Great advice, everyone. Esp. from msmith, Spartydog, and Jurph. (I was tempted just to blare the Dead Kennedy’s version of “Take This Job and Shove It!” but I think I’ll save that for my final Victory Commute).
Does anyone have any recommendation on what time of day I should go in? Is it more to my benefit to wait til the end of friday, or in the morning? I really do want to do this on as best of terms as possible, in case I have to come crawling back to the military-industrial complex on my hands and knees after I graduate (likely) or need a recommendation to grad or professional school (more likely).
I have some more advice for you. You said this is the first decent job you ever had. I’m not sure what all that means to you but surely it means you have some respect for the people there and the work you do. Which IMO means you owe them something. Having a new employee leave in six monthe is a HUGE deal in a small department – probably over the first couple of months at least, you were more of a burden than bargain. In six months you’re just strting to repay their investment in you.
I’m not saying you have to keep on the job or anything silly like that. But you owe them, and particularly your boss, at least some respect and honesty.
But maybe it’s too late – you really waffled about whether you lied to get the job. You said “I lied” but what you described wasn’t really a lie. So what’s the real deal? Did you know you were going to quit in a few months or not? Really, I don’t know why you find this so difficult, because what you did didn’t warrant it, unless you lied to US about believing you would be able to keep the job.
You could stay for a few years, if the right circumstances for it were met. Since circunstances were different, you couldn’t.
Companies hire people on “permanent” positions that become “obsolete” within months the whole time. Boyo and alice have provided good samples. You may want to indicate that it’s “for personal reasons” (which means, “I really don’t want to tell you and it’s not anything you can ‘fix’ which also means it’s not anything you should worry about”) and also your thanks for whatever you liked at the place. Wonderful coworkers, a very considerate boss, a great learning experience - whatever you want them to know that you appreciate it.
The only time I’ve sent a resignation late, it was because I’d just received and accepted an offer on the phone, in the parking lot, and the call had come as I was buckling up to leave. I prefer to send them soonish but not first thing in the morning: this way people have had time to have that first coffee but they also have time to talk to me if they want to. Doing it at the last minute on a friday would mean that they read it pretty late and can’t talk to you (which basically makes it look like you’re slinking away) or very early morning on monday, which is a bad time for many people.
First thing in the morning, as soon as the boss has settled in to work. l I hit my boss with my resignation on her first day back from maternity leave. I felt bad, but it was how the timing worked out.
I don’t think you have anything to feel bad about - the company never guaranteed you that they’d never fire you if you didn’t work out, did they? If your schooling hadn’t come through, you would probably continue to work there, but your life circumstances have changed, and that’s just part of life for people running businesses.
I would also say that you can give your notice now - as in, today, Sept. 1. Two week’s is the bare minimum dictated by courtesy; three week’s notice is generous to a company, and might be appreciated. Be prepared for them to ask you why you’re quitting, and to ask you what you’re going to do when you’re finished working there. You don’t have to answer either question with anything but generalities, but be prepared for the questions. Also be prepared for them to try to negotiate for you to stay. If you can’t stay at all, for any hours, make that clear and stand firm on it.
It wasn’t that I lied so much as didn’t volunteer information. I didn’t know for sure that I was going to be accepted. I had my acceptance letters in hand by the end of April, so while I don’t feel like I’ve lied per se, I have been concealing something.
Too late to give notice now, as the day’s out. I have to move my quit day up to midweek though, which should prove interesting. It was either that or I have to take a sick day two days before I quit to go to orientation for my college vanpool. Unfortunately they don’t have any evenings for us workin’ joes.
Nevermind, strike that. My brain no worky good on Friday night. My orientation is scheduled the week before my last week. I’ll suck it up and leave home early (what can they do, fire me?)
Do be honest, and do say why you’re leaving. Say something like that you have an educational opportunity that you cannot pass up, and that it’s been a pleasure to work there and a privilege to learn from him these past 6 months, and you wish them all the best.
And yay! for doing Classics. I took Latin and Greek to A Level.
(I was tempted just to blare the Dead Kennedy’s version of “Take This Job and Shove It!” but I think I’ll save that for my final Victory Commute).
I have to move my quit day up to midweek though, which should prove interesting. It was either that or I have to take a sick day two days before I quit to go to orientation for my college vanpool. Unfortunately they don’t have any evenings for us workin’ joes.