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All is good. 🙂
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Proper way to switch labs?
- Thread starter Zumab
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I've switched out of labs before, and it's not as bad as you might think it is. The important thing is to leave on a positive note, have a good excuse for leaving, and ask up front for a letter of rec in the future.
(1) Do your work well, make the PI's job easier, and be completely professional. No lateness. No laziness. No nothing. You want the PI to look at you with respect so that when you leave, you leave behind a good impression that'll influence your LOR.
(2) Leave the lab at a good transition period, giving at least 2 weeks-months notice. By "good transition period" I mean at the start of a new semester, after a poster presentation, or something like that. Thus, your leaving coincides with other changes to the lab environment (graduates leaving, new graduates coming in, etc) and is less noticeable overall. Plus, you avoid making it look like an "out of the blue" decision.
(3) Have a good, legitimate reason to leave. Let the PI know that you have interest in another avenue, or that you're too bust next semester to continue, or some such. Make it a "it's not you, it's me" kind of excuse.
(4) Ask for a future Letter of Rec before you leave and do it in person. It's pretty hard for a PI to say 'no' to your face if you did a good job and once they promise a good LOR in the future, they can't take it back.
J.M.
(1) Do your work well, make the PI's job easier, and be completely professional. No lateness. No laziness. No nothing. You want the PI to look at you with respect so that when you leave, you leave behind a good impression that'll influence your LOR.
(2) Leave the lab at a good transition period, giving at least 2 weeks-months notice. By "good transition period" I mean at the start of a new semester, after a poster presentation, or something like that. Thus, your leaving coincides with other changes to the lab environment (graduates leaving, new graduates coming in, etc) and is less noticeable overall. Plus, you avoid making it look like an "out of the blue" decision.
(3) Have a good, legitimate reason to leave. Let the PI know that you have interest in another avenue, or that you're too bust next semester to continue, or some such. Make it a "it's not you, it's me" kind of excuse.
(4) Ask for a future Letter of Rec before you leave and do it in person. It's pretty hard for a PI to say 'no' to your face if you did a good job and once they promise a good LOR in the future, they can't take it back.
J.M.
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Well I have already decided to leave and it's just a matter of finding a new lab and telling my current PI.
I am not currently not involved in any projects and never worked on anything substantial here besides basically pipetting and other routine work. I would get my own project if I decide to stay but I dont think its worth it.
1. Should I ask him for a rec letter at the same thing that I tell him I would like to go somewhere else?
2. Do I start looking for labs now? or do it after I meet with the PI.
I am not currently not involved in any projects and never worked on anything substantial here besides basically pipetting and other routine work. I would get my own project if I decide to stay but I dont think its worth it.
1. Should I ask him for a rec letter at the same thing that I tell him I would like to go somewhere else?
2. Do I start looking for labs now? or do it after I meet with the PI.
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Yes, it's not at all unusual to ask for a future LOR when you leave a lab behind. In fact, most PI's I've worked with and then left offered to write one up without my even prompting, during our "parting" conversation. It's pretty standard.
Eh, it depends. You can certainly start looking for other positions. In fact, it'd be a good idea. But I wouldn't start applying for other positions in labs with which your PI is familiar. For example, if you are currently working in your university's bio department, I wouldn't start applying to labs in that same bio department. You don't want your plan to leave reaching your PI on the lips of someone else, or you can kiss that LOR goodbye. You can, however, apply to labs your PI is most likely unfamiliar with prior to letting him know that you're leaving.
