave my notice to corporate a week or so after I moved.

Why?

The company allows you to work a minimum of one shift a month. She wanted to make sure I could still come back at my current pay and hours if I decided that GB wasn't working out for me.