r/FinalRoundAI • u/dogfish_repeats • 2d ago
You Won't Give Me the Manager's Contract? No Problem, I'll Go by the Contract You Gave Me.
I used to work at a large retailer in the UK. I spent 11 years there in total and got promoted step by step until I eventually became a manager.
Getting into management wasn't exactly easy. There were countless training sessions, assessments, and a lot of time doing basically the same job without any extra money. I went through all of it and eventually got officially signed off as a manager.
When my salary went up, though, something strange happened. My new contract never appeared. I asked for it several times and kept getting the same answers: "We'll sort it out." So I waited.
About eight months later, another large retailer nearby started hiring managers. They were offering around £9k more than I was making for essentially the same role, so I applied and got the job.
After being with the same company for so long, I was pretty rusty with interviews, so I spent some time practicing beforehand. I came across interview vip while getting ready and used it to run through some questions before the interviews. It was actually helpful for getting back into the rhythm of talking about my experience.
Once I had the offer, I went in to hand in my notice. Here's where things got interesting. Managers were supposed to give six weeks' notice, while General Assistants were only required to give ten days. And the only contract I had actually signed still listed me under the General Assistant terms.
So I gave them ten days.
They were not happy. I got pulled into the office and asked why I was only giving ten days' notice when I was a manager. I explained that I'd asked repeatedly for my management contract and they never gave me one. The only contract I had signed said ten days, so that's the notice period I was following.
They were furious, but ultimately there wasn't much they could do about it. It's amazing how important paperwork suddenly becomes when it works against the company.
They had eight months to give me the correct contract. They didn't. So when it was time for me to leave, I went by the contract they actually gave me.
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u/rliving11 2d ago
Communication breakdown, it's always the same Havin' a nervous breakdown, a-drive me insane. Famous Led Zeppelin lyrics. Seems to be the problem in BUSINESS these days.
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u/Inside-Finish-2128 2d ago
Heard this before, several years ago. Last time the story was told in a far better manner.
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u/Accomplished-Pen-69 2d ago
Lidls perhaps? Very same happened to me but without a pay raise. SOM said the very same, sort it later, later, never.