[BizCareers] Notice periods and the HR industry

One calendar month's notice

I have been at a company now for three months. I am in sales and the service from our operations is so bad that I have found a new job and would like to resign on Monday. My contract says one calendar month's notice. What does that mean exactly, and if I do resign on Monday, when, by law, must they pay me until, and when can I start at the new place? - Kate

Hi Kate,

Notice periods can often be quite confusing, so thank you for your question.

Firstly, if it's one calendar month's notice, you would need to find out whether it's from the 1st or the 15th of the month? This is usually stated in your contract.

The majority of the time though it will be the 1st, in which case, if you resigned this Monday you would need to work up until 30th November and begin your new position on 1st December (I think Monday is the 2nd this year so this is when you would start).

In terms of pay, you should get your full salary for October and November and a portion for days worked after that.

If however it's the 15th, then you are within the calendar month if you resign this Monday, and you could start at your new job on the 16th November. In this case your employer would pay you for October and a portion of November (days worked). Remember too that they will need to pay out any leave owed to you.

Having said all this, however, sometimes companies are willing to negotiate in terms of notice especially in a sales position, so perhaps speak to them and see how you could help them best. Remember though, they do not have to pay out for a calendar month's notice you if you've both agreed you'll leave earlier.

If you're really not sure, please contact the CCMA on 0861 16 16 16, they are very helpful.

I hope that helps.

Getting into HR

I am a 31-year-old female and have been working for the South African Police Services for the past four-and-a-half years. I have just completed my Human Resource Management diploma, but my job which I am currently doing differs from what I have studied. I have tried to apply outside the police environment for the past year, without any success. I am thinking of doing my B-tech in Human Resource Management next year, but I am a little bit hesitant, because I never seem to fit the profile of human resource administrators, as recruiters are always looking for qualifications coupled by experience. If I may add, I specifically apply for positions based in Cape Town as the rest of my family is based there, and I am in the Northern Cape. - L.L

Hi L,

Thank you for writing to me.

Well done on completing your diploma, that's the first step to changing your career. HR is slightly difficult to get into as there aren't many jobs available in this sector. Many companies don't have HR departments or they outsource their entire HR function. However, there is always a need for driven and talented individuals, so if you approach the right companies, you should eventually find a role.

You may need to start out in a very junior assistant/intern role to get started and work your way up. Perhaps you can look in industries that are similar to the police force such as the security industry. In this way you could leverage off your police industry experience and put it to good use. My suggestion is to continue applying for HR positions with a strong motivation as to why you would be good for the role and how your experience fits with the company. Try to find a few specialist HR recruitment agencies in Cape Town as they will have greater access to available vacancies than generalist agencies.

You are welcome to send your CV to me and I can assess where to tweak and how to highlight the best parts. I believe you will find what you are looking for in time with the right attitude and persistence.

Best of luck!

Remember to always love what you do!
Juliette

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