Resigning Your Job for School

[groverj3]

Hello everyone,

 

I've been trying to figure out when I should inform my employer of my plans to leave for school. I currently work at a large CRO in a molecular biology lab, the department itself is pretty small. My manager also wrote me several letters of recommendation during the application process. I was finally accepted into a professional science masters program, after not getting into PhD programs. Even though I will not be funded I still feel like doing the masters will be a good move. The second year of the program is a paid internship rather than the typical lab work for a degree in cell/molecular biology. If I'm still feeling ambitious, then this could be a way to transition to a PhD program in the future. Even if I don't continue on, I'll still have some more job options with an MS. My current job involves extracting DNA, all day... every day. Not exactly intellectually stimulating. Plus, the company has already decided that our department won't be growing (which seems like a soft way of saying "layoffs ahead"). They also revised their requirements for advancement... making it require something like 10 years experience to move up to a "Scientist" position. Based on this, there's very little incentive to stick around.

 

Anyway, I found out at the beginning of the month that I had been accepted. I've already heard from my adviser, sent them notice that I plan to attend, picked out a few classes, etc. I've also requested time off to fly there, see the campus, and look for an apartment (although I didn't tell my employer the reason for my time off request). My current lease is up on the last day of July. Everything is pretty well set up. I plan on working until July 12th or 19th, which would give me time to move and have about a month to acclimate to Tucson (I'll be attending the University of Arizona).

 

I was planning on telling our manager on Monday, that I will be leaving for school, and hoping to stay on until mid-July. I've heard mixed things about this plan. Some people tell me this is a great move, to allow them time to get a replacement for me and have me train them on stuff. Others say I should keep it to myself and only give them 2 weeks notice. I have a fairly good relationship with my boss here, despite how much I hate the job. She's aware that I was applying to places (having written several letters for my apps). We're fairly busy right now, so I don't think they're just going to tell me to leave right away.

 

What would you do?

[TakeruK]

In your shoes, I would make sure to look out for myself first and foremost. Would you be financially okay if you were to lose income for the next two months? If not, then don't tell them now. On the other hand, you also want to keep a good relationship with former employers. You definitely would want to end things professionally and extend courtesy in allowing them to hire and train a replacement. That's something that's hard to judge so think about how long would it take to train you? I wouldn't worry about the time it might take for them to find a replacement though, since I would suspect there are a ton of qualified people out there.

 

So, maybe some balance of how much you need the income and how much you want to maintain good relations. Not knowing anything else, I would probably say give about 4 weeks notice and you can adjust that +/- 2 weeks based on how much you need the current income/future goodwill. Or, maybe tell them right after you come back from your leave (i.e. after you've signed a lease). But that's just my thoughts!

[danieleWrites]

Some jobs require 2 weeks notice, some require 30. Check the papers you signed/hiring packet for whatever the rules are. If you are required to give no more than 2 weeks notice, then that's what you should do. You can leave on a good note without divulging details too early. If you want to give it earlier than 2 weeks, don't give it earlier than 4 weeks. if they hire someone to replace you in the first week, you might find yourself off the schedule.

 

You can maintain a good reputation with the employer by doing your best at work every day that you are at work. Don't let short-timer's disease get to you! And don't gossip. Your employer should hear about your resignation from you, not the water cooler talk.

[bedmas]

I'm in a similar predicament - I just started a full time job knowing fully well that I'll be going to graduate school in the fall. I didn't mention it in my interview out of fear of not getting hired, and it doesn't seem like there's any appropriate time to bring it up. But the job is as a cashier in a locally owned grocery store, so I keep getting people that I work with and am just meeting asking what I'm going to do with the degree I just finished (since this job is obviously not specific to my field). It just... seems like there's no good time to mention it, especially because I really need the money. 

[tip3r]

It feels good to know I'm not the only one

 

I started my job a year ago with the intention of leaving for a PhD. I will need to leave late September or sooner. I have a great relationship with my boss and coworkers. When I started I decided that I'm going to work really hard to give the company their money's worth so that I wouldn't feel guilty when I needed to leave. Now they all have big plans for me and they feel I was such a steal! I feel even worse about telling them that I'll be leaving!

[groverj3]

Good posts, everyone. I don't really feel guilty about leaving, because the company isn't giving me much of a reason to stick around. Although, I don't want someone else to be stuck with my extremely monotonous and never-ending duties without warning. Plus, I'd be perfectly willing to help train a replacement (if they even decide to hire one). 

 

Part of the issue with waiting much longer is that I've been told to work on some stuff that I won't be around to finish. Also, they've asked me to attend training sessions for some other things which will eat up a large amount of time. All of which are a complete waste of time, seeing as I won't be around long enough for this to be useful. There is always the issue of being asked to leave right away, or at least not being allowed to stay on as long as I plan.

 

Being an "at will employee," from my understanding, means essentially they can fire me for practically any reason (including no reason at all) at any time. I can also leave whenever I want, 2 weeks notice not necessary. It's still a nice courtesy to give notice, obviously. However, neither I or the company have any obligation to a certain time-frame. The fact that this is such a dilemma says something about the place 

Edited May 19, 2013 by groverj3

[lypiphera]

Given that your employers wrote you letters of recommendation, they must know there's a chance you would be leaving and wouldn't be upset if so.  I can't imagine not telling them immediately - if you have a good relationship, they would be happy you will be moving on and will be glad to know ahead of time.

 

I let my manager know right away when I had decided, and they were happy to have advance notice.  I picked my end date, and I've been helping train my replacement the last couple months.  Unless you have a really bad relationship with a spiteful boss, I don't see any reason to not tell them.  They knew it was coming and helped you get there, so they deserve to know in as much advance as possible what your plans for. 

[groverj3]

Yeah, I guess I didn't have much to worry about. Told the boss today, she was cool with me sticking around until July 19th like I planned.

[ak48]

Yeah, I guess I didn't have much to worry about. Told the boss today, she was cool with me sticking around until July 19th like I planned.

 

good to hear. you should've known she'd be supportive since she wrote you a rec