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Looking for a bit of advice.
I’ve been in my current role at a medium sized printers for around 5 years I operate from pre press to dispatch but mostly in large format print. Just before the crisis I applied for a job at a large science based company where I would be ordering print, dispatching, picking/packing and assisting other staff. The interview got moved online due to the crisis and I was a little surprised to be offered the job, as I think the other applicants had face to face interviews but I’m a good fit for the job.
Since then my current company has furloughed 11 staff keeping on 6 including myself. My future employer has asked for two references I have provided the first the second being my current employer. The proposed start date is the beginning of May working from home, if they can supply me with a laptop.
I’m unsure what to do, the new company are very understanding on the phone but if a laptop can’t be supplied I’m very uneasy asking for a reference and certainly handing in my notice.
I’ve explained my concerns to the new company but I’ve not had a “We’ll pay you whether you are working from home, the office or not at all” plus starting from home having not met anyone is far from ideal.
Would you wait until the future employer can be more certain or try to move forward with my second reference? I want to do the right thing for both parties and obviously myself.
Apologies if that’s not very clear, but neither is my head as it’s not a normal process at the moment.
I don't know how big "medium sized" is in the printing world, but presumably that means you'll have a HR department. In which case they should be able to provide a reference confidentially without it prejudicing your current position.
I'd be more worried about the notion that the new place can't provide you with tools to do your job and aren't replying to your communications. That's not a great start.
Medium sized is 17 people. My director does HR.
The reason they are struggling is that laptops are in short supply as everyone is WFH.
The reason they are struggling is that laptops are in short supply as everyone is WFH
I work in public sector. Typically risk averse, follow every last procurement rule to the letter.
Covid has taught us that it's OK to do what you need to do. I have just checked, Amazon can get a Yoga or similar to you in a couple of days. Even if your new company had to do what they need to do to lock it down, this shouldn't be a showstopper.
The reason they are struggling is that laptops are in short supply as everyone is WFH
They are not realy, it's that you're company is tied into buying laptops from supllier x
They are not realy, it’s that you’re company is tied into buying laptops from supllier x
That's fine, I just feel a bit stuck as I can't now make the proposed start date. I guess they'll just have to understand leaving a job in the current climate is not as normal a process as it normally would be.