Jude shared an important story with me. It is one of the moments when you take a decision that ultimately affects your career and life. I didn’t take it for granted. I held it with my left hand to be sure I would never forget.
So, what was the story about?
He had been working at a firm for a couple of years. Although it was a role he liked, he soon became bored and wanted something different, so he started applying for other jobs.
Thankfully, he didn’t apply for too long since he had a lot of experience and skills before getting noticed by hiring managers and ultimately invited for interviews.
During one of the interviews, he did particularly well and impressed the panel. He was also confident he could get the position.
The hiring manager got back to him within a couple of days with some news. He was successful at the interview, and they were willing to hand him the role!
Truly exciting!
He decided to start tidying things up at his current job. He wanted to get started at his new job asap and move towards his next career gig.
I would probably do the same.
He notified his employers of his intention to leave the firm to another company. They were pleased with the news and wished him success in his new role.
The current employer also asked if he’d been willing to quickly train a new hire before he finally departed so they have someone else to continue the projects.
Of course, he said yes.
The current employer hired another staff and had him trained up quickly within a short time. The handover was good, and everyone was happy.
There was, however, one problem.
Jude’s new employer contacted him and said they wouldn’t continue with the offer. The funds for the position had been withdrawn due to an internal restructuring.
They couldn’t engage him anymore.
To make matters worse, his current employer had a replacement which he had already trained.
A really big problem indeed.
I felt really bad on hearing the news.
Anyway, there are several lessons here for you here.
Never Quit Prematurely
The message is clear - never quit your current job until you sign a contract.
Don’t quit your current job or notify your employer until you have signed a contract. Doing this will ensure you are covered on both ends.
You should only proceed with the process of quitting your current job when you have received and signed a contract.
A signed contract might be able to protect you to some degree.
Sign A Contract First
Ideally, you want to notify your current employer at the very last instance and agree on last dates and other formalities.
Sadly, jude had to sit back home for several months before landing another role.
He had to go back to the drawing board to start over.
During this period, he had no income to support himself and his family. It was probably the most difficult decision he ever made.
Hard lessons learnt.
Final Thoughts
Landing a dream role comes with lots of excitement. But remember, this is a fragile period that must be handled carefully, especially if you have current employment.
Do not quit your current job until you have signed a contract in your new role.
Learn from Jude’s mistakes.
Don’t lose out on both ends.
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Banji Alo
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