Handing in Notice (sort of)....

BoozyBabe

Sorry,
Don't know where to post this & looking for a little bit of advice.

Anyhow, I work in IT & have been in my current job 4 years now.
I'm fed up though so I'm going to be a teacher.
I've spent the last 2years brushing up on & repeating my Irish LC exam to get the honour.
I found out at the beginning of Nov last that I've gotten a place on a post grad in primary ed.
All happy days so far!!!

I haven't yet told my boss, & don't know when I should.
It's a part time course, which I'll do in the evenings & on Saturdays, so it won't affect work until the end of May when I've my 1st bout of Teaching Practice.
I have 3 teaching practices in total, 4 weeks, 5 weeks & 5 weeks, & I'm hoping to get time off in my current job for atleast 2 of them, so basically I'll be asking the company a huge favour.

In light of this:- when should I tell my boss?
I've known since the beginning of Nov.
I start in the middle of Feb.
It doesn't affect the company until end of May.
(But I'm hoping they'll do me a favour)

Would you tell now?

We've a meeting next week where we discuss current & future projects. This meeting will prob cover the next 3-4 months max, therefore up until Mar - Apr. Again, the 1st time my course will affect the company will be after this time.

Would you still tell the boss before this meeting?
If so, I wouldn't like to just hit him with it out of the blue. Would you give it to him about a week before this meeting so he can collect his thoughts on it in time?

Add to this, I don't work with my boss & only see him every 2-3 weeks.

What would you guys do?
Should I tell now?
Is it time enough to wait another while?
Or what ye think?

(So, basically, I need to tell him of my intentions, but financially, I need to stay on in the company as long as they'll allow me, either resigning in Nov '09 or Jun '10, but would need up to 14 weeks off during that time.)

When would you tell?

Thanks BB

AARRRGH

How good is your relationship with him?

biko

If you want to keep job let your boss know asap, just honest I guess.
You can arrange a meeting by mail to talk about "education opportunities while working". Then tell more at meeting.

BoozyBabe

Relationship would be very good with him.
I sort of feel that now is the time I should be telling.
I didn't feel like there was any point before the new year, but as I'm looking a favour, I feel I should be straight with him as soon as possible.

Would that be your take on it also?

AARRRGH

Yeah, I reckon you should tell him sooner rather than later.

I know a girl who did something similar, except it was for a counselling course and she also required a bit of time off work - her boss was very understanding.

BoozyBabe

Cheers for that.

I posted something similar on another site & 100% of the advice said NOT to tell the full story.
Basically, say I needed time off, but not what for.
That companies wouldn't like to keep staff on whose head & heart were somewhere else, that it could be bad for company morale etc.
& that basically, if I told the truth I'd lose my job.
What's your take on that?

I honestly don't feel I could tell my boss without telling him everything. I don't think that'd be fair. Like I said, I've a good relationship with him. He's a good guy, & I think he deserves the truth.
Would you agree with me?

AARRRGH

BoozyBabe wrote: »

I've a good relationship with him. He's a good guy, & I think he deserves the truth.
Would you agree with me?

Yeah, I think you should do the right thing.

What's the worst case scenario - he says he won't be able to give you the time off work - are you prepared to hear that?

BoozyBabe

Yea, I've no choice.
I'm miserable every day coming into work.
I'd love financially to be able to walk away now & rely on casual subbing, but I can't.
I need to stay here to pay the mortgage etc, but if they can't accommodate me they can't accommodate me & I'll just have to get on with it & create a plan B.

If I'm honest, I really can't see them having a prob with the 4 weeks I'll need in May anyway. Most of this can be covered by my holidays, which then brings me up to November, where I'll have a large chunk of my course done, & in a better position to get teaching work.

Anyway, thanks for helping me tease this out in my head.

One other thing. I feel the best way to explain this to him is to have a document done up describing exactly what I'll need & what the options are. Obviously I'll talk to him about it 1st, BUT:- would it be cheeky to also have this doc printed on my desk ready to hand to him there & then, or should I pretend it's an 'after-thought' & tell him I'll do up a doc explaining it better for him after we talk.
Like, would it seem too pre-meditated to have the doc here & ready?
I don't necessarily think it is, but it has been suggested to me that it might be?

AARRRGH

Personally I would have a casual chat about it first, and then let him suggest you send him on all the details...

murphym7

You should be upfront and honest from the outset. Hopefully you can get to your 2nd teaching practice at least. Just remember though that your employer is under no obligation to give you 4 weeks of annual leave in one lump for this May's teaching practice and be prepare if your boss is akward to leave in May.