Email offer but no contract - would you resign?

[Rocco76]

Title pretty much says it all, I have accepted a new role that they want me to serve notice on now before Xmas so I can start when they want me to. I have so far though only had an email offer from the agency but no contract yet. They said that the contract would follow but given the Xmas period I am guessing it is at least a week away. I have told them I will sleep on it but that I think I am not prepared to resign until I do get the contract.

I have been contracting for 12 years now and have always insisted on the offer and contract before resigning, maybe I am being being too cautious but there is the fear that until it arrived something could happen and I could be left with no job at all. The flip side of course is I am risking losing this new role.

Thoughts? Overly cautious or the right thing to do?

[ladymuck]

What's your notice period with your current client? Could you negotiate an earlier exit if necessary?

I would not quit without the paperwork, a confirmed start date, and evidence that onboarding with the new client has started.

[hobnob]

As a related question, how long do you have left in your current contract, and how long have you been there so far? Personally, I wouldn't leave a contract early just because I've had a better offer.

[Rocco76]

As a related question, how long do you have left in your current contract, and how long have you been there so far? Personally, I wouldn't leave a contract early just because I've had a better offer.

The contract actually ended on the 19/12 and the extension (that I signed back in November) starts 05/01

[Rocco76]

What's your notice period with your current client? Could you negotiate an earlier exit if necessary?

I would not quit without the paperwork, a confirmed start date, and evidence that onboarding with the new client has started.

Notice is 4 weeks for me and 2 weeks for them. I could try and negotiate but I would ideally want to give the end-client the full notice.

Yeah, my view is that an offer with no contract is not really an offer.

Thanks

[Paracelsus]

I'd normally insist on the contract before notice given, I've done this before and the agency understood.
That said, if it's outside IR35 especially, having a contract isn't neccessarily secure work, they could ditch you on the first day if they wanted.
So depending on the circumstances I may risk it.
Ideally if WFH I'd wait the week for the contract, then give notice and do both contracts for that crossover week, not always possible of course.

[herman_g]

In 33 years of contracting, more than half of my work has started without a signed contraxt. I have however been in a niche market where agents worry about their reputation as word circulates quickly when one pulls a sleasy move.

Not all markets are like mine and agents do exist that would love to destroy your relationship with your existing client and slide somebody in there in your place.

Even bigger concern is you state you have just signed an extension with your existing client. Paperwork to process your extension requires a lot of hassle on behalf of your manager and others including, oten those at anexecutive level. Telling your manager you are back in the seat on the 5th of January and than "resigning" would not go over well. Technically, you are not in a position to resign but rather you are trying to renege on a new commitment you've just made..

It doesn't appear you've learned much in your 12 years of contracting. Otherwise, you wouldn't be considering such a move unless you have a substitution clause and you have the right guy all ready to take your place. That's the only way I've gotten away with what you're planning on doing.

[quackhandle]

What's your notice period with your current client? Could you negotiate an earlier exit if necessary?

I would not quit without the paperwork, a confirmed start date, and evidence that onboarding with the new client has started.

^^^This. Sounds like this could get messy.

qh