"New job" blues

[Thomas Veil]

As an outgrowth of lee's "demoted" thread: do you have a situation where you left a job for a new one, only to really, really regret it?

I just went through something like that. In another thread I mentioned that I was leaving my low-paying cable TV job for one with a legal services firm that would pay me better. Both video jobs, but there the similarity ends.

Old job:

1. worked in the same town where I live
2. had great co-workers
3. most work done as a team
4. had minimal equipment to haul around
5. did lots of in-studio work
6. lots of creative aspects to the job
7. more "upwardly-mobile"

New job:

1. worked downtown; horrendous traffic & gas usage
2. co-workers had the personality of wallpaper paste
3. most work done all alone
4. had lots of equipment to haul around
5. had to haul that stuff frequently; all location work, spread out all over northern Ohio
6. absolutely no creativity to the job; had to follow a rigid format
7. did not use many "tools of the trade"; basically a career-dead end

Now, I knew going in that working for a legal services firm was going to be dull, but I had no idea that on top of the day-long depositions I was going to shoot, I was also responsible for making notations about legal objections and evidence, monitoring playback during trial (accidentally showing the wrong segment could result in a mistrial!), and other goofiness.

After two days of realizing what I'd given up for this job, I was so demoralized that I couldn't sleep. I kept drinking to try to get to sleep, but only gave myself a massive hangover the third morning. So I called in sick, talked to my old boss (to see if my job was still there), and the fourth morning I walked in with my resignation.

You know, I had a dead-end job like that once before, and I held onto it for years, fooling myself into believing I was happy. It was only after I got fired, went through the inevitable depression and came out on the other side that I realized how spectacularly, unbelievably ****ty that job was.

I'm 50 years old now, man -- too old to put myself through that again. I'll find a second job to earn extra money if I have to, but I'm not putting myself back into another soul-crushing job again. Not even for better money.

Any of you have similar experiences?

 

[iSaint]

I kept re-entering cubicle life thinking I could/would be getting by. I didn't really set career goals or know where I was headed. After getting canned almost three years ago at a small company, I sought help for depression. I convinced my wife to let me go to school to get a Masters so I could teach high school.

Just over two years later, I post from my first classroom where I'm teaching English to 10-11 graders. It's only been seven days in the classroom, but I'm loving it so far. I still have a lot to learn but I really believe this is where I'm supposed to be.

In the meantime, my wife has taken a job that was a great career move for her. So, financially we will be doing better than we ever have.

Happiness overcomes many barriers in the workplace!

 

[BoyBach]

co-workers had the personality of wallpaper paste

That interesting!

Just over two years later, I post from my first classroom where I'm teaching English to 10-11 graders. It's only been seven days in the classroom, but I'm loving it so far. I still have a lot to learn but I really believe this is where I'm supposed to be.

Cool, congratulations on the happy change of career!

I need to get a new job

 

[iGary]

My last job was for a publication called Waterway Guide where I was the editor (I even show up on Amazon! ).

I'll start off by saying that that position was far from ideal - a publisher that fired people on a whim, some co-workers that were complete idiots, average pay, and a dead-end career path (smallish company). Nothing totally different from most jobs, though.

I pretty much set my own hours, the publisher liked me (from what I could tell), I got to work on Macs and learned Quark and other programs, and best of all, I did aerial photography for them and went all over the country taking pictures. I have some awesome "life" memories from those trips, including a spot on "Airline!"

I had already been doing photography and freelance writing on the side, so when some folks that worked with us as consultants at Waterway Guide offered me what they described then as a dream contract, I jumped on it.

My biggest mistake is that I knew in my heart of hearts that these people were scum and sleezy, but I thought a bullet-proof contract would combat that. Turns out it costs more to sue them (lawyer fees) than anything I would possibly gain out of the suit. They knew it and they have been screwing me over ever since. I'm disposable talent as far as they are concerned.

I miss my paid health insurance.
I miss not having to worry about taking out enough for taxes.
I miss having a set schedule and set pay.
I miss not having to pay business insurance.
I miss my weekends off and free time for side projects.

That said, I wouldn't go back (and my position was just avilable a few weeks ago). I may be miserable now, but I don't want to put myself back into a bad situation all over again.

What's next? I'm hoping a good writer/editing position where I can go to night school/weekends and finish my degree. Until then, I'm off to write about Juba Creek in the Turks and Caicos for minimum wage.

I think I need to stop talking about this. I feel the need to drink.

 

[quigleybc]

Work blows


Let's all quit and go live in caves.....

 

[iGary]

Work blows


Let's all quit and go live in caves.....

I like you.

 

[Curren~Sea]

Work blows....

Quit your jobs that suck and become full time Forex Traders!

 

[yellow]

Frankly I'm still plugging away at a job with a (more or less (more)) glass ceiling for my skills because I'm afraid to go out and try something somewhere else. Not sure that's any better..

 

[mactastic]

So far so good here. My new job is much better than the old one what with better pay, a better work environment, actual coworkers, and good opportunities to learn my trade. I wish I had some time off now and then, but summer is the busy time for me....

 

[harveypooka]

My job is with some brilliant people, was flexible until I moved teams and had to deal with egotistical managers, other than that - dull. I want to work with Macs but need that doorway. Designery stuff would be good!

 

[thedude110]

I'm 50 years old now, man -- too old to put myself through that again. I'll find a second job to earn extra money if I have to, but I'm not putting myself back into another soul-crushing job again. Not even for better money.

Sounds to me like you made the "right" decision, or better, the decision you can actually live with.

A paycheck isn't worth misery, and we all know (or pretty quickly learn) our limits. Glad you're going back to doing something that's fulfilling, rewarding and real.

 

[Skeeball236]

del

 

[Thomas Veil]

Sounds to me like you made the "right" decision, or better, the decision you can actually live with.

A paycheck isn't worth misery, and we all know (or pretty quickly learn) our limits. Glad you're going back to doing something that's fulfilling, rewarding and real.

Yeah, if I were completely destitute I guess I'd stick it out. But I left a decent (if lower-paying) job to go there.

And while I'd prefer one good full-time job, I really don't mind a second part-time job. Until my back got really bad and I couldn't lift luggage, I drove a hotel shuttle van for a while, in addition to my cable TV job. The driver job was more enjoyable than I thought: simple work, with relatively low stress and a chance to talk with mostly nice people.

 

[iGary]

Until my back got really bad

Funny you menton this - I really considered going back to doing part-time brightwork (varnish) on yachts again, but my back just can't handle it after surgery last year. I miss being out in the sun all day.