Finally Making some Progressive Decisions

[Sage]

Alright, so I've worked at the same place for three years, and for the past few months, I've felt like it was eating my soul, bit by bit. I love the people I work with, but hated the job. So, tonight, after lots of thought, and discussion with Martel, and getting upset and crying a lot, I've decided to quit my job!

YAY FOR ME!

I have been so scared to finally tell myself I was going to quit, even tho I had been contemplating it for months, because I was afraid of what it might mean to myself- I thought that if I quit, then I was giving myself an opening for letting myself down. Because if I quit, that meant I might run the chance of not being able to get another job, etcetcetc. But you know, what could POSSIBLY be worse than working day after day at a job that was stealing your soul and making you a bitch with not enough time to tend to your school work and your marriage?

So, tommorow I'm calling my supervisor and telling her that I can no longer afford the impact on my school life that work is taking. This is such a huge step for me, and I wanted to share with you all, because I have seen threads on here about people hating their jobs and wanting to quit or get another one and not thinking they could take that first step. I think it's a bit like rapelling- dropping yourself over the edge of the cliff is the hardest part of the whole ordeal!

I just wanted to share, and ask if you guys had any good ideas about how to go about looking for your dream job, and things to do 7 weeks prior to college graduation to keep me sane and happy and focused.

I <3 TFP!!!

[Seanland]

Well, Congrats on Quitting your job. *thinks* ...
I'd say find something you want to do, that you ENJOY doing, currently I'm also stuck in a job I dislike, however, it's more like help than a job...
just find something you like to do! thats my advice

[aberkok]

Good for you and a very inspiring story. I'll have to do the same soon.

The only advice I can think of would be to swallow any pride you have about knowing how to find a job. Here in Toronto we have a service called Y.E.S. (youth employment service), where those under the age of 26 meet with a counelor who has a look at their resume, cover letter, job interview and networking ability. It definitely helped me improve my job getting skills. I also read a book on the same subject matter. No matter how good you think you are at job getting skills, you can always learn more.

[Master_Shake]

But you know, what could POSSIBLY be worse than working day after day at a job that was stealing your soul and making you a bitch with not enough time to tend to your school work and your marriage?

How about not being able to pay your bills, so your car is repossessed, you're evicted and your wife leaves you for a richer man.

and ask if you guys had any good ideas about how to go about looking for your dream job

Keep dreaming. It doesn't matter where you work, it'll probably still end up eating your soul in a few years. Come to accept this now and you won't have to go through the same level of disappointment that many of the rest of us have.

[Rodney]

Congratulations on saving your sanity.

I don't know if you have the resources for this -- see if your college provides this -- but I have undergone serious career counseling a couple of times in my life when work was eating me and I didn't know what to do. Since you are graduating from college, this would be a great time.

The kind of counseling I'm talking about would involve sitting down with a career counselor, talking about the kind of person you are, and taking a few standardized tests -- a personality test, an aptitude test, and a few others. You and the counselor interpret the results together and figure out the kind of job and work environment that would suit you best. Then the counselor gives you tools for finding that kind of job.

The first time, decades ago, I was miserable; I'd quit a job at a huge company, but they'd convinced me there that my unhappiness was all my fault and I figured that I had no aptitude for what I was doing. The counselor did the tests and told me I was _exactly_ suited, by temperment and aptitude, for what I was doing, but that I'd be happier working for small companies than larger. I worked for small outfits for the next ten years, even though the money was with the larger companies, and it really worked for me.

The next time through, I was really sick of my profession -- it had changed, I hadn't -- and the counselor helped me identify other fields that would work for me as a career change. I followed up on her advice with some volunteer work in one of the recommended fields, and it clicked.

At the very least, avail yourself of your college's career center. They may not offer the full service I've talked about, but they will certainly introduce you to tools and resources that you can use in your search.

[Sage]

Thanks Rod! My college does have this service, but I didn't know it could be that comprehensive in helping me. I will definitely look into it. It feels really really really good to have finally taken the first step into the unknown, because I have been working at this job for three years, and I feel like it is my last link to the person I was three years ago- miserable, in a miserable relationship. I slept on my decision, and I'm going to call my boss today and tell her that I am turning in my two weeks' notice. You guys are so great!

MasterShake- I know that people often get so discouraged with their lives that they can't see the forest for the trees. Know that there is a way out, and your job doesn't have to suck, nor does your life.

[hambone]

Congrats Sage. You should enjoy what you do for a living. What's the point of going through school and all that if you are just paying to be miserable. I think there is far more value in waking up and looking forward to what new experiences your job can bring you that day than in dreading having to get out of bed just to make money to be able to buy that new TV or whatever.

We are lucky to be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to choose our employment and since we are blessed with that, might as well make use of it and go for what our heart desires.

We are always asked as little kids what we want to be when we get older.....I am glad you have determined that your current job is not that thing and are making the bold move to get out there and discover your true calling.

Best of luck

[Cynthetiq]

Originally Posted by Sage

MasterShake- I know that people often get so discouraged with their lives that they can't see the forest for the trees. Know that there is a way out, and your job doesn't have to suck, nor does your life.

while MasterShake does have a more pessimistic viewpoint, what he's saying here is quite honest.

facts of life are simple: you have to put a roof over your head and food in the stomach at a minimum.

While you may not like a situation that you are in (currently or future) it does not change those facts.

So when I got laid off from a job I did love doing, I had to be an administrative assistant, took another job working swing shift watching baseball (which I hate), willing to work retail, because I needed to do those things to pay the bills.

It took about 1 year to get back into a job I love (back at the same company luck me!)

[MoJoPokeyBlue]

Start looking at your career as a "business" and not an area where you can get personal fulfillment from. From this perspective, it doesn't matter what you do as a profession, there are some fundamentals that hold true for everyone.

Set up a Board of Directors for your career. The first they'll have you do, (as with any successful business) is have you develop a business plan, starting with a mission statement and a strategy for accomplishing that mission. If you work for someone, then consider your employer as your only customer.

I did this for myself several years ago, and I can honestly say that it made an incredible difference. Almost overnight my salary doubled and for the first time in my life, I felt in complete control of my life/career. The down side is that I can't walk into my boss' office today and quit. It's not my decision...I simply get one vote along with the other members of the Board. The upside is that I get the benefit of the Boards' collective knowledge and experience behind me.

MoJo

[thingstodo]

I'll say this: it is much easier to find a job when you have one. Simple fact. And the more open time you have on a resume, the more questions you ellicit. I'd wait to quit until you have another job to go to. If they send you out the door a few days early, enjoy the time off.

[amonkie]

Balancing school and work is a tough job, and sometimes you need to put the job on the back burner if you are fortunate enough to be able to do so. I'm glad to see that this is the case for you, and hopefully getting done that much sooner will open more propositions for you!