You're hired! Now what?

Receiving that all-important phone call telling you “you're hired” is probably one of the best phone calls you'll ever receive, says Juliette Attwell, Marketing Recruitment Director at RecruitGroup. You've been dreaming of walking those corridors, chatting to new colleagues, bearing the company logo proudly and sitting at your new desk, and suddenly with just two words, your world has changed.

You're proud of yourself, give yourself a pat on the back, and look admiringly in the mirror - you aced it! You're a legend! Off you go to celebrate your newfound role and enjoy a couple of drinks with friends and family and tell everyone you can the good news.

You then wake up the next morning - now what? You'll need to resign, deal with disappointment and probably a counter offer from your current employer, work your notice period among jealous co-workers who don't include you in anything anymore and celebrate your last day in the office.

You then need to start in a new, daunting environment that is full of obstacles and first-day embarrassments (such as not knowing the guy's name sitting opposite you). Fear not, however, as it will get better, you'll eventually settle in and become part of the furniture, just give it time.

Handing in your resignation letter usually comes with mixed emotions. You may be excited about your new role and you may be worried about leaving your co-workers in the lurch.

However, as bad as your experience may have been in this particular position, and however ready you are to move on, this process needs to be handled delicately, with respect and humility. Don't burn any bridges and leave your job with all your dignity intact.

Following are a few steps that you can follow:

1. Choose the right stationery

This may be the very last thing you think of doing, however, it is one of the most important. Don't sugar coat your resignation by writing on floral or feminine paper. Use clean, unused white A4 paper. If possible, use the company logo. If you have a company letterhead available, this is ideal to write your resignation letter on. Take pride in your business ethics and how you present this letter. It needs to be professional and to the point, so choosing the right paper is vital.

2. The layout of your resignation letter

There is a very precise layout of writing your letter, and a bit later you will see an example of what your letter should look like. Here are some guidelines, however. Start with writing the title: “Resignation Letter” on the top left hand side. Underneath the title, on the right hand side, write your name and surname, physical address and code (all on separate lines). Beneath the address, on the left hand side, write the company name and address. Skip two lines, write the date, and in a new paragraph, start off with: Attention: Title, name of person directly reporting to. Skip two more lines and begin with the salutation: “Dear...” After these details, you can begin with your letter and try to make it as formal and to the point as possible. End off by thanking your current employer for his understanding, and “Yours sincerely...”.

3. Tone and content of resignation letter

You may have had an awful time working for your current boss; however, it won't do you any good to give him a piece of your mind in your resignation letter. Never burn your bridges when resigning, and remember the boss you are resigning to today, may be an important client you have to try and bring on board in future. Make sure your tone is positive and friendly. You will not benefit at all from being aggressive or complacent, and this will only make the notice period you're serving even more difficult to deal with. Use this letter to display your willingness to make this process run as smooth as possible for you as well as for the transition for the company. Demonstrate humility and positive business etiquette. Detail that it is your intention to provide written notice to terminate your employment. Detail the notice period you will be working and ensure that this is in line with your employment contract. If you would prefer not to mention where you will be moving to, you are entitled to this decision and don't need to detail anything further if you don't want to.

4. Serving your notice period

Although you will mention this portion in your resignation letter, it is important that it is highlighted as a paragraph on its own. You will need to find out what your notice period in your employment contract is. This can range from being immediate to a calendar month. If it is a calendar month's notice, you can only resign on the first of the month. This, therefore, means your notice period will be from the first to the first. If, however, you resign on the 13^th, for example, your notice period will only kick in on the first of the next month, and you will need to work the first to the first, regardless that you resigned early. A 30-day notice period, however, is different, as here you leave exactly 30 days after you resign, regardless of the date you resigned on. You therefore need to clearly state in your resignation letter the date your notice period will begin, and which date will be your last day at work, so that there is no confusion.

5. Thank your company

It is very important to thank your company for their time and energy in the past. Even though you are tired and fed up now, there was a time where you were happy and you need to acknowledge this. Companies spend a lot of time and money hiring people and training them up; it is this knowledge that you've gained that has brought you to the point you are at, so in some way they helped you advance the career ladder. It will be to your advantage to express your thanks and gratitude in your letter and show your appreciation for your manager/superior. Remember that each working experience is a valuable reference. Do everything you can to make sure that you will receive a glowing reference, and this includes complying with your company's regulations surrounding resigning.

Nothing in business is personal, and it is up to you to be the bigger person and display your maturity as well as your business acumen in this instance.

Below is a template that you can follow:

You have now handed in your resignation; your boss looks up at you with anger/disappointment/glee and thanks you for your time. A few days later you may be asked to attend a meeting, and you are presented with a counter offer from your current employer, which although very flattering, is detrimental to your career. Here are a few aspects you need to consider before accepting a counter offer (reference Planning on Resigning? J Pratt Recruit Group 2010)

* If your employer has the budget to offer you a higher, market-related salary in the form of a counter offer, then why wait until your threat of resignation to implement the increase?
* Will you be up for an annual salary review after accepting the counter offer or will you have to threaten resignation in a years' time again?
* Now that your employer knows you were job hunting, will you, or your loyal colleague, be up for a promotion when a more senior position becomes available?
* Your employer will be suspicious of your actions in future due to your disloyal conduct.
* Have you tarnished your reputation among recruiters and other employers by accepting a counter offer and going back on you word?
* If you are unhappy in your work environment and money is a secondary reason behind wanting to leave, remember that a higher salary is not going to improve the environment.
* How will your colleagues react if they are aware that you resigned and accepted a counter offer, and how will this affect your work environment?
* Should the company need to cut back employees in the future, who do you think will be first on the list to go?
* 'Love what you do' and put career advancement above salary enhancement.
* Is the counter offer really due to your high value to the firm? It is economically beneficial to keep rather than replace an employee, plus, ask yourself why you were not valued initially.

It takes a lifetime to build a trusting relationship and a day to obliterate it. Be quite sure when resigning that you are certain not to expect a counter offer. By not expecting it, you are showing that you have made an informed decision.

Not every employer responds to resigning with a counter offer, however. Although you have accepted a very rewarding offer to stay, any potential for an increase or promotion has been compromised. Your employers will be hesitant to earmark you for any of these. Why should they if you are quite happy to hand in a resignation letter at the drop of a hat. Sure, you have both agreed to put the resignation and the counter offer behind you, but your employer may not feel very giving towards you after this. Their general perception of you may have been damaged for good. This may result in less abundant salary reviews, fewer bonus incentives and a general lack of trust. Once a quitter, always a quitter; after accepting a counter offer, expect your employers to hold their breath around you in anticipation for your next dreaded resignation.

There is no good that can come from a counter offer, excepting the fact that you'll have a slightly higher salary for a while. However, your salary will probably stay at this point for a few years, as in your employer's eyes, you received your increase earlier than everyone else. It's not worthwhile. There is a reason you're looking to change jobs, whether it's for personal growth or career development, a new environment or responsibilities and company culture, this could be just what the doctor ordered to give you a fresh new start.

If you have really enjoyed your role and the company you've worked loyally for, then this could be a very difficult and emotional day for you. Saying goodbye to friends you've made over the years and leaving your familiar space will be tough, but keep in mind you're on to new, exciting and better things.

If, however, you can't wait to leave and already have one foot out the door, remember to be humble and do everything to ensure that your work has been taken care of and all responsibilities passed on to the relevant person.

If you have the opportunity, thank your manager/supervisor personally before leaving. This will leave a good impression and make sure you leave with dignity and pride.

The big day has arrived! You're excited, nervous, worried and a whole bunch of other mixed feelings. Remember that this is completely normal. You may even have thought a few times that you've made a mistake; again this is a normal part of the process and most people feel this way when resigning and starting a new job.

Arrive 10 minutes or so early on your first day. If you're worried about traffic, leave home two hours early instead of one, just to make 100% sure. There is nothing worse than a new hire arriving late on their first day; it will only annoy your new employer and think that they've made a mistake in employing you.

Your first day will probably involve some sort of orientation. Your supervisor may show you around and make you comfortable in your surroundings. You'll meet your co-workers and find out a bit about them. You'll probably be quizzed by them so be prepared to answer a few questions. You may, however, be expected to dive right into your work as your department is so swamped they can't even stop to take a coffee break. You may be given documents to read through about company policy and what is expected of you. Read through these thoroughly and make sure you understand the rules and regulations of the company. We will chat a bit more in depth about this a bit further on.

It is advisable to fully familiarise yourself with your new role. Ask your supervisor any questions you may have, ask your co-workers, don't be shy to ask if you don't know something. Rather do it right than wrong, because you felt too awkward to ask. You may be involved in a series of training sessions to understand your new role, in which case you will have the perfect opportunity to ask questions.

So, basically, in order to orientate yourself on your first day, just be friendly and ask, ask, ask.

Companies will have various regulations of which to follow, most of these will be written in your contract of employment and will include the following:

1. Dress code - make sure to find out what this is before your first day. You don't want to arrive in a suit when everyone else is in slops and shorts.

2. Lunch hour - find out when your allocated lunchtime is. If it's from 1pm until 2pm, don't go off at 12:45 and expect to be smiled upon. Lunch times are allocated specifically to avoid the least amount of business being lost. So stick to it.

3. Working hours - these may be stipulated in your contract of employment, but if you're not sure, pop into the Human Resources Manager's office to be completely clear.

4. Leave days - various companies will have different policies surrounding leave. Some will have 15 days and some 20 days. Make sure you're clear how you accumulate leave and when the earliest is that you can take leave from your start date. You don't want to end up taking unpaid leave because you haven't allocated enough for your summer beach break.

5. Applying for leave - companies will stipulate how long in advance you have to apply for leave. They will also stipulate the procedure and who you need to hand in your leave form to. Try to familiarise yourself with this before the time arrives.

6. Sick leave procedure - If you are off sick, you will need to find out whether you need a doctor's note and who to call when you are sick to let them know you won't be coming in. SMSing really isn't appropriate and shows a lack of manners. If you're sick, call your supervisor and let them know. (Unless, of course, you have laryngitis and you've lost your voice completely).

7. Compassionate leave - according to South African Labour Law, three days' compassionate leave may be granted for the death of immediate family members.

8. Notice of termination - this clause will stipulate what your notice period is. It can range from immediate to one calendar month. Hopefully, you won't have to worry about this for many years in your new job. However, it is advisable to be aware of this in any case. This notice works both ways and should your employer want to give you notice of termination, the timeframe will be stipulated in the contract.

9. Restraint of trade - a restraint of trade is a legally binding document that restricts you from working with specific competitors, clients, geographical areas or positions should you choose to leave the company. Not all companies have restraints so don't be concerned if you don't have to sign one. This restraint will restrict you from directly competing against your current company given the training and experience they have given you. Restraints of trade will vary from company to company. If you are uncomfortable with this, ask a lawyer to review it before you sign the document.

10. Salary - your monthly remuneration would have been detailed in your letter of offer or contract of employment. You would also establish on what day you will get paid, for example, the 25th or 21st of the month. Your benefits such as medical aid, pension, travel allowance, etc, would also have been detailed in your contract, if your company offers these benefits.

Remember that your gross salary will be taxed, so what appears as your gross salary on your contract will not be what ends up in your bank account. If you are concerned about the net amount (ie, the amount after tax is deducted) you can ask your HR manager for a dummy payslip. You can even ask for this before you sign the offer of employment. Remember, if you are paid hourly, your monthly salary will probably vary from month to month, depending on the amount of hours you work.

Remember, a new job can be overwhelming. Don't expect to walk in on your first day and understand everything, however much of an expert you are. You will go through training and are expected to ask questions, and slowly everything will start coming together. Don't be too hard on yourself if you don't grasp concepts immediately. This really may take a bit of time and your new employers will understand. In fact, they would rather that you take the time to learn and ask questions in the first place, than do things completely wrong.

This is a new and exciting chapter, relish every minute and stay positive that eventually you'll be so experienced, new employees will be asking you for help and advice.

Juliette Attwell - Marketing Recruitment Director - RecruitGroup

RecruitMI
Recruit IT Solutions
RecruitFIN
58 Thembi Place
Calderwood Road
Lonehill
011 465 3360
Juliette@recruitmi.co.za
http://www.recruitgroup.co.za