Comment by jmyeet | Hacker News Reader

Comment by jmyeet | Hacker News Reader

Sorry this happened to you. I’d obviously not your fault. I want to give general advice for people changing jobs in the future.

Don’t quit your first job until you’ve physically started your second job. Take sick leave. Take vacations. Just don’t show up if you have no other option.

This is particularly the case if your immigration status is dependent on employment but it applies generally.

Companies will not hesitate to get rid of you or rescind an offer based on market whims if nothing at all. It’s of no consequence to them. They’ll be fine if you just don’t show up. It is an asymmetrical relationship with a severe power imbalance.

I don't know how you could practically do that since there's usually a notice period to leave the previous company, and the contract may exclude working for two employers at the same time

Just don't give notice until the day you start at the new company.

In places that aren't America, it's often a legal requirement (whether by statute or by customary contractual clauses) to give a minimum notice period, and employees who resign without notice can be penalised an amount of money that may be non-trivial for many workers.

FWIW, in the UK notice periods are not worth enforcing either, you have to prove (as the employer) that you incurred extra costs because of the short notice which is tricky and usually not worth it.

Seems like a good way to incinerate your professional relationship with your outgoing manager. I guess if you would never use them for a reference anyway, that's fine, but what if you do want to use them as a reference in the future?

Is this advice incompatible with the practice of giving notice?

Not that I'm arguing for or against it, I just want to visualize how this works.

Yes. And it doesn't help you if you get laid off after two weeks which is probably just as likely if the company is pulling back extended offers.

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