Most bizarre working predicament you've had?

[Skin Blues]

It's a cliche, but honesty is the best policy. I went through something similar last month. I'd been with the company for 8 months though. Contract was up, I asked if there was any way they could keep me on, they came back to me with an offer. Literally the day after I accepted their offer... I was selected for a position I thought I was way underqualified for with a huge company ($6 billion quartarly profit in the quarter before they hired me... hmmm, let me think about this for a second... YES). I went there in person and told my old boss and he was fine with it and wished me well. Told me he still wanted me to come to the Christmas dinner even though I wasn't working there anymore, and I still got a Christmas bonus. In my mind I imagined being berated and given a guilt trip or something, but it turned out well. Now, I don't know if your boss will be as accepting... but I'd at least tell them. Even if they're not happy about it, it's not like you'll be using them for a reference since you hardly worked there. Out of respect for them alone, I'd tell them as soon as possible.

[dAnzac]

Clearly you need advice from someone who has been through this before.....

Step 1. Tell your current employer immediately.
Step 2. Buy popcorn
Step 3. Cut hole in bottom of popcorn box
Step 4. Put junk in hole
Step 5. ????
Step 6. Profit!

[Mookie4ever]

I've had people quit on me with short notice before and it always drove me crazy. You have no idea how much time and effort goes into hiring someone. If you have quit on me with short notice you get out of my life right away and I want nothing to do with you and if anyone calls up asking for a reference I tell them exactly what happened.

On the other hand I had an assistant who was offered a job paying nearly twice what I was paying her (she was overqualified for what she was doing for me). Not only did she give me 4 weeks notice but she said that she would not start her new job until her replacement was hired and trained! She took total control of the hiring process and interviewed the candidates and picked and fully trained her replacement (who is still with me more than 3 years later). Her replacement also called her up constantly for help and with questions later on.

As a result I have kept in touch with her and help out wherever I can. Her new job didn't work out and even though her old job was filled I let her come back and help out on a temp basis. I also wrote her a killer reference and helped her get a new job (and another after that one). She'll probably end up working for me again some time in the future.

Keeping good relationships with old employers can help out in a number of ways.