Advice on Resigning

[Tabstar]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I am planning on officially resigning before classes start in Spring 2004. Yes, I am a career changer and I have been waiting for the right moment to finally take the plunge and wholeheartedly pursue dentistry. This will take me 2 years (for prereq's and application time) and then 4 years for dental school.

Well I guess I just wanted advice on how I can negotiate a severance package with my company. I am going to request a lay off, (hopefully qualify for unemployment) and wanted to know if you know or heard of anyone who has gone through something similar.

I can't wait to go back to school fulltime. I was doing classes part time and I loved it. There are just some classes that aren't offered in the evenings. So this is it. I am going to go for it!

 

[RoseLee]

I'm in the process of resigning from my job as well to go back to school full-time in the Spring. I wanted a severance package BADLY! I have a good relationship with my boss so I told her about a month ago that I was going back to school and that I'd really like to be laid off. She was fully planning to do it when we had a reorg at the company and suddenly I found myself with a new boss who wouldn't even CONSIDER giving me a severance package. 😡 So...*sigh* I'm writing my resignation letter and plan to turn it in two weeks before I leave (I guess I'm holding out hope that there is still a chance of a package...) 🙄

Good Luck! If you have a good relationship with your boss, they may be able to do it for you! 🙂

Roselee

 

[Tabstar]

So sorry to hear about the change in plans for severance. It is really so subjective and unfortunately there is no standard policies regarding voluntary severance. Well, if you have more time to negotiate then I suggest you hold out for severance but if you are definitely interested in getting back to school, then just do it. I am going to request a leave of absence because I am pretty sure that they will not give out the severance package. My boss is very money conscious and I am pretty sure he does not want to pay out any free money. I think the best I can hope for is a leave and a chance to go back to work in the summer and then finally request a severance/resign.

It's going to be tough to ask for leave because I will probably be asked a million questions. I plan to keep my alternative career options confidential as I don't think they will support me at all. part resentment and part jealousy??? I expect it anyways. Engineers are very snobby when it comes to telling them that there are better options out there than just doing engineering all your life.

Well good luck with the severance/resigning. I think you should consider the personal leave if at all possible. Have you had people in your company do the same?

 

[xrs]

First of all, let me say congratulations and good luck. Hopefully in a few weeks I too will be handing in that resignation letter.

But I think you're on crack if you think any company is going to give you severance pay for a voluntary separation. Companies hand out severance to ease the pain of being fired, but there is no requirement for them to do so - I have never heard of anyone getting paid severance because they decided to quit. And unemployment benefits are only available if you lose your job through no fault of your own.

Would your company consider flextime, so you can have your cake and eat it too, by taking classes and still working full time?

I'm an engineer, and I don't think I've gotten a snobby reaction from anybody else I work with. I have no idea what your work environment is like though... our company was recently bought out and a year of lay-offs has left morale pretty low, so anybody leaving is assumed to be doing the right thing.

 

[RoseLee]

In today's market, it isn't unheard of that a layoff can be arranged. It depends on your position in the company and your relationship with your management. I will not be replaced after I'm gone, so there was a chance (with my old boss of course) that I would get a severance package. But, the key is to never count on it.

Everyone at my work is very excited for me. 🙂 So, no pressure about leaving which is nice. (I'm in marketing).

Good luck to all of us quitting our full-time jobs so we can be full-time students again!

Roselee