What is Notice Period?

A notice period is the time between telling your employer you are resigning and your actual last working day, set by your contract, local law, or plain convention. Two weeks is the customary default in the United States, a month is common across much of Europe, and one to three months is standard in India, particularly at senior levels, so the norm you carry depends heavily on where and how senior you are. The period exists to let the employer transition your work, and it cuts both ways in a job search: recruiters routinely ask about yours early because it sets the earliest realistic start date, and a long notice period can genuinely affect offer timing and negotiation. The practical points are unglamorous. Know what your contract actually says before you resign, including whether notice can be bought out or offset against accrued leave. Expect the possibility of being released early once you give notice, since some employers do. And never promise a start date that quietly assumes breaking the notice you legally owe.