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buckeyegrad

Don't Immanentize the Eschaton
I had the great satisfaction of giving my boss my two week notice yesterday and it was classic seeing him try to keep composure and not panic. It went something like this....

Me: I've decided to continue my education and am starting a doctorate program this fall.

Boss: Hey, that's great news. Good for you. I am always glad to see my staff seek out new opportunities. I assume you are going here.

Me: No, I will be starting at Kent State at the end of the month.

Boss (worry starting to show on his face): So what, are you going part-time?

Me: No, I plan to go full-time and that.....

Boss (interrupting me and trying to retain his now, fake smile): Are you going to try to manage working and going to school full-time?

Me: No, I.....

Boss (interrupting once again, in a very flat tone)....you're telling me that you are leaving.

Me: Yes. My wife and I have discussed it and believe we can afford me cutting down to part-time while I go to school. August 19 will be my last day.

At this point you could see pure panic on his face as he never saw my departure coming, which is kind of funny because I have been waiting for this day for about 10 months. He knows he is in deep because the Engineering College to which I am assigned has been upset with his recent hires for my position and I was the first person in 5 years to make any inroads with them. From a political perspective for him within the university, the instability is the worst news that could hit him.

Considering I can't stand guy and his arrogance, it was great to see him deflated by my announcement. It was a good day.
 
Congrats to you. I still remember the self-satisfaction I had when I left my last position. Even though my boss knew it was coming it was a great feeling, especially when I took off for a week's vacation right after I gave my notice.

Sorry to hear about going to Kent State though. It is not that great of an institution as it has turned out people like me, BA in 93.
 
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Congratulations-- for both the excitement of starting your phd and the schadenfreude of seeing your boss quiver. Very nice.

So do you have to move? Or a long commute?

What is your phd going to be in? How long will it take?
 
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funny timing...

i just asked my boss to work a different shift for 2 months so i could take classes, he panicked and we just had a 45 minute meeting. i ended up getting a raise and a few other future perks, b/c he was afraid i was going to quit after those classes.
 
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Good for you. It's a lot of work but well worth it. Very important to make sure you get the right supervisory assistance, and not by someone with these attitudes.

I despise the way some managers try to assert position with this "my people" or "my staff" talk (usually said with an accompanied leaning back in the chair and fingers folded behind the neck to make a butterfly display with elbows out to the side).

People you work with are just that, people you work with and if you are in a position of authority, it is just that, not ownership! You're better away from someone like this anyway.

By the way, how are things with Dilbert there are work?
 
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BG: "I had the great satisfaction of giving my boss my two week notice yesterday and it was classic seeing him try to keep composure and not panic."

Congrats, BG - I know exactly how you feel. I had the same conversation with my boss years ago when I left to pursue my MBA full-time.

Good luck to you.
 
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Thanks for the kind words from everyone.

kinch said:
Congratulations-- for both the excitement of starting your phd and the schadenfreude of seeing your boss quiver. Very nice.

So do you have to move? Or a long commute?

What is your phd going to be in? How long will it take?
The degree will be in Higher Education Administration and take approx. 2.5 years to complete the coursework (i.e. 60 semester hours since I already have a M.A. in the field), which would be perfect timing as this would be when the wife and I hope to start our family. Afterwards, I will try to find a full-time teaching position while working on the dissertation, which hopefully won't take more that 2 years.

I live in an apartment in Broadview Heights currently, which would make a 45 min-1 hour commute each way. However, the wife and I are looking to buy a townhouse/condo that is much closer to Kent, but still within a 1/2 hour commute for her to the southeast side of Cleveland where she works. We had signed for a place we found in Stow, but pulled out today after the house inspector said there was a major mold problem in the basement...normally this would not be a problem, except I'm not looking to tear into any walls or have any other major projects going at home while I am starting my program.
 
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I live just outside Stow now, good city. I'm looking for a place up in Twinsburg, but houses run about 20k more up there than in Stow (which isn't cheep either). If you move down here you'll have to bring the wife out for burgers and Corona's at Diggers on a Thursday. That place got me through grad school.
 
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exhawg said:
If you move down here you'll have to bring the wife out for burgers and Corona's at Diggers on a Thursday. That place got me through grad school.

Just go to one of the Rockne's around the Akron area. If you need a beer after class head down to the Venice Cafe for a quart.
 
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On your last day... guess a date out in the future like 4 or 5 years, and send your boss a meeting notice on his e-mail that says, "Buckeyegrad comes back... for YOUR job."

They love that stuff.
 
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