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shinobi99 wrote:Currently I have been accepted to several law schools, but also have some concerns because I just started working for a company couple months ago. If I leave for law school this fall, I would have worked there less than a year and was wondering if that would be bad/make me a douche. I feel that the company put in quite a bit of effort to recruit me, so I feel a little bad about leaving before the company can get its full return of investment. Also, because I want to go into IP law, I was wondering whether leaving too early would somehow jeopardize my future career in IP law since the company that I work for is pretty big in the software industry.

With that said, I was wondering whether I'm overanalyzing things and blowing things out of proportion (I tend to imagine things that won't happen). Since I have an at-will employment agreement, I can legally leave at any time and be fired at any time as well. Also, I know that if I do decide to go to school this fall, I will work my ass off so they can at least get a year's worth of work out of me. I know deferring a year is also an option but I want to just focus on the consequences of leaving this year because I would prefer to go to school this year if the consequences are not that severe. It would be great if you guys could give me some advice. Thanks!

Scotusnerd wrote:

shinobi99 wrote:Currently I have been accepted to several law schools, but also have some concerns because I just started working for a company couple months ago. If I leave for law school this fall, I would have worked there less than a year and was wondering if that would be bad/make me a douche. I feel that the company put in quite a bit of effort to recruit me, so I feel a little bad about leaving before the company can get its full return of investment. Also, because I want to go into IP law, I was wondering whether leaving too early would somehow jeopardize my future career in IP law since the company that I work for is pretty big in the software industry.

With that said, I was wondering whether I'm overanalyzing things and blowing things out of proportion (I tend to imagine things that won't happen). Since I have an at-will employment agreement, I can legally leave at any time and be fired at any time as well. Also, I know that if I do decide to go to school this fall, I will work my ass off so they can at least get a year's worth of work out of me. I know deferring a year is also an option but I want to just focus on the consequences of leaving this year because I would prefer to go to school this year if the consequences are not that severe. It would be great if you guys could give me some advice. Thanks!

Do not confuse loyalty with professionalism. No one will fault you for giving them a month's notice before going to law school. They might fault you for giving them 9 month's notice. You will be treated differently if you tell them that now. I made this mistake as well in my first job, and I was treated like absolute shit for the last three months of my job. You will likely be as well, since you are a new hire.

Go in a month before you move and tell your boss that you were just accepted to law school and were going to attend it on X date. You will have to move on y date (a month from now). Mention any scholarships or anything you've gotten, and be cheerful about the work culture. Say that you've become very interested in legal work since you started working there (if your job is vaguely related to it), and that you very much enjoyed your time there.

Do not get personal with it, and do not be honest. I know it's counterintuitive, but people WILL be hateful and jealous of you if you give them time to stew. It's human nature. Your boss will (consciously or not) discriminate against you for those 9 months. It's not worth it.

Desert Fox wrote:What is this month notice flame. Two weeks is standard.

thisiswater wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:What is this month notice flame. Two weeks is standard.

If necessary of course 2 weeks is the minimum, but it's impossible to get someone new hired in that time so you are going to be leaving your company in a bind which isn't great. Giving a little extra notice in exchange for a good reference doesn't seem like a bad deal. Again, this all varies by position and company. If you are one of 10 analysts then maybe you leaving won't be that big of a deal. if you are the only one in your position and it's a required function then obviously your absence will be felt more and your bosses will probably appreciate a chance to hire your replacement while you are still working.

Desert Fox wrote:

thisiswater wrote:

Desert Fox wrote:What is this month notice flame. Two weeks is standard.

If necessary of course 2 weeks is the minimum, but it's impossible to get someone new hired in that time so you are going to be leaving your company in a bind which isn't great. Giving a little extra notice in exchange for a good reference doesn't seem like a bad deal. Again, this all varies by position and company. If you are one of 10 analysts then maybe you leaving won't be that big of a deal. if you are the only one in your position and it's a required function then obviously your absence will be felt more and your bosses will probably appreciate a chance to hire your replacement while you are still working.

Outted yourself as a house millennial.



Uncle Tyler

shinobi99 wrote:Thanks everyone for the advice. I actually applied for my job a bit earlier (like a month) than law schools, but I definitely knew going into the job that I would later apply for law schools. I applied for my job mostly because I had no money but also because I wanted to see what it was like to work for the company since it had a big presence in the tech industry. Shortly after I got the job, I applied to law schools, first of all, unsure whether I would even get into my first choice, and second, thinking that deferring would be an option if necessary. I guess at that time I wanted to keep my options open because I didn't know how the future was going to unfold. I just wanted to explore both paths and make a decision later, depending on what hand I was dealt.

Fast forward to early 2013, after I was accepted into several schools and some time had passed, I started to rethink the option of deferring since that would mean I would work for an additional year and a half from now until fall of 2014. I feel that the half a year remaining until this August is a relatively long time as it is. I already have several years (3~4) of work experience after college (I had left my previous job to study for the LSAT, then had gotten my current job), so perhaps the additional year wouldn't be essential. I do know that my company lays off people when it is in their interest, so a part of me thinks that I should just be selfish and not worry so much about my company. Since it's a billion dollar company, I know I wouldn't dent their balance sheet even a little if I leave. However, another part of me feels guilty because it feels like I'm only looking out for my interest.

At this point, I'm still deliberating and haven't reached a conclusion on what to do. But after hearing from both sides of the argument, perhaps a notice longer than two weeks would be nice if I were to leave in August. Once again, I appreciate all of the inputs! Hopefully I will make the correct diplomatic move that will be in everyone's interest.

fallingup wrote:I have no intention of telling my boss that I am planning to quit in August for school UNTIL 2 weeks before I leave. Why would they keep me on the job if they knew I was leaving??? I feel like I am being duplicitous at work but I don't see an alternative.

fallingup wrote:I have no intention of telling my boss that I am planning to quit in August for school UNTIL 2 weeks before I leave. Why would they keep me on the job if they knew I was leaving??? I feel like I am being duplicitous at work but I don't see an alternative.

rinkrat19 wrote:

fallingup wrote:I have no intention of telling my boss that I am planning to quit in August for school UNTIL 2 weeks before I leave. Why would they keep me on the job if they knew I was leaving??? I feel like I am being duplicitous at work but I don't see an alternative.

Y'all must work in some shitty places. If I'd changed my mind about leaving on my last day (which they'd known about for a year and a half), my bosses would have happily let me stay.