Waitlisted -- When to notify work?

[Luxian]

---

Members do not see this ad.

So, for anyone in school, this might be easier, but for me I've been working for five years at this company. Right now I've got two waitlists and I expect more. My friends are "cheering me up" by telling me stories about people who finally got accepted a few days before the start of school. I really don't want to be put in the position of leaving my job in a hurry, not to mention trying to move in that time.

Anyone have experiences they'd care to share?

 

[Gold 5]

So, for anyone in school, this might be easier, but for me I've been working for five years at this company. Right now I've got two waitlists and I expect more. My friends are "cheering me up" by telling me stories about people who finally got accepted a few days before the start of school. I really don't want to be put in the position of leaving my job in a hurry, not to mention trying to move in that time.

Anyone have experiences they'd care to share?

You are in a pickle here if you do have to give something like a few days notice and will probably piss off your boss, but if he or she is any type of friend they will understand. My 2 cents is not to tell them. You will burn a bridge here which is never a good idea but then you are transitioning to a whole new field & I don't think you will need a reference from them again. If you go into your supervisor and tell them that you might be giving them 1 or 2 day notice this summer, I have a feeling you will be training your replacement ASAP. I hope you hear back soon with good news.

 

[neurologist]

So, for anyone in school, this might be easier, but for me I've been working for five years at this company. Right now I've got two waitlists and I expect more. My friends are "cheering me up" by telling me stories about people who finally got accepted a few days before the start of school. I really don't want to be put in the position of leaving my job in a hurry, not to mention trying to move in that time.

Anyone have experiences they'd care to share?

Depends on how you've "set the table" with your employer. The key question is: does your work (i.e., your direct boss) know you've been applying to med school? If yes, then just tell them right now up front, "Hey, I'm waitlisted and I honestly don't know what may happen. I may need to leave on short notice but I will do everything I can to wrap things up before I leave."

If, on the other hand, you've been secretive about your applications and work is in the dark about it, then you need to ask yourself: "if I don't get accepted anywhere, will I still keep this job?" If the answer is "No, I'm leaving whether it's for med school or something else" then you can just give notice for some reasonable period whenever you want and go on to your next stage of life, then wait for final decision on your acceptances. You should probably start a backup job hunt too.

If, however, your plan is to stay at your present job if you don't get into med school, I'd advise you to keep your mouth shut until you have a definite acceptance in hand. Then you tell them what's happened and that you're leaving as far in advance as you can. If that's 48 hours, so be it. It may create some discomfort, but fnck 'em -- you don't owe them your life. If you're planning to go to med school, you apparently aren't thrilled with your present job anyway.

Don't worry about moving. You'll figure something out. If you're single, just pack up and go. It'll work itself out. Schools always have lists of houses/apartments/roommates. If you have a family, maybe your spouse can stay behind to wrap things up and you go ahead to start school and scout out a new place.


Good luck!

 

[Skymastre]

I'm in a similar situation, and I agree about keeping quiet. As of yet, I haven't been accepted anywhere...if I am lucky enough to get accepted, I'll deal with the consequences of that when it happens!

 

[libo1369]

Okay so I am in a similar/disimilar situation. I was out of work for three months all in the course of one week I got an interview for med school, got an interview for a job, got the job, and was accepted to medical school in that order. I don't have to move for med school and my employer is an at will employer meaning either of us can terminate employment for any reason at anytime. I am contemplating telling them that I will be starting med school in six months so they know not to try to put to much training into me ie prep me for promotion that someone else should have. It is an tissue and bone donation place so I am sure I will have to deal with them in some sort of aspect in the future. I doubt they would fire me but I can't risk the loss of pay. So when should I tell them. A couple of people know that I got accepted and I am afraid this will get to my supervisor by the water fountain. Do I come out and tell him or should I just lay low until something happens. Thanks for any advice.

 

[Gold 5]

Okay so I am in a similar/disimilar situation. I was out of work for three months all in the course of one week I got an interview for med school, got an interview for a job, got the job, and was accepted to medical school in that order. I don't have to move for med school and my employer is an at will employer meaning either of us can terminate employment for any reason at anytime. I am contemplating telling them that I will be starting med school in six months so they know not to try to put to much training into me ie prep me for promotion that someone else should have. It is an tissue and bone donation place so I am sure I will have to deal with them in some sort of aspect in the future. I doubt they would fire me but I can't risk the loss of pay. So when should I tell them. A couple of people know that I got accepted and I am afraid this will get to my supervisor by the water fountain. Do I come out and tell him or should I just lay low until something happens. Thanks for any advice.

Once again my 2 cents is don't tell them unless you can afford the pay loss. I think most companies require two weeks notice and some folks give up to a month or so notice but 6 months.... I would be very careful. Good deeds never go unpunished 🙂 congrats on getting in.

 

[Luxian]

If, on the other hand, you've been secretive about your applications and work is in the dark about it, then you need to ask yourself: "if I don't get accepted anywhere, will I still keep this job?"

Well, that's precisely the pickle. You see, my work kind of knows. I got my boss to write me a recommendation, but that was for last year when I applied way too late to even get interviews. People heard about it through the grapevine and round August I found I was thin on work because people assumed I would be leaving. So this year, I promised myself I wouldn't bring it up unless I actually had an acceptance. My boss doesn't know I'm reapplying. But then, I really don't want to leave them in the lurch since they've been good to me. I may have to tell them "look this might happen" and see what happens.

Yes, I do intend to leave my job, but I don't have enough reserves to leave it without something else in line. And I'm certainly not going to interview for a new job if I think there's any chance I would have to leave them in the lurch too.

*sigh* I just hope this all works itself out.

 

[Skymastre]

People can't blame you too much for leaving in order to better your career and life. At the end of the day, they will ask themselves 'would I do this were I her/him.'

Invariably the answer would be yes...as long as you are direct about it when you are accepted, I see no real problem.

I haven't been waitlisted yet either, though, and expect to hear back next wednesday from the school I have the best chance at.
jt

 

[Tekar]

People can't blame you too much for leaving in order to better your career and life. At the end of the day, they will ask themselves 'would I do this were I her/him.' Invariably the answer would be yes...as long as you are direct about it when you are accepted, I see no real problem.

Agreed

If this employer is a friend type thing.. I'd say be honest within a month or so only if you have a letter in hand. If they aren't.. start packing now as best as possible, try to wrap things up and tie up loose ends that won't hurt you if you don't get a letter and keep it on the down low. You wouldn't be the first person in history to pull a no-call/no-show exit.. not that you would go to that length.. but you get the idea. The world will keep right on turning and the second you leave.. notice or no notice, they'll do business as though you didn't exist. They can't afford to mourn your exit.. you shouldn't either.

On the moving in a hurry front.. research where you will be moving too before you get a letter.. I would even know the location of a couple apartment complexes and their requirements for moving in. Start getting rid of things you don't really need (won't hurt even if you don't get in). Consider contacting a bank there and opening an account for 25 bucks or whatever so you are ready to transfer financial stuff. If you prepare for the move, the shotgun move isn't nearly as shocking.

Gratz on the list.. to quote an ER doc I work with.. Waitlisted MD's are still MD's.

 

[Skymastre]

One thing I hadn't considered,

Are you at the CDC? If so, and EIS is in your future, be really careful re the diplomatic way you leave things. CDC isn't big enough so that word doesn't get around.

If you do things right, though, as said I think it's fine

 

[Luxian]

One thing I hadn't considered,

Are you at the CDC? If so, and EIS is in your future, be really careful re the diplomatic way you leave things. CDC isn't big enough so that word doesn't get around.

If you do things right, though, as said I think it's fine

Nope. Did the CDC thing a few years back as a fellowship. I'd love the EIS program, but certainly my choices now won't affect my chances. But yeah, you and I are on the same path I think!

 

[gman33]

Don't tell your work anything until you are ready to leave the job. If they think you may be leaving, it is in their best interest to starting looking for your replacement. Once that person is found, there is a good chance you will be let go. You are trying to be professional, but there is no reason to give more than 2 weeks notice unless you are in a high level management position. If you get accepted at the last minute and have to leave abruptly, they will understand, and if they don't, too bad for them. In today's work environment you have to do what is best for you even if that means burning the occasional bridge.
Good luck this year.

 

[QofQuimica]

I agree with the others. You're on the waitlist and do not have an acceptance, so you should just wait. When you know something definite from one of your schools, then you will give the proper two week notice to your boss. Right now you are worried about a possibility that will almost certainly never come to pass. Everyone hears these crazy stories of how people get accepted off waitlists the day before orientation starts, but these people are very rare. Most people who are not accepted by July will not get accepted for this cycle. I'm not saying you should drop your waitlists on July 1, because you never know. But the odds of you getting a call late Friday afternoon, having to pack all of your belongings in your car, and spending the weekend driving cross-country so that you can attend orientation first thing Monday morning are not very high.

On the tiny chance that the above scenario does happen to you, well, life is kind of an adventure sometimes. Just call your boss with profuse apologies Friday night as soon as you finish talking to the admissions dean, pack up your stuff, and start driving already. 🙂

 

[t33sg1rl]

The spring before I started school, I was on 5 waitlists with no acceptances, even after the universal reply date. I didn't really have the option of not telling my boss/PI of four years, because he knew about it and had written me a letter. If there's any way you can avoid telling the boss, put it off! There were lots of awkward conversations about what I thought my chances were, did I think that he should advertise for my position, etc. I didn't get accepted until July... but I was still able to give him 5 weeks of notice by letting him know as soon as I got the call.

Honestly, if you're still waitlisted once May rolls around, just quit worrying about it and start on your applications for next year (or put Plan B into place if you have one). Your chances of getting a call only 2 or 3 weeks away from the start of classes are small enough that you shouldn't waste any brain cells worrying about it.

 

[Luxian]

Okay, THRILLED! I no longer have to worry about this because I've got one acceptance!

All it takes is one, folks, and in my lucky, incredibly lucky, fantastically lucky case, this one was one of my top two choices amongst those I interviewed at. Huzzah!!

 

[Skymastre]

Okay, THRILLED! I no longer have to worry about this because I've got one acceptance!

All it takes is one, folks, and in my lucky, incredibly lucky, fantastically lucky case, this one was one of my top two choices amongst those I interviewed at. Huzzah!!

Fantastic! where did you hear from? Good luck w/ your boss

 

[Luxian]

Fantastic! where did you hear from? Good luck w/ your boss

I got in at Case Western. Absolutely thrilled! Great school and a great program match for me (given that I'm an MPH).

 

[Captain Fantastic]

I got in at Case Western. Absolutely thrilled! Great school and a great program match for me (given that I'm an MPH).

Congrats! Case is a great school. Enjoy your new career, Dr. Luxian!

 

[gman33]

Congrats on the acceptance. I still wouldn't give notice until you are ready to leave. There is no reason to give more than a month. It may come back to bite you if you do. I've seen it happen many times.

 

[QofQuimica]

Okay, THRILLED! I no longer have to worry about this because I've got one acceptance!

All it takes is one, folks, and in my lucky, incredibly lucky, fantastically lucky case, this one was one of my top two choices amongst those I interviewed at. Huzzah!!

Congrats.

Still hold off a few months before giving your notice, unless you're looking for a five month vacation. 🙂

 

[neurologist]

I got in at Case Western. Absolutely thrilled! Great school and a great program match for me (given that I'm an MPH).

Outstanding! Congrats.

Give a months notice tomorrow, get out of work in late March, and spend the rest of the year til school starts doing fun stuff!