Employee says 90-day notice period is 'killing' his job search: 'HRs take zero excuses'

An employee said his 90-day notice period had made job hunting difficult as recruiters stopped responding.

An employee has sparked a discussion on Reddit after sharing how his 90-day notice period has made it difficult for him to find a new job in the current market. The man said he has been actively trying to switch roles, but recruiters often lose interest as soon as they hear about the long notice period.

An employee shared how his 90-day notice period had blocked job offers despite active attempts to switch roles. (Representational image/Gemini AI generated)

Taking to Reddit, the employee wrote, “Is it just me, or has the 90-day notice period officially become a career dead-end in the current market? I’ve been actively looking for a switch, but the 90-day NP feels like a total deadlock. HRs and recruiters are currently taking zero excuses, no matter how reasonable the explanation.”

He further explained that he is currently involved in a major project release scheduled for mid-July and wants to complete his responsibilities before moving on. However, according to him, the moment he mentions his notice period, conversations with recruiters “effectively” end.

‘It feels like I’m being screened out’

The post was shared with the title, “The 90-day Notice Period (NP) trap is killing my job search—any advice on how to navigate this?” The employee also asked others whether they were serving the full notice period, trying to negotiate an early release, or applying only to companies that allow buyouts.

Reddit users share advice

The post drew several reactions from users who said they were facing similar challenges. One user wrote, “I also work in a big MNC and am stuck in the same situation. Most recruiters either ignore me or stop replying once they hear about the 90-day notice period. In the current job market, resigning without an offer in hand feels like a big gamble.”

Another user suggested, “You can tell recruiters that your organisation is open to negotiating your notice period, especially since you will soon be released from your current project.” A third advised the employee to first secure an offer by saying that his official notice period is three months, but he has negotiated a tentative relieving date of around 1.5 months. Another wrote, “You can tell the recruiter that you will do everything possible to reduce your notice period by completing the handover quickly and opting for a buyout if required. This may at least help you get your foot in the door.”

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)