New job offer, letter of resignation

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Would you submit a letter of resignation to your old job before receiving a written offer from the new job?

I received a verbal offer of employment from the hiring manager early this week. I accepted over the phone. I asked the manager if I needed to come in and sign anything, and she said no but that she forwarded my information to hr. I took this to mean I'd be hearing from hr. Nothing yet. I'm getting nervous because next week I'd have to submit my resignation letter to my current employer if I am to start on the day that was agreed upon over the phone. In all other jobs I've had an official letter from hr confirming my wages pretty much straight away. Am I just being a nervous Nelly or would you badger the manager/hr for a more official offer?

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Specializes in Medical cardiology.

I feel like it's unlikely to fall through. However, I would not be comfortable without the offer letter.

I was recently hired to a new job, but it didn't start for two months. They weren't in a rush to send out everything because of that. Even though they said I had the job, I did not feel secure without that letter.

I'm still waiting to start, and I'm just hoping my references went through and everything else that makes my offer "conditional" is good to go. I probably won't feel secure until the first day I walk in the door!

Congrats on the new job, and good luck!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Hey, congrats!! I don't think there is anything wrong with contacting new HR before your deadline to submit the resignation letter to get something in writing, but it sounds like a done deal!

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Specializes in ICU.

I wouldn't. I would want to see something in writing before putting in my notice. I would just call your new job and see if they can send you your offer letter- just tell them you need it in order to start on the agreed upon day. They should be fine with sending you something.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU.

I've always waited until it was official, and to me, that means in writing. I don't see a problem with calling HR like EllaBella said and letting them know that in order to meet the agreed upon start date you need the official written offer.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

Congrats on the new job! I would wait to be sure, agree with others that suggest contacting HR for verification. Good luck!

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Contact them. Explain the start date and when you need to give notice to meet your commitment with them. Why would they want to hire someone who didn't give her previous job proper notice? I'm sure they would understand not wanting to give notice without having a written notice. If they want you by a certain date, they have to help you extend the same courtesy to your current employer, that they expect from their employees. I'm sure you'll see the letter very soon. Good luck.

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Thanks everyone! Just a pile of nerves with the change. Everyone is very reassuring!

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Unless you are starting as a part of a group and delaying the start disadvantages you, I'd definitely wait to give notice until I got the offer in writing. There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip; you don't know to what extent the hiring manager's agenda priorities are HR's priorities.

I'm not sure I would contact HR, though. You have no official relationship with them yet. If you don't hear from HR by close of business Monday, I'd get back in touch with the hiring manager and let her know how much you're looking forward to starting, and as soon as you get the offer in writing you'll be giving notice. Let the manager spend her coin with HR so to speak. As a hiring manager, she has more influence over HR than you do anyway - if HR drags its feet for whatever reason you have no leverage where the manager does.

It would be nice if HR would extend the same couresy to you that they would expect from you, but unfortunately that just isn't the case universally any longer. In the current envirinment we need to behave proactively and not have the expectation anyone other than ourselves will act in our best interests.

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Specializes in school nurse.

Absolutely not! I had a verbal offer morph into a rejection letter once. Wait until it's official...

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There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip

Nice. Never heard that before. Somewhat more refined than "Don't count your chickens before they hatch!"

Anyway - good luck, Cleback. :)

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Congratulations!

I wouldn't submit your resignation just yet. I would make sure I had a firm offer letter and start date. Allow for time if you need to move, but try not to make your last available day at your current job so early that it would be "difficult" between the last pay check from your old job and the first from the new job. Also, while probably unlikely, if you live in a right to work state, they can refuse to allow you to work your notice and tell you not to come back. So...I think having something more official is a good plan.

It doesn't hurt to call or email HR or even to follow up with the hiring manager (email is probably best if this is what you choose) just stating that you wanted to "make sure I hadn't missed anything" and "want to be considerate to both employers - making the transition as smooth as possible", etc. The manager said you would hear from HR, so you should. I WILL say that HR at some health care organizations is notoriously slow. My last job change - between interview/decision date and transfer date (same employer) it was months. I never received a formal offer letter, but for an internal transfer that doesn't bother me as much.

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