How to move on to another job?

[mrspunkysmom]

There is no law about what a employer can or cannot say. There are only things it is stupid for an employer to say (and stupid is not illegal yet...)

With that...most employer are respectful enough not to contact your current employer without your permission. You do not want to work for one that would.

With that...from my 20+ years in hr...do not...repeat DO NOT quit until you have another job. Employers are leery of people who quit without another job. Lack of income is not the leap of faith you want to make. If I see someone who quit without another job I suspect they were near to being pushed out the door or they were actually fired or they are flaky.

Do not...DO NOT EVER say anything bad about your current employer. If someone is willing to tell me bad things about their current - or any former employer it is a GIANT red flag.

There are ways to be positive about anybody and any job. Practice doing that.

So...don't quit until you have an offer...don't worry about whether or not your current employer will be contact...just very politely say...I am still employed so please do not contact my current employer until you have made me an offer and be postitive!

She's right on 100%. In my case, the only way out of this situation, in the state where I live, was to leave. Just too much abuse. We have no employee rights in this state. Seriously. I wouldn't trash another employer; it doesn't work and isn't positive, even if your employer is awful.

Just keep looking and working and hopefully it will work out!

[Jessika]

Oh I never planned on saying anything negative about my current employer, unless you would say saying something like "I would like a job with more opportunity for growth" is negative? I guess I can't say that "I don't feel fully utilized at my current job" to prospective future employer or would that be in a negative connotation as well?

I did a lot of research tonight on clinics nearby me. Hiring or not, I plan on writing out personalized cover letters for each clinic I'm interested in working in. There is actually one pretty close by that a friend and classmate from vet tech school is working at!! Don't think they're hiring, but at least I have an "insider" who can give a good word for me if they are hiring!

This is just so scary. Say I do get a job offer at another clinic -- how do I approach my current boss? She is the type that will spew "communication is key!!" to me; she will probably be "offended" that I did not approach her more about these issues (again, I have brought up some to her in the past, but not all of them. When I brought up my commute and the price of gas coupled with the fact that my car gets crappy gas mileage, she gave me a $0.05 raise....................). Also, from what I've been reading on my veterinary forums, the standard yearly raise is 10-15%, or $1; I received a combined ~7% raise for my yearly raise AND passing state boards; that's a 3% yearly raise and a little over 3% for passing state boards and she acted like it was a HUMONGOUS raise... seriously, she kept saying "this is a HUGE raise!!!!".

Bahhhh!! Thank you all for allowing me an unbiased area to vent!!!!! It isn't like I have never quit a job before!!! But every other job I've quit in the past I've had a stone cold reason (started school, moved hours away, divorced, etc). Never because I wasn't "happy".

[Alysser]

Could you possibly just leave it as, "a better opportunity has been presented to me" or something like that? I have never actually "quit" a job either, but then again, I've never had a real-world career YET. I don't think she really needs to know all the details personally.

[kitten645]

I agree. A simple "I've been offered an opportunity and I feel it's in my best interest to take it" is fine. No details. If you are valued, she will offer to negotiate but I doubt it. $.05 raise is an insult. I know, it's happened to me. She's essentially telling you that your time is worth five cents an our more with all your schooling, training and loyalty? Would you leave a nickle tip @ a restaurant? Better to say it just isn't in the budget and show appreciation in other ways? Thank you note, gift card occasionally? Your first responsibility is to yourself. You owe her nothing. Everything ES said comes from alot of knowledge and experience. Good luck! It's nerve racking I know but this too shall pass!

[Jessika]

Could you possibly just leave it as, "a better opportunity has been presented to me" or something like that? I have never actually "quit" a job either, but then again, I've never had a real-world career YET. I don't think she really needs to know all the details personally.

That's pretty much how I think I would present it. I would not do it until I had a job offer, and my honest-to-goodness main reason is the commute and gas. Pay, too, but I don't want to present it to her with reasons that she thinks she can work on fixing when I've already brought them up before.

[Jessika]

Well, a quick update... I had an interview today. The clinic is 15 miles away versus 22, not considerably closer but still closer. They are a lot smaller than my current clinic (staff-wise, doctor-wise, and space-wise), but they see a broader range of pets (besides cats and dogs they see a lot of reptiles, birds, and pocket pets! The office manager also showed me a picture where they converted one of the exam rooms into a stall for an alpaca they'd treated!!). While I was there, she made it clear they were short-staffed that day and she was working receptionist. So I was there ~1 1/2 hours because there were so so so many interruptions. We touched basics but I didn't have an opportunity to ask any questions that I'd prepared.

A downside I see is I am currently working full time so my schedule is very limited as to when I can come in for a working interview, and say they decide to hire me, I have to give my two weeks (depending on whether I work those full two weeks is up to my boss). Whereas I know they work with vet tech schools in the area and I know she's had other interviews with techs that I'm sure are ready to start immediately.

I DO have a working interview for next Thursday but she kind of implied that time is of the essence for hiring... and the EARLIEST I would be available to work would be in 3 weeks...

So I left the interview not feeling very confident (even though she, the dr's, and the rest of the staff were all SO nice to me!) because she was working reception as she was interviewing me and we had a ton of interruptions, and I'm not available to start immediately...

[Karen]

Maybe if you are offered the job, you could work something out with your current employer, particularly if you have any sick or vacation day accrued ... Sounds like it could be a good opportunity!

[Jessika]

Maybe if you are offered the job, you could work something out with your current employer, particularly if you have any sick or vacation day accrued ... Sounds like it could be a good opportunity!

I'd thought about that (currently have 4 vacation days remaining) but I know for a fact that she won't do that... At all my previous jobs, any unused vacation days I had left upon giving my two weeks notice was tallied up and I was given a check for the vacation days remaining. She has already made it clear this does not happen at my current job. I also do not get any sick days (well unless I use a vacation day...). We also don't get overtime... if I work more than 80 hours on a paycheck, they cap the check for 80 hours and any time remaining gets "rolled over" onto my next paycheck...

Not to mention the health insurance option they offer us is terrible (HSA account) and there are really no other befits worthwhile besides my 401k they contribute to.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Oh I never planned on saying anything negative about my current employer, unless you would say saying something like "I would like a job with more opportunity for growth" is negative? I guess I can't say that "I don't feel fully utilized at my current job" to prospective future employer or would that be in a negative connotation as well?

I have more to contribute than I can in my current position. It has been a wonderful training opportunity, but now I am ready to take it to the next level.

I did a lot of research tonight on clinics nearby me. Hiring or not, I plan on writing out personalized cover letters for each clinic I'm interested in working in. There is actually one pretty close by that a friend and classmate from vet tech school is working at!! Don't think they're hiring, but at least I have an "insider" who can give a good word for me if they are hiring!

Most job opportunities come from someone who knows someone!

Say I do get a job offer at another clinic -- how do I approach my current boss? She is the type that will spew "communication is key!!" to me; she will probably be "offended" that I did not approach her more about these issues (again, I have brought up some to her in the past, but not all of them. When I brought up my commute and the price of gas coupled with the fact that my car gets crappy gas mileage, she gave me a $0.05 raise....................). Also, from what I've been reading on my veterinary forums, the standard yearly raise is 10-15%, or $1; I received a combined ~7% raise for my yearly raise AND passing state boards; that's a 3% yearly raise and a little over 3% for passing state boards and she acted like it was a HUMONGOUS raise... seriously, she kept saying "this is a HUGE raise!!!!".

Let me say one thing...I haven't seen double digit raises in a long, long, long, long time.... 5% is outstanding these days...2.5 - 3% is normal. So is 0%. Careful with your expectations! She has not been able to charge more and her revenue is probably level at best.That said - she is your boss - not your mom. All you need to say is..."I have been presented with an opportunity about which I am very excited. I thank you for giving me the start in my career that will allow me to grow. You have been super. I know this is the best thing for me. What can I do to help with the transition?"