Dissatisfaction with current employer, please advise.

So when I separated from the service and moved to CO, I had applied to a certain security company...they called me in for an interview shortly after my arrival in CO. Primary interviewer said all members start at such and such and then quickly moved on. They sent me to another interviewer and did all the paper work and then back to the final with offer of employment. This person said since I had military experience that he could probably start me off better then base. I should have pursued the issue but I didn't.

I start working and the training program sucks. I get my first check and its .50 above base. Ok so the guy did hold to his word, but really? .50 above base? With 5.5 years military experience and 2.5 years police experience in the service and a federal LE academy?

Now after working for 2-3 weeks, I have found out somethings that I don't like about the company. Certain business practices aren't the most professional and the employee's that I have seen are not professional at all.

I have applied to a few different places and have an interview lined up, but I have not given my 2 weeks notice nor informed my present employer that I am not satisfied with the company as I do not have anything set in stone to replace this job.

Professional courtesy states its advisable to give 2 weeks, but if I get this offer from this other company (non-LE or security related with better pay and benefits and reputation), do I submit a notice of termination for 2 weeks or immediately?

Also need a bit of help on the wording...

 

I say if you dont need the reference roll on. Is it the kind of company that would give you any notice if they found a new employee to replace you?

 

Probably not. Its a family run business that operates out of a home office.

 

Are you within a 90 day probationary period, I always used this as an opportunity to gauge a new employer, the same way they would gauge me.

 

Not sure, but I think so. I am definitely within 90 days of the initial hire date.

 

I always figure if they can release me with no reason then I could leave as well.

 

Leave with class, give the two weeks. they may part sooner with you though once you tell.

 

do you ever see yourself coming back to this company? if not just leave, if so then take your 2 weeks

 

I don't see myself working here again. And I'm waiting till I get a solid offer of employment before I leave. I'd like to give the 2 weeks, but if this other job is open and ready, I'm gonna take it.

 

i would do the same

 

I'd give two weeks (only after I had a signed offer letter from the new company).

You never know where you might run into these people again, years from now, especially if it's in the same line of work.

 

I do the hiring for my Company. I have always appreciated when someone says to me, I cant start for two weeks because i want to give my present employer notice.

It makes me feel like I am getting a quality person.

 

So you signed on to them without a formal offer of salary? I would have checked that out well before starting.

that being said, i'd take off if you found a better offer.

 

Please do not take it the wrong way but there is no such thing as free cheeze. My college roommate found out the hard way. He thought he would earn $100,000/yr with 0 years of experience fresh out of college. At current pace he is about 70 years away from making that much. So...

To employer it does not matter how long your history is/was in military service. They use that benchmark to gauge your discipline and not what they would pay you. In other words lets say you spend 20 years in the navy and wanted to be hired into flipping burgers. You will be more likely to get hired over a stoner but you will earn just as much as 16 year old kid still in high school.

When you got hired, your interviewer was correct in saying that we start most employees around base salary. What that means is that if your salary bracket is $20,000-$40,000 and you have 0 experience... you will start at $20,000. If you had some experience you might get $25,000. If you had a lot of experience you would get hired at whatever salary options you have negotiated on. When you signed on a dotted line you agreed to employment terms so from employer's perspective they have not done anything wrong.

P.S. Military experience "may" translate into bigger paycheck but it does not mean that it always will. Military skills, however may translate into establishing one's portfolio. For example many of navy's fighter pilots eventually become pilots for airlines.

In my personal experience speaking purely from observation AND also growing up in a military family... military experience does not often make one a better candidate. If it is within you to perform well AND have military experience. As a prospective employee... found it.. here is Disney's philosophy on hiring military veterans.

1. Leverage Their Military Experience to the Company and Job. Veterans need to translate their military skills to their businesses and organizations in a fashion that supports the culture and work practices of their company. First, they should sit down and describe one accomplishment they performed in the military, the problem it solved, and why it was successful. Second, they need to list the skills they used to accomplish the military task successfully. Third, they should list problems within the company that could be solved by using some or all of these skills. For example, maybe a veteran started a regular meeting of tribal elders or shopkeepers in his or her AO in Afghanistan to discuss problems and look for solutions. These meetings produced military skills sets of coordination, negotiation, planning, and leadership. Could the veteran set up a series of meetings with a company’s customers to generate ideas and discussion on what the company could provide in the future?
2. Mentor an Individual or Group. Mentoring or coaching is a fantastic skill to help build talent, commitment, and initiative in an organization. In the military, performance counseling sessions was a way to identify the standard of the organization, how a soldier performed to that standard, and what step(s) would be taken to improve the soldier’s performance. This mentoring is invaluable in organizations to help new employees or employees with high potential develop. Ken Hicks, an Army veteran and the CEO of Foot Locker, stated, “So I learned that you’re very dependent on your people to be their best. You train and develop and motivate them.”
3. Further Education One Class at a Time. Community colleges offer good overview business classes to improve baseline knowledge of business in such vital areas as Accounting, Finance, Statistics, or Applied Mathematics, and employers should encourage veterans to take courses. If possible, veterans should take them in person because fellow students, professors, and college staff are great resources for networking and are available if they need help. Veterans can benefit immensely by business education classes because this education is an additional tool to help them translate their military experience to a business.

 

2 week notice. DO NOT burn bridges. You never know when the hiring manager may move to a new position with a new company and remember you were the guy that bailed on him in his last job when you are conveniently trying to apply there. It also shows your new potential employer you are not a douchebag and have professionalism.

 

Sorry to hear bout your situation bud. It looks like you've got all the advice you need, but I'll tie it all together in one post:


Secure your next job first. Ask the new employer if you can have 2 weeks to give proper notice to the current shithole.

If they say yes, go this route. Work your last 2 weeks and go quietly/respectfully.

If they say no, give 2 weeks notice to your current shithole anyway. Couple days later tell them look, I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, but my new job needs me to start ______, and so, unfortunately, ______ will have to be my last day.

Make sure you send your supervisor a formal letter of resignation, and include in the letter a 'thanks for the opportunity' type of statement.

Keep in mind that the LE agencies will talk to all of your past employers...

Let us know how the job hunt goes!

 

I recommend giving two weeks notice via a typed letter. As long as you have a job lined up, feel free to add a line stating if the current employer wishes to let you go early it would be appreciated, so you could start the new job sooner. Just mention to your current employer that you thank them for the opportunity to work with them, but you feel that the job wasn't what you had expected. If there is a possibility that you would be willing to stay with the company, try to speak with their human resources rep to voice your concerns. Unless you have another offer, don't play it out that you are looking to leave, but let them know that you feel that things weren't accurately explained to you during the interviews.

 

I wouldn't even worry about it, just pack up and head out, If someone has offered you more, then what reason do they need to keep you there. Your the only one thats gunna look out for you so do what needs to be done. They aren't going to be to happy but the way it sounds they don't give a crap...seeing as their employees and policies are crap as well. Sad to see that your having troubles in the civi world. Sorry man, i hope it works out for ya!

 

First, you should never be surprised by your amount of pay or benefits, you should receive an offer letter, an offer of employment stating exactly your job description and compensation, and benefits. If you don't receive this, or the employer doesn't have this type of document.... you're on your own.

Second, if you feel confident that your current employer is involved with unprofessional or unethical type practices, and you have other offers... see ya, don't let the door hit your ass.