Leaving my role to work for a competitor, should I tell my employer when leaving?
Posted by Patient_Ad_382@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 18 comments
I am potentially leaving my job to work for a competitor company (I will know for sure tomorrow), should I tell my employer where I’m going when handing in my notice?
My role is very entry level and for a small business where I work directly with the director. I don’t think they would take the information very well but not sure how I could go about lying / avoiding the truth.
I have a two month notice so it would be a long time with a frosty atmosphere.
How would you handle this situation?
(I have signed an NDA but not a non-compete).
Obvious-Water569@reddit
Normally I'd say it's none of their business, but they'd likely put you on immediate gardening leave. We have some prime beer garden weather right around the corner so a couple of months free holiday would be pretty sweet.
bars_and_plates@reddit
No-one seems to have mentioned yet that you could push for a counter-offer if you were interested in staying, in which case you would almost definitely have to disclose.
I would probably play them against each other.
iamdadmin@reddit
If they’re asked for a reference they will know where you’re going.
Sea-Still5427@reddit
Tell them once the contract is signed. They'll probably find out during pre-employment screening checks. Do it nicely and you might get two months' holiday out of it or they might let you go early and pay out your notice.
GL510EX@reddit
Don't tell them. You gain nothing from telling them, and they might try to use it against you.
Patient_Ad_382@reddit (OP)
I have read my contract and there is nothing about a non compete.
Comfortable-Fall1419@reddit
Doesn’t matter they’ll be unenforceable for minor role.
GL510EX@reddit
Probably so, but if they exist it's all the more reason not to tell the company where you're going, just not worth the hassle.
Boboshady@reddit
It will almost certainly be asked of you, if not immediately then just out of interest, so be prepared to have some kind of answer.
Personally I'd have no issue telling them the truth - they'll find one way or another anyway if they really want to know, so better to expose any potential problems - legitimate or otherwise - ahead of time.
I'd only volunteer the information if asked, however - save on the sulks, as you're expecting.
Ultimately, if your employer wants to create an awkward environment for the rest of your notice period, that's on them, so don't worry about it.
If you're interested in potentially shortening your notice period, ask when you had your notice in. If your boss kicks up a fuss about it being a competitor, ask them about garden leave - they can't demand you work your notice period AND complain about commercially sensitive information. You don't have a non-compete anyway, so it's ultimately a non-issue.
ResplendentBear@reddit
Tell them and hope for gardening leave.
Sea_Director_4439@reddit
That's what I'd do lol
InsurancePurple4630@reddit
Check your contact first. I had a clause stating I couldn't work for a competitor within 3 months of leaving. If nothing, tell them a month before your start date.
Lonely-Job484@reddit
I'd state I was leaving to join a competitor, but I wouldn't share details beyond that. It's likely they'll work it out from reference requests anyway, but in a larger company that may never get to the lime management level unless you're within one rung of CxO.
Schmicarus@reddit
if they asked me, I'd tell em
sixe6throwaway@reddit
I wouldn’t. But if you need a reference there’s a risk they give a dodgy reference if it’s a small company where you claim that they’ll not take your resignation well
Ok-Assumption2139@reddit
+1 go for the garden leave!
geekypenguin91@reddit
I would, you'll likely be put on gardening leave if they're worried about the impact of you leaving.
2 months free holiday
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