A most wonderful season is upon us…BONUS SEASON!! Many corporate professionals who work on the calendar, fiscal year are waiting with anticipation on performance bonus checks that will be distributed this month. What most people don’t know is that this is one of the most common occasions for voluntary attrition. On the recruiting side, I somewhat dread this season because I know for a fact, I will be backfilling positions due to people getting their bonuses and resigning to take new jobs, external to the company. There are two sides to this season, the employee that is looking to leave after they receive their bonuses and the other is the employer that has to fill the vacant spot. For the purposes of this blog post, I’ll focus on the side of the employee. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are leaving a job during bonus season:
- Don’t leave before you get your bonus
- Yes, I know people who have left their jobs weeks before they actually get their bonuses! The smart thing to do is stay if you can.
- If you need to Get Out before bonus time, negotiate a sign-on with the future employer.
- Make sure you always ask why a position is available when seeking other employment
- This topic may seem a bit awkward to ask about but it’s necessary. You need to know why the vacancy is open to adequately vet out the position and company.
- Employers may try to be politically correct and skirt around the answer to this question but be sure to ask probing questions.
- Give the courtesy of at least a 2-weeks notice
- You may have relevant reasons to leave your job, but don’t burn bridges.
- If you are a high-performer you are most likely leaving your current company in a bind. Be sure to write a humble and professional notice and offer to be available for questions in the future.
- Have a job-transition fund
- Before starting a new job most people don’t ask about the payroll period (beginning, middle, end). It’s just good practice to have a little cushion while transitioning jobs, in case you are at a point in the payroll cycle where you might not get a paycheck for a while.
Have you ever left a company during bonus season? Share your experience in the comments.
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