Handing in Your Notice Before Moving

As soon as you and your family decide to start a new life in France, you will probably want to shout it from the roof tops and tell everyone you know.

This is not necessarily the best idea because many steps along the process of moving can take a lot longer than you think. This means that you will have told people way before you actually move and, in the case of colleagues and your boss, it may jeopardise your job security.

Don’t Tell Everyone Straight Away

If you are in employment that you cannot continue the same in your new life in France, you will need to hand in your notice, but by keeping your cards a little closer to your chest than you may naturally do, you can make sure the situation works in your favour.

If at all possible, hand your notice in as late as possible. Of course, you will want to be fair to your employer and do not want to leave them in the lurch, but you do not need to put their needs above your own.

The Move Will Take Longer Than You Think

Try to only talk about your move with people who are unconnected to your work place, at least until you are clear about when you will actually be moving. Even after you have found your dream home and put an offer on it, it can take three months to have the keys in your hand. You will also need to sell your own property, arrange to rent it out or hand in your notice to your landlord if you are in a rented property. Then you will need to arrange the packing and arranging storage and relocation.

It is clear that there is a lot to do in order to start your new life in France, so by staying in your current job as long as possible, you will enjoy the financial security and know that you will hand your notice in on your terms. If you tell your employer too soon, they may decide to start looking for your replacement straight away and, if they find someone suitable quickly, you may be expected to leave or have your hours cut.

If You Want to Tell Your Employer Earlier

If you feel like you would rather keep your employer informed of your plans, but all means tell them that you are looking to move to France. Perhaps they may be flexible with your location and offer you a continued contract, or they may be able to guarantee that you can have your job for as long as the move takes to organise. But this is not always possible, even if your boss is keen to help you and you may wish that you had waited a little longer to inform them of your plans.

The Resignation Letter

When the day comes that you have decided to tell your employers that you are moving to France and you hand in your notice, make sure that you have a written resignation. You do not need to go into great detail, just put that you have enjoyed working with the company and have learnt a great deal. State that you will work your notice period and will help to train your replacement, if appropriate. Be prepared that your boss may be frustrated or annoyed that you are leaving, especially for what will sound like such as exciting adventure.