To go or not to go... - UPDATED
Is it wrong for me to ask to go to a conference when I know I want to leave?
This is a difficult questions for me. See, it’s evaluation time around here. Every year we have to get together with our manager(s) to set goals for the new year and get evaluated on last years goals. Then, in 6 months, we have a mid-year review to see if we are on track with our objectives/goals. Well, one of mine from last year was go to a trade show, conference, or training class that would enhance my personal growth. At the beginning of the year, I told my manager it wasn’t getting done. Not that I don’t love a trip, and one on an expense account to boot! I mean, I was in San Francisco for 10 days for a conference last year. BTW, the conference was only 4 and a half days. *wink* But this past year, I had no desire to “learn something new.” So, I asked that it not be an objective. Nope, my manager said no, we’ll revisit it at mid-year. Now anyone who has been reading my blog should have figured out that this has been the year from hell concerning my working hours. It’s been long days and nights even on the weekends. By Mid-year I knew there was no way I was going to a conference. I barely got away for my vacations, which were a day or two at a time. Now that it’s evaluation time again, my manager is going to question why I didn’t complete my objective, and I know he is going to put it back on the list for 06. Well, for anyone that hasn’t been reading long, I plan on quitting. No, really just as soon as my damn house sells. Anyone wanna buy a house in Fort Lauderdale? Well, I would feel very guilty having them pay to send me somewhere when I don’t think I will be here long enough for it to benefit the company. Then again, I’m gonna get bitched at for not doing my objective. It’s kind of a touchy thing, I guess.
Actually, it wouldn’t be had I not found the PERFECT conference to go to. Last year’s conference (04 in San Fran) was really useless. I really had no way to justify it, but since other people from the company were going and we used to have a booth at it once upon a time ago, I was allowed to go. This one is actually exactly what I do. Well, not exactly, but really really close. It’s more of the front end stuff while we do the back end stuff. I’m not going to go into details, but basically it would help me achieve one of our group objectives, which is to better know and understand the customers. Anyway, that’s not the big motivation because I could really give a crap about the customers. The conference is being held on the beautiful island of Anguilla. ANGUILLA!! Hello! British West Indies! I’ve never been there… I’ve never been to any Caribbean island. AND on an expense account??? Did I mention that the conference meetings end by 3 every day and it’s in Anguilla??? I know, it’s bad. I can’t go. I can’t ask to go. That would be so wrong, right? So, wrong… But what if I take notes and stuff and bring them back with me? Would that be ok? I could “share my knowledge” with the group. Besides, I wouldn’t be here to hear them bitching about sending me when I quit because I’ll be gone, right?
So, the big question is, do I ask to go or not?
UPDATE - I'm responding the the comments I've gotten so far...
Shel - Yeah, my conscience is the reason why I haven't asked already. And you know I am just trying to to the minimum! I know they would talk Shit about me when I left, but do I really care?
NYABG - 6 Months?? Heck no. As soon as the house sells, I'll put in my 2 week notice. I don't really care about ruining my professional reputaion because I dont' really want to be in this profession anymore! I guess it's a bad attitude to have.
Chele - Girl, NO!! Unless they've found out about this blog, or bribed Shelly to tell them, they have no idea I even want to go. I don't think my boss would do that to me, but I guess even if he did, it wouldn't matter much. I will have some cash from the sale of my house and will be moving in with my parents rent free to "find myself".
Aziza - Yes, I would feel guilty. Really guilty! I feel guilty just thinking about it now.
4 Comments:
The question is whether or not it would bother your conscience once you left. I don't think I'd go. I'd make objectives for the year but they wouldn't matter. I'd do just above minimum to get by so when I left no one could say anything bad about me.
maybe if you were planning on being there for at least another 6 months, you could justify it - especially if you did make sure to throughly brief your team on it - but otherwise, i agree with Shel. I'd feel about going, knowing that i was leaving the company and wouldn't want to have a 'bad mark' on my file/or ruin my professional reputation. But, the british west indies, hmmm... ;-)
You can justify the trip. Does your employer know that you plan to quit? You have to be careful because I did the same thing. I went to a conference and then within the month I quit the job and my boss withheld my last check to pay for the conference. Bastard!
It really depends on what you plan to do. If you plan to work the majority of the year at the company, by all means go on the trip. But if you plan to quit your job soon, as others have said there may be some ramifications. Plus, it really is a matter of how you feel about it. Will you feel guilty about it or not?
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