dilema

Former Member

I've been mucked around loads at work and left in limbo for long stretches, resulting in what has, without exaggeration, been the worst 3 months of my life.

I had a pretty decent job last year, but got made redundant in January. I worked my notice, and then got asked to stay for 6 more weeks because things were busy. This was a verbal agreement. Nearing the end of this period, I get offered a full time job but in a different department doing a completely boring and tiring job that I hate doing. I reluctantly said yeah, and was handed a contract to sign.

This contract has lay in a drawer unsigned for 2 weeks while I have been working full time in the said job, and the manager has not yet asked for it back. I have not signed it because I don't want to have to give a months notice. Every day I consider walking out, and I want to be able to walk out as and when I feel like it. I'm think beyond caring abouany reference, even though I would get a very good one.

I'm planning on not going back as soon as my months pay is in the bank. No contract has been signed, so is there anything that might come back and bite me later on?

answers on a postcard.
thanks.

Former Member

You haven't signed a contract therefore you can legally walk out but you might want to think about what might happen if you ever need to use them as a reference they might well give them a bad one if you just walk out and leave them in the lurch - its better to at least tell them now that your not happy and come to an agreement about when is good for both of you to leave.

Olly_B

Hi Drumbeat,

Sorry to hear about your problems at work.

First off, your acceptance of your contract is implied if you keep turning up to work, even if you don't actually sign the contract. Even if you haven't signed the contract, you can not simply walk out of the company - and if you are receiving payment in advance then your employer would be totally at liberty to recover that cost.

There are lots of rules about jobs you are offered as a result of redundancy - including having a trial period.

However, the real issue here is have you talked to your employer? You were obviously a good employee that they valued if you were asked to stay on, offered you another role and you expect to get a good reference. Does your employer know how you are feeling?

Your employer may have thought they were doing you a favour offering a new role, and pleased that you took it. They may be horrified to discover that you aren't enjoying it and thinking of quitting.

Your employer may accept that it isn't a challenging/fulfilling role but you seemed happy to take it. They may have plans for you that rely on a new contract/funding coming in and are glad that you are staying until they can offer you a better position. Or they may want to develop your skills in this role.

It's perfectly ok to admit that the role you took on wasn't the right one for you. If you are positive with them, explain the situation, they may be able to offer you another job (even not immediately). Or they may accept that you are going to look for other work whilst you continue in this role. Businesspeople have a lot of contacts, and if you are someone they like and they know of someone else looking to hire, it's much better to get a personal recommendation than a "they were good but they walked out".

Being honest about how you feel about your job isn't a sign of weakness - it's a sign of strength. Talking with your manager, or an HR manager, or your old manager is fine. Thanking them for the opportunity to stay on but explaining it's not the job you thought it was going to be is OK too.

But don't just walk out of a good employer frustrated at the job without giving them the opportunity to put things right. You are too valuable for them to lose like that.


Olly