How to Tell Your Boss You're Leaving Work for Grad School

[soupcann314]

I'm looking for advice...

I've worked at a small nonprofit organization for three years and I interned here my last semester of undergrad. I love the mission and I absolutely adore my boss. She's the best. We get along well, she thinks highly of my work, and I know she wants the best for me. Right now I'm in a program associate position and she's been lobbying the executive director hard for me to become our communications director.

I'm applying to public policy programs and she wrote a really great recommendation letter for me, so she knows that grad school is at least a possibility. A few weeks ago, she asked if there was any news on that front and I hadn't yet heard from schools, so I said no.

Since that time I've heard from schools, and my top choice gave me a really amazing scholarship. I'm 95% sure I'm going to go there this fall. I can't do the program part-time. It's way too demanding. And work-wise, even if I get an upgrade in title to communications director, I'm not sure that means anything except me keeping all my old responsibilities AND taking on new, more complex responsibilities. The pay raise would likely be minuscule. I've been here three years and my pay has only increased 6%, even after a move from program assistant to program associate. A lot of that has to do with the economy, but it always just seems we have no money for anything, even when we get big grants. And there are some very real structural and other problems that I see with the organization, and I'm just tired of fighting old fights over and over again.

Our organization is going through a strategic planning process right now, and my boss is pretty committed to trying to make me the Communications Director, so I need to tell her ASAP about my plans to go to grad school. I was all about her lobbying for me to get the CD position because I wasn't sure I was definitely going to go to school. But now that I know I'm in and with a good financial aid package, I'm leaning way more toward going to school.

Anyone have any advice about telling your awesome boss you're leaving?

I'm also nervous about telling them so early. I plan on continuing to work through at least the beginning of July, if not longer. I've never given such a long notice -- I'm used to telling employers usually about three weeks in advance or so. I don't think anyone at work will be annoying or vindictive about it, I'm just kind of worried about weirdness in the air, especially in talking about projects that will happen after I'm gone.

Any thoughts or advice would be most appreciated!

[tkovach05]

Soupcan,

I'm in somewhat of the same boat, though not quite as sticky a situation as yours. I have been at my non-profit org here for a year, working in an entry level role. My boss and I are the only two people in our department, and it is a complex and constantly growing role. It literally took me about 5 months to learn everything that I needed to learn to do my job adequately. But I have grown pretty disinterested with my current position, and I don't think that this job or this organization is really what's right for me. I am positive I will be going to grad school this fall (got accepted to all 3 choices, just need to choose between American or The New School in Manhattan), so I will need to tell her sooner than later. I am erring on letting her know shortly after I commit (probably by the end of April), so that she can have enough time to find and hire my replacement. I also know that I will need to help train my successor, so I want to ensure that there is adequate time to do that.

I'm not really sure exactly how I'm going to tell her, but I am working my way through that. I think the first step for me is to pick a date (I'm getting pretty close to finalizing the day when I tell her), and to either set up a meeting or make sure that I have a scheduled meeting with her that day. I don't want to do a letter first; since it's just the two of us in the department, I think it needs to come face to face. She knows that I have applied to grad schools, but I have kept her largely out of the loop because I didn't want her to know that I was planning on leaving, since I was worried she would limit the roles and responsibilities I could take on. But I did at least give her an indication that I was applying and that I would at least by applying to one school out of the area (I told her American).

But trust me, I am extremely nervous about the whole thing and it's at least a month away still.

[thesnout]

Just be open and honest and tell your boss. Don't string them along. She sounds like a very understanding boss which is good. Set up a meeting with her to discuss your results and tell her that you will be attending grad school in the fall. Turn down the new communications director position but ask if there are opportunities for you to intern there if you have a semester off.

Your boss has already written you a rec letter so she needs to know your decision. They might have to hire and/or train a new person so the sooner you tell them the better. You won't lose your job if you tell them in advance. (If you do I guess you could sue them. You have rights.) It would suck to wait 2 months and then tell them too late. Might cause unnecessary tension if they find out you've known for months.

I hope this helps. For now just meet with your boss and keep the communication open. Don't burn any bridges.

Good luck.

[anxious2011]

Just be open and honest and tell your boss. Don't string them along. She sounds like a very understanding boss which is good. Set up a meeting with her to discuss your results and tell her that you will be attending grad school in the fall. Turn down the new communications director position but ask if there are opportunities for you to intern there if you have a semester off.

Your boss has already written you a rec letter so she needs to know your decision. They might have to hire and/or train a new person so the sooner you tell them the better. You won't lose your job if you tell them in advance. (If you do I guess you could sue them. You have rights.) It would suck to wait 2 months and then tell them too late. Might cause unnecessary tension if they find out you've known for months.

I hope this helps. For now just meet with your boss and keep the communication open. Don't burn any bridges.

Good luck.

Yeah, I completely agree. It's nice that you are liked by your boss and she wrote you a letter of recommendation. I just told my workplace too that I will be attending grad school in the fall, and that I wanted to leave in a few weeks to have the summer off. They took it well, and were glad I told them sooner rather than giving the standard 2 week notice so that they can plan ahead.

Congrats on the decision! and good luck with that conversation with the boss! You are right there is going to be some weirdness with people, but hopefully they will be happy for us as well.

[Golden Monkey]

One thing that really helps is if you make it easier for them to do without you once you're gone. I gave 3 months' notice at my last job, then helped them find a replacement. Then there was some crossover time after he was hired, and I helped him get acquainted with the procedures of the job. I think that really helped with leaving on good terms, and they really seemed to appreciate it.

[2011fall]

I am the same here. I have been doing very well on this first job after my master degree. My salary increased by 20% last year and i can feel that they are thinking of promoting me to a manager role soon. But no one knows (well, only 2 best friends in the office knew and they are not in a senior position) that i applied and got admitted to teh PhD program. Several things that i might suggest are:

1. Do not feel too guilty, the company will keep running without you. And no need to think that they will crash just because you left;

2. I might still choose to tell them one month in advance (pr maybe 1.5 months), it would be enough for them to find some one and i could do the handover--again, refer to point 1 that they WILL find the replacement sooner than you thought.

I really like the job that i am doing, but i know that i could do more in this industry if i got a PhD. and you never know, you might still work with them one day if you will still be in teh same industry.

Good luck.

[green8715]

One thing that really helps is if you make it easier for them to do without you once you're gone. I gave 3 months' notice at my last job, then helped them find a replacement. Then there was some crossover time after he was hired, and I helped him get acquainted with the procedures of the job. I think that really helped with leaving on good terms, and they really seemed to appreciate it.

I completely agree with this. My boss/job has been amazing and I've been working here for about 3 years. I let my boss know I was planning on applying to programs, he wrote me a letter for one school, and when I received my first acceptance I let him know so he could be aware he will probably have to fill my space come this Fall. Because he has had notice FAR in advance we are now in the process of looking to see who we will bring in as a replacement. Luckily the person we are looking to hire will be able to start at least 2 months before I leave so they can be fully trained before I head out.

Once I officially figure out where I am going I plan on letting my boss know ASAP when I think my last day will be.

I know it depends what field you are in - but if your employer is aware that the job you are at is not going to be your career and they are supportive of you moving on I think keeping them in the loop is the best thing you can do. I feel guilty as well because my boss has been so great with everything, but by giving them all the notice they need they will be able to transition more smoothly with the new hire.

[soupcann314]

Thanks, everyone, for chiming in. You were all very helpful.

I told my boss today and ... well ... we both basically started crying. But once the crying was over, she was very happy for me and agrees that it's the right decision, that the program will be great for me, etc. She joked about how it was all her own fault because she wrote such a great recommendation letter for me. She asked me to help find and train a replacement, which I'm happy to do. During a strategic planning meeting with our board members today (hence why I really needed to get it over with and tell her before any further strategic planning happened around me being in a new position), she told them and they all expressed their sadness at my leaving but were very happy for me. It's really nice to feel goodwill and happiness for this.

My hands were shaking and my stomach is still has a few butterflies remaining, but I'm glad it's over with and I can stop worrying about it.