etiquette question...

[TooPatient]

I'm giving my notice at work! (Yay!) The time has come that I have to take classes that just don't allow me to continue where I am now. I've been here for 6 1/2 long years.

My notice is to be effective no later than September 14. I'd like my last day to be September 7 but I can keep going up to the 14th if they need me to. I know that traditionally, two weeks is considered plenty of notice. Given the requirement for fingerprinting (and I think background check now too?) and getting approval from the home office, I'd like to give the guys enough time to get a replacement.

I am an independent contractor so technically I work equally for each of the two men in the office and don't have any one "boss". One of them is leaving town Wednesday this week and won't be back until the 29th. The other will be here until the middle of next week and then he'll also be gone until the end of the month. The first guy will only be back for a week or so before leaving again.

I'd planned on giving my notice to both of them today so that the 2nd guy can get started finding someone while the other is out of town and they'll still have plenty of time for both of them to interview him/her and get the fingerprinting etc done. Life never goes as planned..... the 2nd guy is out of the office today.


So:

Would you give notice to 1st guy today and 2nd guy tomorrow (knowing that 1st guy will probably tell him before I get in)?

OR

Would you wait until tomorrow (the day before 1st guy leaves town) and hope that they are both around tomorrow?

 

[zoebartlett]

I'd wait until you could tell them in the same day. It could be awkward for one "boss" to know and the other one find out from him instead of from you directly.

 

[TooPatient]

I'd wait until you could tell them in the same day. It could be awkward for one "boss" to know and the other one find out from him instead of from you directly.

This is exactly what I'm worried about.

On the other hand, I am also concerned that I may not get a chance to tell them both the same day until it is short notice. The one who is leaving town Wednesday almost always leaves right after the market closes the day before and isn't available to talk about anything during market hours.

What about telling the 1st guy in person and the 2nd over the phone? Would that just be strange?


ETA: I should clarify -- The 2nd guy isn't on vacation or anything today. He's working out of his other office. He does this once or twice a week and I speak to him on the phone at least once per day. (The other office is about 3 hours drive + a ferry ride away so driving up there isn't really an option.)

 

[TooPatient]

What about e-mail?

I know it is less personal. I'm just trying to find a way to give them enough time to find someone and be thoughtful of not telling one before the other. They've both got a lot going on in life right now so have been difficult to catch together or even on the same day.

Tomorrow is pretty unlikely to catch them both. Next opportunity would be Aug 30 if I was lucky, but more likely Sept 4 or 5....

 

[Enerchi]

Could you send an email to both, requesting a brief meeting with them both tomorrow? That way they both know somethings up and you TRIED to tell them both at the same time....

 

[JewelFreak]

The way you leave a company is important. You want it to be as pleasant as possible -- you never know when these guys might be useful again; it's surprising how often they are. I like Enerchi's idea of an email asking for a meeting tomorrow. If one or both can't make it, then I'd tell the one who's there in person & the other on the phone -- doing it by email is kind of like breaking up w/someone in a post, not real professional (unless you can't reach him by phone either), imo.

Congratulations -- I think!

--- Laurie

 

[TooPatient]

The way you leave a company is important. You want it to be as pleasant as possible -- you never know when these guys might be useful again; it's surprising how often they are. I like Enerchi's idea of an email asking for a meeting tomorrow. If one or both can't make it, then I'd tell the one who's there in person & the other on the phone -- doing it by email is kind of like breaking up w/someone in a post, not real professional (unless you can't reach him by phone either), imo.

Congratulations -- I think!

--- Laurie

I agree!

I've sent an e-mail asking to meet after the market tomorrow. If that doesn't work, I'll let the one know in person and the other over phone.

I'm trying to give enough time to find someone and get them through the hiring process before my quarter starts. Everything is all organized and ready to pass over. I hope that they find someone soon enough that I can give a brief introduction to stuff and then be available for a week or so by phone if she's got any questions.


Thanks for the congratulations. It is great news! We've managed to cut bills enough that it shouldn't be too awful financially. I'll be finishing two associate's degrees this spring and (hopefully!) will be doing an upper-division transfer directly into the engineering school at one of the respected universities.

 

[zoebartlett]

Sounds like you have a good plan, and good luck with your meeting!

 

[TooPatient]

Got them both in person. Let them know my situation with school (they hired me knowing my school plans) and that I think it would be best for them and the clients if I were to leave. I gave them one full month and let them know that if there is someone sooner, I will quite happily show them the office and teach them the account systems. They requested (and I provided) my home and cell phone numbers so the replacement person can reach me if they need any help. I'm also preparing job postings for various places. (as they requested)

So the 1st guy (the one leaving on vacation.... again) spoke very poorly of me to a client on the phone! Within 10 minutes of our conversation he was saying that I'd given "only 2 weeks" and that I'd done it at the worst possible time and "screwed everything up".


Eh. I will continue doing the best job I can until the date given. I will continue to be friendly and helpful to the clients (who I truly will miss!) and keep this office functioning as smoothly as possible.

 

[Missy]

Got them both in person. Let them know my situation with school (they hired me knowing my school plans) and that I think it would be best for them and the clients if I were to leave. I gave them one full month and let them know that if there is someone sooner, I will quite happily show them the office and teach them the account systems. They requested (and I provided) my home and cell phone numbers so the replacement person can reach me if they need any help. I'm also preparing job postings for various places. (as they requested)

So the 1st guy (the one leaving on vacation.... again) spoke very poorly of me to a client on the phone! Within 10 minutes of our conversation he was saying that I'd given "only 2 weeks" and that I'd done it at the worst possible time and "screwed everything up".


Eh. I will continue doing the best job I can until the date given. I will continue to be friendly and helpful to the clients (who I truly will miss!) and keep this office functioning as smoothly as possible.

First of all, congratulations and all the best in your future endeavors. It sounds like you have a bright future ahead!


Second of all, what a jerk! I would (cannot help it that kind of backstabbing duplicitous behavior drives me absolutely mad) confront him and ask him what he's talking about- you gave him a full month and gave them access to all your phone #'s so you could help out as much as possible. That really is quite unprofessional of him. Is the other person you work for just as bad? If not I might have a chat with him about what went down because that is unacceptable. Oh that makes me furious!

 

[TooPatient]

Got them both in person. Let them know my situation with school (they hired me knowing my school plans) and that I think it would be best for them and the clients if I were to leave. I gave them one full month and let them know that if there is someone sooner, I will quite happily show them the office and teach them the account systems. They requested (and I provided) my home and cell phone numbers so the replacement person can reach me if they need any help. I'm also preparing job postings for various places. (as they requested)

So the 1st guy (the one leaving on vacation.... again) spoke very poorly of me to a client on the phone! Within 10 minutes of our conversation he was saying that I'd given "only 2 weeks" and that I'd done it at the worst possible time and "screwed everything up".


Eh. I will continue doing the best job I can until the date given. I will continue to be friendly and helpful to the clients (who I truly will miss!) and keep this office functioning as smoothly as possible.

First of all, congratulations and all the best in your future endeavors. It sounds like you have a bright future ahead!


Second of all, what a jerk! I would (cannot help it that kind of backstabbing duplicitous behavior drives me absolutely mad) confront him and ask him what he's talking about- you gave him a full month and gave them access to all your phone #'s so you could help out as much as possible. That really is quite unprofessional of him. Is the other person you work for just as bad? If not I might have a chat with him about what went down because that is unacceptable. Oh that makes me furious!

Thankfully, the vacationing back-stabber is on vacation until the end of the month. Once he's back, I'm only in 3 days a week anyway so I really won't have to deal with him much.

To be fair, they are both generally kind hearted. The vacationing one is just.... odd. Always has been. He does and says some things that really come across as pretty unpleasant, but he usually doesn't mean stuff the way it sounds. (hard to describe!)

Speaking to the other really wouldn't help. He's about fed up with the guy's oddness too. They are about as different as it comes.

They've both got their quirks.