I need a bit of advice...I have a conditional offer for a new role at a different firm (need to provide references, security compliance questionnaires etc) and am keen to start as soon as possible. My notice period for my current firm is 4 weeks, but as of next week, i'm away for 3.5 weeks on a long-planned holiday. My new employers are fine with a start date in early may, so i'm wondering if i should:1. Hand in my notice before going away (bearing in mind the offer is still conditional and i don't want to burn my bridges)2. Hand in my notice when i get back and work my notice (delays me getting into my new job)3. Tell my boss about the new job this week and offer to work until say 1st May (again, not yet having an unconditional offer)Any thoughts or experience? Much obliged.

Unless your job is so unbearable that you can't wait to leave, I'd recommend giving notice after you return.- Extra month's salary (not really a dealbreaker)- You won't be working as hard, so you should have "normal" working days, or as close to it as you can get.- The offer is still conditional. The holiday period can be used to shore up bits and pieces and turn the conditional into a firm.

Have to agree with John. Handing in your notice before you have an unconditional offer is just boxing yourself into a corner. You gain very little but potentially burn bridges with an employer you may need to stay on good terms with if anything should go wrong with securing the unconditional offer. Who's to say your prospective new employer will be satisfied with your references? Who's to say your prospective new employer will not lose a key piece of business and decide to delay hiring for this position - and use your references as an excuse to do so? At the moment you have all the aces up your sleeve. Keep it that way until the offer is unconditional!

add another vote for the excellent advice above...