NWR: Resigning a job after 1 month without burning bridges?

luckya23

I started a part time job a month ago, where I knew the people hiring bc many of the people from my old job now work there, but I made it clear that I wasn't really interested in the job full time, so they hired me through a temp agency.
I'm over it.  
So I just got a great new job, much more responsibility, etc. but I don't really want those gossips to know where I'm going.  I signed a non-compete at my last job, so I was trying to keep my new employment quiet, but they couldn't wait to I guess brag to the old company (where I was laid off) that I was now with their main competitor.
So I have to return a laptop tomorrow (unrelated to quitting) and I'd like to put in my notice.  Do I have to say where I'm going?  I don't want to burn bridges, but I don't really trust those people.  They'll find out eventually, but my non-compete is up in September. 
Any other tips for leaving after only a month without creating hard feelings??? I do feel a bit bad, but certainly not enough to jeopardize my new offer.

P.S. I'm taking my real estate exam today so this may be a bit of a post and run, but I wanted to get the day crowd's opinion before I have to turn in my notice tomorrow!

OliveOilsMom

If you actually work for a temp agency, shouldn't you be speaking to them about this?  They are the ones who officially employ you, not the company you are doing work for.  I feel like you should tell the temp agency that you no longer wish to work at your current company and would like to give 2 weeks notice to them and your temp agency will tell the people you are doing the work for.

luckya23

OliveOilsMom said:

If you actually work for a temp agency, shouldn't you be speaking to them about this?  They are the ones who officially employ you, not the company you are doing work for.  I feel like you should tell the temp agency that you no longer wish to work at your current company and would like to give 2 weeks notice to them and your temp agency will tell the people you are doing the work for.

I'm really not sure - I found the job, interviewed for the job, and was hired for the job, but they decided they didn't want to do the payroll for an hourly rate, so that's why they went through the agency.  They had some agreement with them, but I don't feel right stopping by tomorrow, not saying anything, and then they get the notice from this other company!  But you're right, I will have to let the agency know as well.

kimmiinthemitten

I would provide the Temp Agency with the actual letter and give your boss a coy with them listed as a cc. 

Also, you do not need to tell them where you are going or why you are leaving.  A simple:

To whom it may concern,

Please consider this notice of my resignation, effective in 2 weeks on x/xx/2016.

Kind Regards,
Lucky

JediElizabeth

Tangential, but you shouldn't do your research on whether or not non-competes are enforcible in your state (if you haven't already). In many, they aren't, or they're highly restrictive and favor the employee (for example, there's a burden of proving that this hire can give a competitor unfair advantages through trade secrets.)

That said, it's a hard place. I'd make it about you, not them. "I've realized this isn't a good fit for me." If you can blame the commute, or realizing you don't want to be in this industry anymore, that may help.

Also, you may want to tell them that "this is the best time to get out of there, before they've invested too much into you." Particularly try that if they're looking to send you to trainings or conferences in the near future. 

I suspect that they suspect this is coming, if you told them you weren't interested enough in the job to be FT permanent. 

STARMOON44

Does the new job violate the terms of the non-compete?

kvruns

Sounds like you don't care too much if that bridge burned anyway, but from a part-time/temp agency placement I don't think I'd care too much myself about anything I may burn, especially since you told them you weren't interested in FT/permanent. That being said, you always want to be professional so I would notify the Temp Agency first, then notify the actual job (since you are technically an employee of the temp agency it seems).

It is your right not to tell people where you are going for the next job. I've honestly never really understood when people are all "I'm not telling you where I'm going" because it seems silly to me but it is your right, you don't have to tell anyone if you're leaving for a new job or leaving to go sit on your butt at home all day. Doesn't matter!

princessleia22

STARMOON44 said:

Does the new job violate the terms of the non-compete?

Also, I've seen non-compete clauses that have conditions to void it if you are laid off. Check your clause to see what it states in this condition. And in the future, if presented with a non-compete agreement, I'd try to negotiate that into it, that the non-compete is void if laid off.

HereForThePartyGK

Being a temp employee you have a lot more leeway as to what you can do (usually) but ultimately no, you don't have to tell them where you're going.  Whatever you do however, don't do this:

https://medium.com/life-tips/yelp-fired-a-single-mother-today-me-fe9c87e71be9#.ey1xxiz54


(Please let me know if I'm not allowed to put links in posts) 

luckya23

STARMOON44 said:

Does the new job violate the terms of the non-compete?

Debatable bc the non-compete is overly broad, and none of the clients overlap that I know of (unlike the pt job, who had the exact same clients), but I don't like to poke bears either.

luckya23

Thanks everyone for the advice - I'm on mobile so I won't quote each of you!
 I kept my note simple, that I'm pursuing other things, and only the HR lady was in the office today anyway.  I said I had taken my real estate exams and they didn't seem to have as much need for me as they thought anyway, and the commute sucked! (Though the new commute truthfully sucks more, but for more money I will tolerate it!)

ShesSoCold

HereForThePartyGK said:

Being a temp employee you have a lot more leeway as to what you can do (usually) but ultimately no, you don't have to tell them where you're going.  Whatever you do however, don't do this:

https://medium.com/life-tips/yelp-fired-a-single-mother-today-me-fe9c87e71be9#.ey1xxiz54


(Please let me know if I'm not allowed to put links in posts) 

Oh CHRIST. If I would have rolled my eyes any harder at this broad I would have seen my brain.

kimmiinthemitten

ShesSoCold said:

HereForThePartyGK said:

Being a temp employee you have a lot more leeway as to what you can do (usually) but ultimately no, you don't have to tell them where you're going.  Whatever you do however, don't do this:

https://medium.com/life-tips/yelp-fired-a-single-mother-today-me-fe9c87e71be9#.ey1xxiz54


(Please let me know if I'm not allowed to put links in posts) 

Oh CHRIST. If I would have rolled my eyes any harder at this broad I would have seen my brain.

I only skimmed through this, is she a single mother?

HereForThePartyGK

The blog poster is yes.  What she failed to mention in her blog is that she has only been with Yelp for 59 days, and had already taken off 10 of them.  The boyfriend in the ICU....they've been together for like a month.  She also doesn't mention that she has lived in SF with her son before so it's not as dramatic as she says it is. She's blaming her employer for her own choices which is incredibly ridiculous.  

WinstonsGirl

300% loan??  Really??  Is the work situation that bad in the US that people would take a 300% loan for a new job??

kvruns

WinstonsGirl said:

300% loan??  Really??  Is the work situation that bad in the US that people would take a 300% loan for a new job??

Only those whose vision of a certain company or moving to a certain high cost of living area for a job that doesn't pay the bills.