Care to discuss the ethics?

[Snow]

I have a question for all of you, because I feel I have faced what I would dub an ethical issue.

I just finished my degree and I'm looking for work in Vancouver. I may be heading back east in a year. It's not 100% but I would definitely label it as quite likely. So in interviews I've been sharing that information. It's only bitten me in the ass once thus far, and it makes me question whether I should be telling them.

I have run my own company before and I know it would suck to be put in a position where a key person leaves, and a lot of the positions I'm looking at include roles of higher responsibility than the average Joe-Schmoe walking in off the street asking for a job. That and some companies (like the one who decided not to hire me because I may be leaving) put a lot of money into training and don't want to lose them so quickly. I think it would be wrong of me not to disclose this information. At the same time I don't want to go sacrificing job offers in the event that I don't go.

The reason I bring this up is I've got a bigger interview tomorrow with a company I would really love to work with, I know they've been struggling with maternity leave employees and the such... So do I tell them or just give them mad amounts of notice when I find out about back east?

Thoughts? Opinions?

[Oakville]

my ethics teacher would eat this up...Im telling her this tomorrow

but...I dont really know what to say. Unfortunately no company will hire you knowing that you may jump ship, when they can find the next guy in line that isnt leaving...it kinda sucks really. You could just say you didnt expect it...nah I cant say that, sorry Chris, I have nothing

[GTRADDICT]

A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do... That is all

[CelicaKidd_205]

In my opinion if you are fairly certain that you will be leaving, then a short term stint requires a short term position. If it's only for the better part of the year why not consider some sort of seasonal employment (it doesn't have to be huge, just enough to get you to the pivotal moment). That way if you end up staying you'll be done your stint and can move on to what you really want to do, or if you do end up going then you don't have the burden of being a pain in someone else's butt.

The way I see it, an employer has a profile that they want filled, and they interview in order to see if people fit that profile. If they are looking for someone long-term and the person they interview says they will be long term, OR doesn't say they will be short term, then the employer will expect that in return for your employment. If the employee then turns out to not fit the profile that was met in the interview then it's basically like asking for a Ferrari, being promised a Ferrari, but then being delivered a Miata.

Hope that helps

[m_melen]

i say don't disclose that info now, but let them know with waaaay in advance if you do get the job. ive taken a few jobs with no intention of staying in town for more than a few months, i just let them know a few weeks after i started that i would be moving. i always tried to make it sound like i'd made the decision after starting as well.
ps- if i ever ask anybody reading this for a job, please dont let this discourage you from hiring me lol

[Shadao]

as bad as it sounds you should not tell them... that you might be moving in a year...

do you want the job? then tell them what they want to hear not what you want them to know...

the next guy in line for an interview will most likely not tell them they might be moving because then they take themselves off the list....

also, since you are not 100% certain if you are moving you might not end up moving if you get a good job... so i say get yourself the job, and then 6months from now if you decide to move give them 3 months notice, or longer... maybe they will ask you why you are wanting to move, maybe they will give you more pay because to them a pay raise might be cheaper in the long run than training a new person to do your job...

its a dog eat dog world out there right now and if you can get a job TAKE IT

[DreadedFist]

Stay here in the West, snow! We'll all miss you if you decide to leave But seriously, are there temp positions that you could find that would match your education while you decide whether or not to return to silly Canada, or stay here in cool Canada? :P

Or just don't say that you might be moving 6 months down the road. If/when you decide to move, give them a nice long notice so that they can find someone else. That is what I would do

[MikeRWK]

theres no loyalty in the workplace follow the money.

[Kras]

I wouldn't tell them unless they asked for some reason (I doubt they would). You gotta look out for yourself not for them.

[NismoS-tune]

Unless you have a huge pension plan with them, big bonuses (like more than 10k a year), lots of paid vacation, kickass dental/medical plan and something like 80k a year or more than I guess a month notice would be nice. OTHERWISE give them the same notice they would to you if they layed you off (2 weeks or less). I'm certain the job isn't for the gorverment or Microsoft so don't worry about big notices. Don't tell them your plans otherwise that may go against you. What if you don't leave? Just take the job like any other.

I work for a large oil company company (4500 employers stationed here) and the benefits/bonuses/pay are amongst the top in canada so I would give them as much notice as possible even if it's 5 months or as little as 1 month. If I left on short notice, 2 weeks would be minimal... Hope this helps.

[DreadedFist]

What's this with 2 week notices before getting laid off? I walked in to work one morning and had a 5 minute notice. "Sorry, we have to lay you off". No 2 weeks, no 1 week, not even a day's notice! That job kinda sucked because everyone except for 3 people (i was one of those 3) were union. We had the harder job (physically and mentally) yet made less. I kind of like unions now after that one :P

[M13]

If you worked there for more than the period set in employment standards, that would be wrongful termination.

Chris, I wouldn't tell em, because technically no one is guaranteed to work the next day, but no one brings up the statistic or probability on survival rates of your average Canadian male adult.

[PL_GTR]

Don't tell them Chris, just give them plenty of notice when you are leaving. Business is business, not really much of an ethical issue. There are no true emotions and feels in business, i have learned it the hard way. The bottom line is, look out for yourself within reason and respect the rules. Do your job well and get some sort of satisfaction out of it.

[Snow]

Yea. Heading off to the interview in a few hours here. I'm gonna keep my mouth shut unless they are looking to sign me to a minimum term >1 year. I spoke with my Dad and a lot of others in the business community that I respect greatly and they all felt the same way.

Now, if I get offered the job it's down to whether I take the job here, and find a new one if/when I go back east, or I accept an offer to work with a nationwide company, that will transfer me, keep my job, and pay for my move, if/when I go back east. So many variables like pay, and what I would enjoy more.

[RSi]

Yeah you dummy. Shoulda kept your mouth shut!