Leaving during Fellowship?

[GeorgeMichaelsEspadrille]

I'm about 2 years into a 3 year PD Personal Fellowship and have decided (after 7 years PD experience) that academia is not for me.

A job that I'm ideally suited for (outside of academia) has come up & I'd like to apply for it, but I'm concerned about leaving part way through the Fellowship.

I would try to make sure that I left on the best note (finishing papers etc), but with the best will in the world, the outputs from the Fellowship wouldn't be what were originally promised. However, the funder would also be saving some money (which I know they currently need).

Would it be very bad form to leave without completing what I said I would do?

[ghislaine]

I would ask yourself this question once you have a job offer!

In the meantime, I am sure there are various reasons for early termination of a fellowship. What does your appointment documentation say?

[GCAcademic]

My husband once handed in his notice two months into a three year fellowship to take up a permanent job he really wanted. No one batted an eyelid, in fact they were pleased for him (outwardly, anyway!). It was an academic post he went on to, but it was a similar situation, in terms of leaving without completing what he was supposed to.

And, at the end of the day, if you’re going on to something that you really want to do, in a different sector altogether, what does it matter if people are not happy about it? Not that I can imagine that anyone would actually blame you for walking away from academia in the current climate.

[GeorgeMichaelsEspadrille]

Thanks for your thoughts. I agree, this is a bit premature, but I don't want to put a great deal of effort into a job application process and then decide that I can't bring myself to leave due to guilt.

The contract has a termination clause for the funder but not the fellow - my contract is dependent on external funding.

I think my main concern is not giving value for money to the funder ( a charity) rather than pissing off my boss. I would bend over backwards to make sure that the outputs were worth the money, but I have to admit they wouldn't be as good as if I stuck with it.

[impostersyndrome]

As pp said: It’s unfortunate, but if you can get some job security, you’re making the right decision in the long term. Just do your best to tie up any loose ends with what you undertook to do. Try not to feel too guilty.

[Teenageromance]

You would have to give 3 months notice anyway - so you would be leaving 9 months early. There also may be some flexibility if the new job really want you - say 3 days with them and 2 with the fellowship until you finish the significant outputs.
Go for the job interview and see what happens.