Agency employee here planning to leave Ford soon. Ought to jump ship with all that’s going on here.
Is it okay to give only a week’s notice at the agency I am with at Ford? Anybody done something similar?
12 replies (most recent on top)
Why are you planning how much notice to give when you do not have a new job yet? Sounds like you are looking for validation of some kind of "FU Ford" fantasy.
I left FoMoCo in Feb '21. I was also an agency employee. I used to work in a good team, where the LL6 was interested in your career development, and the LL5 knew what he was doing. I started planning leaving the company after the events of Dec 1st week 2020 when they laid off some 350+ agency employees on a random friday evening. It spooked me, and I thought that this can/ will be me whenever, and there is absolutely nothing my LL6 would be able to do about it. I was pi---d at the fact that they laid off so many good workers at a moment's notice and the nonchalance some full time employees displayed about that. I felt f* me, I will be this "excel sheet" update one day and these c will be talking about me this way. So, first I decided not to give a single day's notice, however, I loved working in that team, respected my boss and co-worker, and realized me leaving this way won't hurt FoMoCo the organization but these folks. So, I treaded off with 1 week notice instead of 2. So, OP if you like your team and respect your coworkers, then go ahead give a 1-2 week notice (however you see fit), if there is no love lost, just tell them a couple of days before f*** them.
I'm an old fa-t and think that giving two week's notice to a large company like Ford or most of the agencies allowed to provide them head counts is an antiquated courtesy that will only benefit you if you plan to swim in those same waters again. Most agencies are greedy AF and will happily take a huge cut of your earnings again in the future if they can just as long as you haven't tarnished your reputation otherwise. I wouldn't worry about. Companies have been cutting employees without warning for at least the last forty years I've been in the rat race and what's good for the goose is good for the gander. As the first commenter put it, "it's just business"
@mjr+1iDVU1Wd 100% agree!
I was a contractor with Ford for 10 years. I gave 2 days notice. Ford would give you 0 days notice.
2wks is from the days when companies provided references. For a long time now companies only verify dates of employment so as to avoid lawsuits. Further, management technically is directed to refer reference requests to the corporate employment verification and not provide personal recommendations in their Ford capacity as it would implicate Ford in any lawsuit.
@mjr+ is the dept. fluffer. When management need a stoke they go to @mjr
If you want to quit without notice, go ahead. Your coworkers already know you are a di-k and will be happy to see you go.
Tell your supervisor at Ford that you’re going to a competitor and will leave same day. That way you aren’t burning a bridge with your agency. I did this and it worked perfectly.
@jtl+1iDVU1Wd interesting how they say you need to give 2 weeks notice for your professional reputation, but the company can and does dump people with 15 minutes notice. the posts from a couple weeks ago were enlightening. "got a few minutes to chat?" then bo-m. you're out.
The only real advantage to giving 2 weeks notice is for your professional reputation and if you want to use anyone, including your former supervisor, as a reference. If you don't give it then its just one more thing people can use against you by talking behind your back. I recommend giving it unless the new employer absolutely won't wait.
@OP. The Agency won't give you advance notice, even when sometimes they know a couple of days before. As long as the Agency can make a lot of money, they would be willing to look at the other side, favoring the client over you. However, as a contractor, you should not burn any bridge with an Agency, especially larger ones.
Now, if you are planning to go as an employee to another company, and not as a contractor, your days of contracting may be over and you could take risks. The other thing to take into consideration is that sometimes companies, or better yet, some managers, they like to have the "last word" and will kick you to the curb the moment they find out you are leaving. This means you may take an economic hit (1 week of pay in this case).
How would I do it? I would contact my agency on Thursday/Friday of my last week. I would say I received an unique offer, with a short notice and I must start next Monday. I'd say that I am sorry I could not give more notice, or being present to handle the transition, but the option was never in my hands. At the end, all is business, and everybody in the game understand this (or should).
Good luck ex-green badge!