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Seeking advice: Should I quit my job?

A

Arschloch

Golden Member
Hello all. 🙂

I don't think I've ever posted one of these personal life advice-seeking threads before, but since everyone I know "in real life" has a bias one way or the other about this issue, I'm looking for some advice from some non-biased people. I hope some of you are willing to advise.

I've been working as a "consultant" for just over three months now. It pays well enough, although nothing great. I took the job for two reasons: the job itself sounded somewhat interesting, and the job market was (is) horrible and it was the first company to offer me a job in the three months I'd been looking for a job. The problem is that the work isn't interesting, at all. During the interview process, the company, in my opinion, misrepresented what the job involved. It's glorified data entry: I spend the majority of my time formatting tables and entering data in Excel. Furthermore, I've talked with several people I work with who have been there for between 1 and 4 years, and they still do the EXACT same thing that I'm doing now. The only difference is that they have more tables to format and data to enter. The company's business doesn't interest me at all, either. So essentially, the deal is that if I don't quit the job now, I won't be staying there long term anyway. (Side note: someone else was also hired to do the same thing two months ago. He couldn't take it anymore, and just quit this week!) It's a typical desk job: on the average, I probably say no more than 20 words to anyone on any given day because it's a very anti-social atmosphere.

I've never been "depressed" in my entire life before, but every single day and night for the past week or so, I've felt very sad/upset because of the job. I feel like it's sucking the life out of me, and I'm starting to worry that it might actually be unhealthy for me. I also live alone, which means that for the most part I spend probably 23 out of the 24 hours of the day completely alone, which I know is not good for me.

The problem is that I can't find another regular full-time job. So if I quit now, I'd probably have to pick up two part-time non-professional jobs (e.g., working in a restaurant or at an office supplies store). Obviously I wouldn't be making as much money either. I have enough money saved up so that I -could- lose money for a couple of months, if I had to. I would continue to look for another professional job in the meantime, but for the foreseeable future at least I would have to work low-paying jobs. I'm also worried about how leaving a job in 3 months would look on my resume to future potential employers.

Can anyone provide any input? Has anyone been in a similar situation before? Any advice would be greatly appreciated -- I feel torn. Thanks in advance...
 
In the best of situations, it is better to run to something, rather than from something. That is, do your best to keep your support system working while actively looking for a better situation.

It isn't always easy, but if you can work it out, supporting your eating and rent habits is better than not.

Good luck. 🙂
 
A general and often repeated rule to live by is, "do what makes you happy."

Several months back, I quit my "full-time, professional job" to relocate to California and start fresh. I'm still unemployed and am probably not the only one out there who's having a tough time finding a good job. As soon as I sort out a few other details, I'll be heading straight to the mall (or whatever) to apply for whatever job is hiring.

So, do I regret quitting my job and relocating? Nope. I mean, the money situation is rougher, but I'm confident I'll make it here in this new town.

If you feel you need to save up a few more bucks before you quit, and you know you can hang on for a couple more months, then do so. Otherwise, if the job really does suck that bad, move on.

Money is always good to have, but it comes and goes. Work to improve your quality of life and you will find happiness.
 
Don't quit.

But find another job. Seriously. It is FAR easier to get hired elsewhere when you have a job already, than it is to get hired from a position of being unempolyed. Remeber your 3 month wait? It doesn't have to be that way. DEFINITELY find another job. Make it your goal in life.

Your description of your job reminds me of when I worked for a civil engineer one summer. I have a civil engineering degree, and I got a civil engineering job(!). All should be well, right? No. The owner/boss/engineer was a one man show. He took over the reputable firm some years back and had run it into the ground with his total lack of business finesse. He prided himself on cutting costs.

When I walked from the job 3 months later, I posted a letter on his door to tell him why I had to leave.

1) You can't make money by cutting costs, or at least that strategy works in the short term only. His strategy made the firm an embarassment.

2) I wasn't learning ANYTHING on that job. I could work a low paying, zero benefit job if it was providing me with training or necessary experience. This was not the case. I was being exploited for my knowledge of computer aided drafting (CAD), and not being apprenticed in civil engineering.

To be fair, the job had accomplished something for me. It had allowed me to relocate to that area. But I repaid that "favor", at least to my satisfaction, by staying on for 3 months. It took about 3 hours after being hired to realize I'd been had.
 
Excellant advice Harvey!

You have a much better chance of finding a job you want if you are already working. Any employer will tell you that if he has two people to pick from all else being equal, he'll pick the guy already working even though he may not want to work there.
 
The first law of wing-walking: Never leave hold of what you got until you got hold of something else.

Seriously, your problem of leaving a job after only three months is greatly minimized if you can get another job BEFORE you quit. For some reason many employers look more favorably on people who are already working. Can you hook up with a employment agency to explore options now, before you quit?

I think you'll have a much easier time coping with your job now knowing you are working hard towards getting a different job. The dead-end feeling won't be as strong because you know you're not going to be there forever.

And while not everyone will hold it against you for leaving after such a short time, some employers will be skittish about it. They won't know if you can't get along with people, if you were forced to quit or be fired, or whatever. As long as you're still working, that won't be an issue.
 
In todays job market, who knows how long you'll be looking for a "serious" job if you quit. I wouldn't quit till you have something better lined up.

Another point, do you honestly think you will feel better about yourself by waiting tables or working retail? From what you're saying, you have a pretty easy job that pays decently. Sure it may not be exciting or in any way fulfilling, but for me personally waiting tables or retail wouldn't be any more interesting either.
 
Thank you for the responses. I appreciate the input so far. 🙂

Harvey, in regards to what you said: That is the plan. I've been actively looking for another job for a couple of weeks now, and I plan on staying at my current job until I could begin a new job. However, everything has been building up the past couple of weeks, and now I don't know if I can continue to work at my current job until I begin a new job. Like you said, being able to pay for food, rent, and my car are my biggest priorities -- thankfully, I have no credit card debt. There's no way I'd even think about quitting this job without a backup UNLESS it's really beating me down, which it may be. I'm still trying to decide that.
 


<< In todays job market, who knows how long you'll be looking for a "serious" job if you quit. I wouldn't quit till you have something better lined up.

Another point, do you honestly think you will feel better about yourself by waiting tables or working retail? From what you're saying, you have a pretty easy job that pays decently. Sure it may not be exciting or in any way fulfilling, but for me personally waiting tables or retail wouldn't be any more interesting either. >>


Very good points. I have thought about that at length -- whether or not another job would be fulfilling in any way.

I've determined that I would be fine with a job if either: 1) The work itself is interesting to me, 2) The company's business is interesting and I don't mind doing crap now for a chance to do something better later, or 3) I get to work with and/or talk with people.

My current job has none of the three. Working at, say, a restaurant or a retail store would definitely have at least #3, and depending on the place, possibly #1.
 
Do what makes you the most money. You'll be very happy. I had a choice a while back to take an outside sales job making 3X my current salary. I took it. I'm on the road 90% of the time. My social life is jacked up. I sleep in a different city every week. I eat out a lot. I'm a very happy person, especially the 1st and 15th of every month!
 
I agree with Harvey. As you have experienced the job market is tender right now. Employers do look at frequent gaps in employment as a negative.
The same would be true of quitting a professional job to take on two part-time non-professional jobs. Many employers would offer less money than
you are worth if they knew that you would work for less.

You asked if anyone has had the same situation. I experienced much the same when I changed from a managerial role to a support role. It took me
about three months to get used to sitting at my desk all day. The isolation even has a name, THE DILBERT EFFECT. I'm not saying that you should
remain in a job that does not fulfill you for the rest of your life, but like Harvey said, go to where you want to be, instead of just away from there.

You next question probably would be "how do I cope with the boredom?" Most cubical dwellers have a hobby unrelated to their job to challenge them.
You can assemble computers for the schools, coach little league baseball, take an art course, or build homes for habitat for humanity.

I hope this helps.🙂
 


<< Do what makes you the most money. You'll be very happy. I had a choice a while back to take an outside sales job making 3X my current salary. I took it. I'm on the road 90% of the time. My social life is jacked up. I sleep in a different city every week. I eat out a lot. I'm a very happy person, especially the 1st and 15th of every month! >>



Hamburgerpimp, I think there's a reason you're profile picture looks like a devil! 🙂
 


<< You asked if anyone has had the same situation. I experienced much the same when I changed from a managerial role to a support role. It took me about three months to get used to sitting at my desk all day. The isolation even has a name, THE DILBERT EFFECT. I'm not saying that you should remain in a job that does not fulfill you for the rest of your life, but like Harvey said, go to where you want to be, instead of just away from there. >>


I do have a true passion in life. I already know what my dream job would be. Unfortunately, as is the case with many people and their "dream jobs", it is a job that many people want, but very few people can have.

That said, I estimate I have about a 50% chance of landing an internship in this field and getting my foot in the door. If that happens, then I will definitely have to quit my current job, and that will give me an excuse. I won't find out whether or not I got this internship for another month though. If I did, it would make my decision much easier. And then I would, as you say, be going toward where I WANT to be, instead of away from where I don't want to be.

But since it isn't a sure thing, I'm planning as if I won't get the internship, in which case I'll have to make a decision about my current job anyway.
 
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