over my head
December 15, 2009 4:08 PM Subscribe
Should I resign to finish graduate work and so I can find a position I can again succeed at?
I've worked for the same company for 7+ years. I took a management position about a year ago, thinking I'd have enough time to finish up my graduate work (3 courses - I have been taking part-time), but because of the long hours I had to take a semester + off (and my GPA dropped). I asked to move back to my earlier position, and while my boss initially agreed it is no longer in the budget. Right after it was found to not be in the budget I got a written warning because of errors of my team or a few of my own. Also I am now told a may not be able to take a week-long vacation I have planned all year. Would it be better from a future hiring perspective to resign (with the reason of finishing graduate work) or be let go (with a chance of unemployment)?
I've worked for the same company for 7+ years. I took a management position about a year ago, thinking I'd have enough time to finish up my graduate work (3 courses - I have been taking part-time), but because of the long hours I had to take a semester + off (and my GPA dropped). I asked to move back to my earlier position, and while my boss initially agreed it is no longer in the budget. Right after it was found to not be in the budget I got a written warning because of errors of my team or a few of my own. Also I am now told a may not be able to take a week-long vacation I have planned all year. Would it be better from a future hiring perspective to resign (with the reason of finishing graduate work) or be let go (with a chance of unemployment)?
My concern would be that, if you're getting warnings, then even if you quit and have technically left by choice, it may be hard to get a good reference from them. When you've worked there for 7 years the lack of a reference may stand out to future prospective employers (whatever field you're looking in next).
What about trying to get back into their good books over the short term (specifically, I'd spend a few months trying to address what they gave you a warning about, and do it in a noticeable way, so they won't have reason to bring it up in a phone reference if asked about any problems they've had with you) and then leave to do your graduate work, and/or start looking for a new job - one with hours equivalent to your old position - so you could go back to doing your graduate work on the side?
posted by springbound at 4:35 AM on December 16, 2009
What about trying to get back into their good books over the short term (specifically, I'd spend a few months trying to address what they gave you a warning about, and do it in a noticeable way, so they won't have reason to bring it up in a phone reference if asked about any problems they've had with you) and then leave to do your graduate work, and/or start looking for a new job - one with hours equivalent to your old position - so you could go back to doing your graduate work on the side?
posted by springbound at 4:35 AM on December 16, 2009
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posted by dfriedman at 4:15 PM on December 15, 2009