how to quit my job and keep my bonus

I have a large bonus payment due in August, but have a tentative offer from a startup trading company that wants me to begin in May. I am considering proposing to the startup that I work for free for until August. I think I could get my current job done with 3 hours a day from home. Also could take three weeks PTO, and could consider asking for a leave of absence at some point. I have been there a while and have a good relationship with them, but I don’t think they would give me any bonus if I leave early. Is my idea crazy? Anyone have advice?

10 Comments
 

Don’t want to miss the job opportunity... have been looking a couple of years for something like this. Also don’t want to miss the bonus, which is likely to big the biggest one of my career. But perhaps I am being too greedy.

 

Try socializing the amount of money you're leaving behind with the new start-up company. If you were moving from corporation to corporation, it's not unreasonable to have the new corporation "buy you out". Since start-up companies are cash poor, considering asking for a profit sharing position in the company.

 

1) don't tell your current employer (obviously) 2) don't quit until after the bonus check clears (usually 1 week AFTER the funds hit your account...checks can still be canceled during that in-between period) 3) offer to so some part time work for free to the startup during the 3 month in-between period of may-aug...would be best to structure that as an independent consultant, rather than as an employee during that time period.

 

that was my thinking too, but summer is going to be intense and important for the startup, and they will need me to be working full time hours then. My current job does not need a lot of hours from me though (one of the reasons I am leaving). I think I could comfortably do both, but the startup would be getting 70% of my time.

 

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