what would you do ... job ethics

ok here's my situation.

I am graduating in may with a bs in computer science.

i already have a verrrrrry good job offer with a well known company. i have to let them know this week

however, i am applying to graduate schools. the schools i am applying to are very competitive and there is a chance i may not get in to any. i really want to go to graduate school. and if i don't get into a competitive program, i want to work for a year and reapply.

now i won't know about graduate school for a few months.

so my problem is ... should i tell the company no and gamble whether i will get into grad school or not? or should i tell the company yes and if i don't get into grad school i can work there. and if i do get into grad school tell them i can't work anymore. would it be wrong to tell them yes then later on tell them no??? even after i have signed everything and they are expecting me to work? they always have ties with my school too. i woudnt want to ruin the ties either. what would you all do in my situation?

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Comments

fondue

Accept the offer, mention you might be accepted at MIT, etc ... Ask them if the opportunity arrises how would they feel it you went on to pursue your Masters. They will most likely encourage you to continue your education knowing it may pay off for them in the future.

My personal feeling is unless they're giving you a signing bonus you owe them nothing.

JDMurray

If you quit this job after a few weeks or months, would this cause the company great inconvenience, or could they easily hire a replacement for you? Loosing a hard-to-find specialist will hurt more than loosing a generic employee will.

Most businesses have an initial 60- or 90-day trial period in which they determine if you are really right for the job and the company. If they think not, they will let you go. This also works both ways. A new employee can't possibly know how well a job may fit until s/he works there for a month or two. If they don't like the place then the new hire is expected to leave. The expected turnover rate for new hires can be quite high because of this.

Check how long the trial period with the company is. Assuming you quit before you are officially hired as a permanent employee I don't think anything ethically wrong will have been done. This is just how the corporate game is played.

raross

Look out for your own ass because no one else will. That being said, I would accept the job, if you end up going to graduate school awesome. Both ways is a win/win for you

darkuser

I'm with everybody else .....

take the job.

Good company ... and job experience.

If the company is worth their salt they'll WANT you to go to grad school.
they may even pay for it ..... for a promise you'll stay.
that's a win/win.

msf145

ive been getting advice from people. the consensus seems to be: take the job. and if i get into grad school. great! they will prolly be willing to work something out.

i would be starting as a permanent employee. it is an entry level job and the company is huuuugeeee! i feel i would not hurt them if i had to leave. in fact, they even asked me when i wanted to start. so they are in no rush to have me.

JDMurray

msf145 wrote:

i would be starting as a permanent employee. it is an entry level job and the company is huuuugeeee! i feel i would not hurt them if i had to leave. in fact, they even asked me when i wanted to start. so they are in no rush to have me.

Do it. They probably expect to have a high turnover for employees starting in your situation anyway.

strauchr

I would recommend honesty however I'll share this with you:

I got hired for a position which sounded really good so I turned down another opportunity after they said I got the job. A day before starting they had some problem with being over budget and couldn't afford me anymore even though they said I had the job. The other job I turned down already had been filled by someone else at this point to.

So it happens both ways but I was very very pi$$ed off with this other company that I tell everyone I know about them. So that could happen to you.