Do this before handing in your notice — or risk being unemployed

You’ve secured a new job, and you’re already planning the celebratory dinner and the dramatic handing in of your notice.

With around 243,000 UK resignations in the second quarter of this year alone, many will be stuck in the nether-zone between starting a new role and leaving their old one.

But before you write that ‘I quit’ email and start mentally checking out, hold off for just a second and make sure your next job is fully secured — and we don’t just mean a phone call saying you’re hired.

TikToker Madison Hood recently shared her own cautionary tale, showing the importance of not counting your work chickens before they’ve officially hatched.

After completing two interviews, the creator was offered a role as a paralegal at a law firm.

She accepted the offered salary, was given a start date, and received written confirmation of the offer via email, with the firm asking her to provide references before they sent over her final contract.

@madisonhood

this is such a long one and not a usual post but I am so baffled by this and how it has happened. If anyone can think of anything I may have missed please comment #lawyersoftiktok #worklife #recruitment #backtoit #maternityleaveover

♬ original sound – madison hood

Having already left her previous role, Madison assumed the new position was a done deal.

However, just a week later, she received an email stating her offer had been abruptly withdrawn off the back of her references.

Confused, she reached out to her former employer, who said they had only provided standard factual information regarding her start and end dates.

‘Never in my life have I come across this sort of thing,’ Maddison commented, claiming that the law firm went silent when she requested further clarification on the decision.

While such a situation at the reference stage is unusual, unfortunately it can happen. Metro spoke to a leadership coach to understand when you can finally resign — risk free.

What should I do before handing in my resignation?

Emma Georgiou, PhD, leadership coach, explains: ‘The best advice is waiting to hand in your notice until you have a signed contract.’

While you might feel pressure from your new employer to get things moving, its better to hold your nerve.

‘Unless there’s a compelling time deadline, a few weeks of patience could be worth much more when it comes to sleeping soundly at night.’ Emma continues.

‘Madison’s case is more unusual because she had a written job offer, but unfortunately, until you’ve got a signed contract in hand, it’s not official,’ she explains.

‘A verbal offer or even a written email offer isn’t legally binding in the same way that a signed contract is. Until that contract is signed, either side can walk away,’ Emma explains.

‘A signed contract sets out your start date, salary, notice period and work conditions in black and white, and means that no misunderstandings can occur.’

Emma says it’s best to leave your job ‘from a position of security rather than urgency’, even if you are eager to move on to your next role. If you move too quickly, you can end up with no job at all.

Red flags to look out for

Before handing in your notice, Emma says there are some situation that should get your alarm bells ringing.

‘Watch out for warning signs like they keep pushing back your start date without a good reason, or they go quiet after when asked for a timeline on the contract,’ she says.

‘A good employer will understand that you need certainty before you resign, and won’t make you feel awkward if you’re asking where you stand,’ she explains.

‘If you’ve chased twice and you’re still getting the silent treatment, it tells you a lot about how they operate their business before you’ve even started.’

What should I do before handing in my resignation?

Red flags to look out for

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