How much notice do i give that i'm quitting my summer job?

July 16, 2007 9:33 PM

How much notice do i give that i'm quitting my summer job?

Cashiering at W**-mart this summer.
I tried to be upfront with them when i was hired that i would be seasonal, but i havent exactly been advertising it - especially to the people that i work up front with on a daily basis.
I've worked there for over two months, and am currently scheduled in for the next three weeks - just a week shy of 90 days.
I've never been late, and i've been a model employee.
While i'd like to get a 90 day review, i'm not sure that i really want to stick around the week before college starts again.
I feel like i've been stuck inside my whole summer, and i think $200 or so in lost potential wages is not too high a price to pay for having a week or so off.
I'm living with my parents this summer (free rent), and the town i go to college in is about an hour and a half away.
I might consider a transfer - and working a few hours a week at the w**-mart in my college town, but i wouldnt want to start there immediately... or i might just come back to the parent's town for winter break and maybe a work bit then.

So is three weeks in advance too soon to go into personnel and start with something like 'well, i decided that i probably better go back to school..." ?
(I figure i dont have to tell them that i'll be a junior with a 3.8 clumulative gpa and some scholarships. )
I figure that if they are perpetually understaffed and i am already scheduled, they wont do anything evil like can me right there and then... right?
Do i apply for a transfer? A leave of absence? Is there any way i can get a 90 day evaluation without actually working there all 90 days?

posted by itheearl to Work & Money (10 answers total)

Two weeks is standard notice for a reason -- it's what people give and what employers expect. Longer than that only really happens when you've got responsibilities that'll take longer to hand off or a particular relationship with your employer.

They certainly might can you there and then, which is why I wouldn't give more than two weeks. (That might even be standard policy.)
posted by mendel at 9:49 PM on July 16, 2007

2 weeks is fine for a job like that. If you're interested in picking up some shifts on school breaks and maybe coming back next summer you could ask about staying on the books as an employee. That may be a little too flexible for a place like WalMart. Likewise, there's no harm in asking for an early review, although personally I think it's not worth the effort and they might be too rulebound to be able to accommodate you. Dick jobs you worked to make cash in college will be utterly meaningless after you graduate.
posted by nanojath at 9:51 PM on July 16, 2007

Trust me. Anything longer than two weeks for a job at Wal-mart is extraordinary. I'm sure they're used to young people quitting shortly before going back to school, so I really doubt it'll faze them much. If you're as good as you claimed, then they might even be willing to hire you back later, but I'm sure they're used to hiring students and then losing them when school starts again. You'll be fine.
posted by fishmasta at 9:54 PM on July 16, 2007

If you want to work during the year, I imagine they would be pretty understanding about needing to take a week or two off to get settled for school again. Work your last three weeks at this one, take two weeks off, and then start at the new one if that's what you want. You also might be able to get your evaluation before you transfer to the new store if you ask to be evaluated by the people you've actually worked with for 3 months.

If you don't want to work during the year at the new one, I don't know if they'd give you your evaluation. Does it come with a pay raise? Because if it's just an evaluation they'll probably give it to you if you ask; I don't think they'll give you a raise if you're leaving for four months and are sketchy about coming back (but they might give you the evaluation anyway).

If you want to just quit, then give your two weeks notice next week and be done with it. It won't really matter if you don't get evaluated (your next employer will understand; it's not like you're quitting to avoid the evaluation), and waiting to get an eval/raise and then quitting immediately after is kind of dickish.
posted by lilac girl at 9:58 PM on July 16, 2007

Response by poster: I'll mention that i'm an at-will employee, which means that either party can terminate employment at any time for any reason.
The only reason i'd even consider giving more than two weeks is because they'll end up scheduling me for some time when i cant be there... more strain on a bunch of nice, but very stressed-out people in the front.
posted by itheearl at 10:05 PM on July 16, 2007

Best answer: Two weeks is standard, though three weeks is appreciated in professional jobs or where extenuating circumstances exist. I gave two weeks for my grocery store job when I was a student (and more or less a model employee).

If you've told them from the outset that you'll be working seasonally, well, then they know it. There's no need to tell them daily.

I don't intend for this to sound sarcastic, but they'll be able to fill the spot without a significant impact on their operations The fact that you're concerned for the continuity of their business says to me that they were lucky to have had you. I'd imagine that they recognize this and would be happy to have you back.

I'm no help on the 90-day eval portion of your question.
posted by tomwheeler at 10:05 PM on July 16, 2007

Response by poster: They actually messed up and gave me a 90 day eval a couple weeks ago.
I wanted to know how i was doing, so i just said "are you sure it's been 90 days?", they said "yeah, time files...", and i let them continue. They had nothing but nice things to say. Had it actually been 90 days, i would have been getting a $.40 raise (i'm assuming that payroll were the ones who caught the error).

Now that i think about it, waiting 90 days and leaving would be a dick move on my part.
I'm sure that there are nice things about me somewhere on the walmart computer, and it would be really easy to get rehired if i ever wanted to.
I dont really want to work during the school year, because it could interfere with either my schoolwork or my ... other activities.
But i wouldn't mind the income, so i'm torn.
posted by itheearl at 10:18 PM on July 16, 2007

Response by poster: I'll wait to talk to them until two weeks before, and tell them that i would be open to the possibility of working during the holiday season.
If i decide i really want to work while i'm at school, i'll just apply at the walmart there.
posted by itheearl at 10:22 PM on July 16, 2007

About 98% of people who stop working at places like that...just stop. No calls, no nothing. It's why they hire about 20 people a week.

With that said---do you want to put it on your resume? If you DO, then quit right. If you DON'T, then it really doesn't matter. You won't be hurting ANYONE, they've got another 1500 employees. You are a very small cog on a very huge, cheap gear.
posted by TomMelee at 4:56 AM on July 17, 2007

How about: Hi Manager, I'm heading back to school in 2 weeks, who should I call to get scheduled for some hours here when I'm on breaks from school? How does that work? Will the hours I work during those breaks count towards my raise, or do I start over from zero? There's a store near my college - will it be just as easy to get hours there, and my hours will transfer, right? That being said, I'd like to get off the schedule as of July X. I'll be around for a few days after that and might be able to come in for a shift if I'm needed - but not the full week. Thanks boss
posted by enfa at 8:46 AM on July 17, 2007