u/Street-Ad1413

25F UK

****EDIT****

I can’t call before the email because they’re technically out of office until next week. Meaning their work phones will be off and I don’t have their personal phone numbers. They advised that they will have access to emails on their phones for work related emergencies, so I either email them today, or have to wait until they’re back in the office on Monday, at which point that will be the day before the director planned to take me for congratulations drinks….

—————-

I’m honestly in a really awkward position and would really appreciate some outside opinions.

I’ve worked at my current company since 2024 in what originally started as a fairly standard admin/operations role. Over time, management found out I also had a strong background in graphic design and creative work outside of my job, so they started involving me in projects here and there. Fast forward two years and I’ve basically become the company’s sole in-house creative person on top of my original role. I now handle internal documents, educational resources, branding, social media, marketing materials, onboarding content, presentations, portal redesigns etc. alongside my actual day job.

A few weeks ago I had conversations with management about how much my role had evolved, and they agreed. They gave me a pay rise, changed my title to include “Creative Specialist”, and made it very clear they saw me as a big part of the company’s future. I was genuinely very grateful and happy about it.

Here’s where things get complicated, as competition unexpectedly I was approached by another company last week. I wasn’t actively job hunting. They basically headhunted me after seeing my work. I interviewed, and tomorrow they’re sending me a contract for a significantly better opportunity with an astronomically higher salary in a senior creative-focused role that realistically aligns far more with the direction my career has naturally gone in.

The timing genuinely could not be worse. My management team are all currently away together at a conference, and I’ve just been made aware that one of the directors had already planned work drinks next week specifically to congratulate me on my promotion/pay rise and discuss future projects and bigger plans for me within the company.

I feel absolutely awful. I genuinely care about these people a lot and have a very close relationship with management compared to most workplaces I’ve been in. I know resigning is normal, but emotionally this feels horrible because I know they’ve invested a lot into me recently and were actively planning around me staying long term.

The issue is that as tomorrow I will have the contract officially in front of me, I don’t want to delay telling them. Operationally it will massively impact planning, projects, workload etc., and waiting until they’re back next week almost feels worse and less respectful somehow.

Would it be acceptable/professional to send a very thoughtful resignation email while they’re away, explaining that I intended to do it face to face but didn’t want to delay telling them once everything became official? I’d obviously still have conversations with them afterwards.

Or is resigning by email in this situation still considered bad/unprofessional?

TIA, sincerely,

An over-thinker.

25F UK

****EDIT****

I can’t call before the email because they’re technically out of office until next week. Meaning their work phones will be off and I don’t have their personal phone numbers. They advised that they will have access to emails on their phones for work related emergencies, so I either email them today, or have to wait until they’re back in the office on Monday, at which point that will be the day before the director planned to take me for congratulations drinks….

—————-

I’m honestly in a really awkward position and would really appreciate some outside opinions.

I’ve worked at my current company since 2024 in what originally started as a fairly standard admin/operations role. Over time, management found out I also had a strong background in graphic design and creative work outside of my job, so they started involving me in projects here and there. Fast forward two years and I’ve basically become the company’s sole in-house creative person on top of my original role. I now handle internal documents, educational resources, branding, social media, marketing materials, onboarding content, presentations, portal redesigns etc. alongside my actual day job.

A few weeks ago I had conversations with management about how much my role had evolved, and they agreed. They gave me a pay rise, changed my title to include “Creative Specialist”, and made it very clear they saw me as a big part of the company’s future. I was genuinely very grateful and happy about it.

Here’s where things get complicated, as competition unexpectedly I was approached by another company last week. I wasn’t actively job hunting. They basically headhunted me after seeing my work. I interviewed, and tomorrow they’re sending me a contract for a significantly better opportunity with an astronomically higher salary in a senior creative-focused role that realistically aligns far more with the direction my career has naturally gone in.

The timing genuinely could not be worse. My management team are all currently away together at a conference, and I’ve just been made aware that one of the directors had already planned work drinks next week specifically to congratulate me on my promotion/pay rise and discuss future projects and bigger plans for me within the company.

I feel absolutely awful. I genuinely care about these people a lot and have a very close relationship with management compared to most workplaces I’ve been in. I know resigning is normal, but emotionally this feels horrible because I know they’ve invested a lot into me recently and were actively planning around me staying long term.

The issue is that as tomorrow I will have the contract officially in front of me, I don’t want to delay telling them. Operationally it will massively impact planning, projects, workload etc., and waiting until they’re back next week almost feels worse and less respectful somehow.

Would it be acceptable/professional to send a very thoughtful resignation email while they’re away, explaining that I intended to do it face to face but didn’t want to delay telling them once everything became official? I’d obviously still have conversations with them afterwards.

Or is resigning by email in this situation still considered bad/unprofessional?

TIA, sincerely,

An over-thinker.

25F UK

***EDIT***

I can’t call before the email because they’re technically out of office until next week. Meaning their work phones will be off and I don’t have their personal phone numbers. They advised that they will have access to emails on their phones for work related emergencies, so I either email them today, or have to wait until they’re back in the office on Monday, at which point that will be the day before the director planned to take me for congratulations drinks….

——————————————————

I’m honestly in a really awkward position and would really appreciate some outside opinions.

I’ve worked at my current company since 2024 in what originally started as a fairly standard admin/operations role. Over time, management found out I also had a strong background in graphic design and creative work outside of my job, so they started involving me in projects here and there. Fast forward two years and I’ve basically become the company’s sole in-house creative person on top of my original role. I now handle internal documents, educational resources, branding, social media, marketing materials, onboarding content, presentations, portal redesigns etc. alongside my actual day job.

A few weeks ago I had conversations with management about how much my role had evolved, and they agreed. They gave me a pay rise, changed my title to include “Creative Specialist”, and made it very clear they saw me as a big part of the company’s future. I was genuinely very grateful and happy about it.

Here’s where things get complicated, as competition unexpectedly I was approached by another company last week. I wasn’t actively job hunting. They basically headhunted me after seeing my work. I interviewed, and tomorrow they’re sending me a contract for a significantly better opportunity with an astronomically higher salary in a senior creative-focused role that realistically aligns far more with the direction my career has naturally gone in.

The timing genuinely could not be worse. My management team are all currently away together at a conference, and I’ve just been made aware that one of the directors had already planned work drinks next week specifically to congratulate me on my promotion/pay rise and discuss future projects and bigger plans for me within the company.

I feel absolutely awful. I genuinely care about these people a lot and have a very close relationship with management compared to most workplaces I’ve been in. I know resigning is normal, but emotionally this feels horrible because I know they’ve invested a lot into me recently and were actively planning around me staying long term.

The issue is that as tomorrow I will have the contract officially in front of me, I don’t want to delay telling them. Operationally it will massively impact planning, projects, workload etc., and waiting until they’re back next week almost feels worse and less respectful somehow.

Would it be acceptable/professional to send a very thoughtful resignation email while they’re away, explaining that I intended to do it face to face but didn’t want to delay telling them once everything became official? I’d obviously still have conversations with them afterwards.

Or is resigning by email in this situation still considered bad/unprofessional?

TIA, sincerely,

An over-thinker.