A few questions about changing jobs before my app cycle is over.

[QuittingJob]

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Background: I've been working as a research assistant for the past 3 years after graduating from college. My relationship with my manager was not terrible, but not great either. I got a letter of recommendation from her for med school and applied this cycle with a LizzyM of 73 (3.7 GPA, 518 MCAT). So far I've only gotten 2 II's from MD schools.

I can't say for certain that my manager wrote something bad in my LoR, but I suspect it. If I don't get in this year, my plan is to switch from my full time job to a part time position teaching the MCAT for a major test prep company while using my free time for community service. Hopefully by the time I apply next year, I can get some strong letters of recommendation.

Questions:

1. Will my app be negatively affected by moving from a job with lots of patient and provider interaction to one that is a teaching position?

2. Should I update current schools I'm applying to about my job change?

3. How many weeks notice should I give my boss? HR policy says 2 weeks for hourly and 4 weeks for salaried. While my coworkers have all given 4 weeks notice when leaving, they were all salaried. I am still hourly due to a poor performance review from my manager. I don't feel like I owe her more than 2 weeks and I don't intend on getting a letter from her ever again.

 

[wagonwheel23]

In terms of notice, you don't actually have to give any notice. It burns bridges, but it's not required. 2 weeks is the polite standard. Do not offer to give any more than that, and definitely don't get a LOR from someone that gave you a poor performance review! Why did you ask her for a recommendation in the first place? I might reassess all of your LOR writers, to be honest. Consult with someone else on whether or not you chose the right people.

 

[QuittingJob]

Do not offer to give any more than that, and definitely don't get a LOR from someone that gave you a poor performance review! Why did you ask her for a recommendation in the first place?

I beat myself up over it every day and have spent many a sleepless night wondering what might have happened if I had not done such a stupid thing. I'm trying not to dwell on the past.

 

[intangible]

Do what is most beneficial for you, not schools. Living in the shadow of "I need to get into medical school" is a stench admissions committees can smell from a mile away. Besides, if your manager wrote you a bad LOR (which happens to the best of us), it's all the more easy to explain if and when they ask, which is unlikely.

So, as direct replies to your questions:
1. No—and if you have no teaching experience, it might actually make your application more well-rounded.

2. Not yet. If they ask about your potentially poorly written LOR, explain as objectively as possible. The FACTS: not how you felt about him/her, not how he/she felt about you. Keep it professional and distant. Explain what was positive about the experience.

3. 2 weeks is more than enough for an hourly position. Make sure you put it all in writing and cc your HR department and all relevant management. Make sure that you note that the experience was positive. Do NOT burn bridges. It's one thing to be passive about a student, but if your boss really dislikes you enough, they can be hostile in terms of attitude if an adcom calls him/her as a reference. It's not completely unfounded—and I'm sure the adcoms here have had experiences like that.

 

[QuittingJob]

Do what is most beneficial for you, not schools. Living in the shadow of "I need to get into medical school" is a stench admissions committees can smell from a mile away. Besides, if your manager wrote you a bad LOR (which happens to the best of us), it's all the more easy to explain if and when they ask, which is unlikely.

So, as direct replies to your questions:
1. No—and if you have no teaching experience, it might actually make your application more well-rounded.

2. Not yet. If they ask about your potentially poorly written LOR, explain as objectively as possible. The FACTS: not how you felt about him/her, not how he/she felt about you. Keep it professional and distant. Explain what was positive about the experience.

3. 2 weeks is more than enough for an hourly position. Make sure you put it all in writing and cc your HR department and all relevant management. Make sure that you note that the experience was positive. Do NOT burn bridges. It's one thing to be passive about a student, but if your boss really dislikes you enough, they can be hostile in terms of attitude if an adcom calls him/her as a reference. It's not completely unfounded—and I'm sure the adcoms here have had experiences like that.

Thanks for the advice especially on the 2nd question. I really appreciate it.

Regarding the 3rd question, you think I would really be alright to only give 2 weeks notice even though my other coworkers who quit all gave 4 weeks? My position is hourly, but it is a 9-5 40 hour a week position.

 

[wagonwheel23]

@QuittingJob Despite what my post seemed to say, I totally get why you might have gotten a recommendation from your manager. And props to you for not dwelling in the past. All will work out, and 2 MD II isn't bad!

 

[spiffysteve]

Regarding the 3rd question, you think I would really be alright to only give 2 weeks notice even though my other coworkers who quit all gave 4 weeks? My position is hourly, but it is a 9-5 40 hour a week position.

2 weeks notice would be absolutely fine. If you're really worried about it you can notify them earlier, but it's not necessary at all.

 

[andybshaker]

I really don't think you'd get two interviews if there was something bad in a LOR.

 

[QuittingJob]

I really don't think you'd get two interviews if there was something bad in a LOR.

Even with my stats and possibly with only a slightly negative statement in the letter like "She was a very intelligent and capable team member but at times could have been more proactive with communication."

 

[andybshaker]

Even with my stats and possibly with only a slightly negative statement in the letter like "She was a very intelligent and capable team member but at times could have been more proactive with communication."

Hard to say, there are many variables at play. What kind of ECs do you have? When did you submit your secondaries? Did you have people read your PS? The adcoms on this site day that bad LORs are exceedingly rare.

 

[intangible]

Thanks for the advice especially on the 2nd question. I really appreciate it.

Regarding the 3rd question, you think I would really be alright to only give 2 weeks notice even though my other coworkers who quit all gave 4 weeks? My position is hourly, but it is a 9-5 40 hour a week position.

Then you aren't technically hourly; you're working full-time. But maybe you're like me—I work full time over breaks and part time over the regular term. If that is true for you too, then 2 week's notice is fine. If you've been working full time, I wouldn't consider you an hourly employee and maybe 4 weeks is more appropriate depending on what the training process is like for your position.

In other words, if it isn't brain surgery, anything >2 week's notice is gracious. If you CAN do it, do it. Best thing you can do for yourself right now is blend in, not stick out.

 

[QuittingJob]

Then you aren't technically hourly; you're working full-time. But maybe you're like me—I work full time over breaks and part time over the regular term. If that is true for you too, then 2 week's notice is fine. If you've been working full time, I wouldn't consider you an hourly employee and maybe 4 weeks is more appropriate depending on what the training process is like for your position.

In other words, if it isn't brain surgery, anything >2 week's notice is gracious. If you CAN do it, do it. Best thing you can do for yourself right now is blend in, not stick out.

The company that gave me the new job offer wants to start training me within 2 weeks. The training COULD be overlapped with my current job but it would be a really rough few weeks.

As far as I know, notice time isn't so that the employer has time to find someone suitable and train them. It's a given that it will take more than even 4 weeks to find and train someone for any semi-skilled position. But yes, I am categorized as hourly and work 40 hours a week. The time to fully train someone new for my position is probably going to be 3 months minimum so regardless of how much notice I give, they are going to be short handed for a bit.