I may quit my job

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

After the director of our film flaked, I decided I should get a real job. I happened to notice that my old employer was hiring, and even though it meant going to SoCal I decided to apply. They seemed happy to have me. Too happy. I ran into one of my old coworkers and told her the department I was interviewing in. She looked at me as if I were insane and asked ‘Why?’ And I heard through the grapevine that the department had a high turnover rate. How bad could it be? I had fun in my old department, and the only problem was the VP (who has been… well, not sent to Coventry; but into a position that traditionally has been the Last Stop). A few weeks ago I heard that ten people left the department at large in June – right after bonuses. Hm. Two people in our own group left recently. One went to ‘pursue another position’ outside of the company (I’ve been told he was quite happy after he gave his notice) and the other just got pissed off and walked. Another coworker told me last week that he’s thinking of leaving after his one-year anniversary in November.

So, issues… Training has been poor. I know TSO, JCL and Easytrieve Plus. But there’s a lot that goes into a project that is very poorly documented. I was not assigned the mentor that I was promised. The workload is extremely heavy, and timelines are short. The stress is getting to me. I was finally assigned a mentor a couple of weeks ago – after nearly four months. The training project was two projects that had similar ship dates, ten revisions to the order between them, and the final information we needed to process did not arrive until yesterday. So less than a day to code the jobs, run them, send them to two QA people, and get them shipped. Not an ideal training situation.

I’ve been working ten to twelve hours a day. I either work through lunch, or grab something from the cafeteria and take it back to my desk. I was in the office from 0745 to 2000 yesterday. Rode 30+ miles home, had to leave for the office again at 2200. Left again at 0215 this morning and got to bed around 0300. And I haven’t heard back from the 2nd QA person. The data must be shipped today. (The requests are at our data facility.) I slept for less than five hours. I don’t have connectivity at my apartment. If something needs to be rerun (which I don’t think – I hope – it doesn’t) I’ll have to make another 66 mile round trip. (Or my mentor may submit it from his home.) I can’t do anything or even tie up the phone until I know the data is shipped.

Training has improved recently. They’re hiring technical writers to document the procedures. We’ve been told it’s okay to push back on the time lines. But I’ve about had it. I don’t mind long hours, but not every day! I don’t like feeling as if I’m going to have a stroke. I don’t like eating fast food, since there’s no time to cook.

And I miss my house. I’d thought I could fly up once a month to hang out for a weekend, leaving from SNA Frday afternoon and coming back Sunday afternoon. That hasn’t happened. I’ve been up once, on the July 4th weekend. My next flight up is in October. You just can’t let a house sit!

My financial situation has improved somewhat. Things were getting a little desperate a couple of years ago, but they’re better now. I have another income that covers the mortgage. I don’t have to keep my job. And I’m seeing more opportunities up north than were being offered before.

The company is a good one to work for. I just don’t like this department, and transfers are not allowed until you’ve been there a year. One guy tried to transfer (he hates his job) and they wouldn’t let him.

So. I can grit my teeth and put up with the long hours and the stress. Or I can see if the situation really does improve as they said it would. (They’re looking for more people, and they promise training will be better.) Or I can quit and hang out in L.A. for a couple of months, and then move back into my house. I feel like this job is killing me. The answer seems obvious. I’ll go into the office on Monday. But if there’s any more drama I’ll offer my resignation; either immediate or with notice, whichever the manager prefers.

2

Can you do something kind of in the middle and say that if your conditions aren’t met (more training, better hours, etc.) within X time period (30 days, say), you’re outta there?

Otherwise, I’d say you need to get out. Doesn’t sound like a place where you should stay if it’s not absolutely necessary.

Good luck!

GT

3

I had a job like that not all that long ago. Different field, but it was hell on wheels. We didn’t have enough staff to cover normal operational status, and the workloads were increasing by the week, making everyone totally stressed out, me most of all because I had the most work (having been there the longest and knowing the most about the system). Then they let more people go and didn’t re-hire replacements. Everything was going straight down the shitter, and my stress level was beyond maxed out. I’d wake up every morning dreading the day. I’d look forward to Saturdays because it was the weekend, but I’d hate Sundays because that meant I had work the next day. The only reason I even stayed was because they paid well – I was making considerably more there than anywhere else I’d worked – and the fringe benefits were nice.

Then they laid me off. “Corporate restructuring” is what I suspect because there was no reason given on my ROE, and restructuring is the only legal way they can lay me off without sufficient reason. There was no problem with my performance, I think they just wanted to get rid of me to hire someone at lower wages and this was the only way they could to it. I also got a fat severance package, higher than anyone else who was let go got – hush money if you ask me.

It was disconcerting and a little scary being let go like that, but on the other hand I felt like Atlas and someone had just removed the planet from my shoulders. I had a nice golden parachute, so I had some breathing room to look for another job, and most importantly, I was no longer in hell! Best of all I did find another job. One that paid better, was closer to home, has much nicer people working there, and whose operations are organized and efficient and well planned out, unlike the chaos I left – and there’s no stress. Everything runs more or less like a well oiled machine. We have hiccups here and there but we work them out and all things considered, it’s rarely any kind of big deal.

Frankly, if you really see no chance for significant improvement in your work environment, I’d start researching other companies and seeing if you can get a job with one you feel is a better fit. There’s no point in driving yourself to a nervous breakdown for a company that isn’t looking after you.

4

More training, I can get. Shorter hours? Probably not. I could find another job here, but I do miss my little house.

5

Then I’m seeing only one answer: go home!

Life’s too short to be miserable. And it sounds like you’re hardly having a life anyway, at the moment.

Best wishes…

GT

6

In my previous position I’d head into work thinking, ‘Hey! I get to write some code today! I wonder what problems I can solve?’ (I just wished they’d let me do it from 1,200 miles north.) Now I wake up every morning dreading the day. ‘I wonder what crisis will be waiting for me today?’ Saturdays? I did talk to the 2nd QA guy this morning, and he said the product was good to ship. Only I haven’t received any notification from Media Management saying it’s been done. I called my mentor, and he said that no news is generally good news. He’s going to check his email when he gets home. Sundays I have Monday to look forward to.

7

I’ll miss my Doper friends. Shayna and Spiny Norman and Rick (to name a few I see here) are good people. And my g/f.

But when I move home, they’ll have a Vacation Destination! :smiley:

8

Are you paid overtime? Do you like what you’re doing while you’re doing it?

9

Run! Run away!! I was in a situation like yours (different industry tho) and I waited for three years for it to get better. It never did. I didn’t truly realize how miserable until I was laid off after a buy out. I stopped having to eat Tums all day and take aspirin every 4 hours. The world was a shiny, happy place again. It took me a while to find a new job but I had a good severance package and the job I found was worth the wait. GO HOME!!

10

Paid Overtime? What’s that? :confused: No, I’m on salary. I actually enjoy writing Easytrieves. And I’ve learned a little about SAS, and that might be fun. Our off-the-shelf Affinium software is like a cross between Visio and SQL, but I’ve only ever used it in a class setting. (There is training – just not the right kind.) But I don’t really like the actual job itself.

Heh. I’ve started carrying Tums and Motrin in my backpack.

11

Well, you could be in my position. Things were relaxed at work. TOO relaxed. The company hasn’t had a new customer in while, and no real prospects. The company was losing money. In a cost saving move they let me go Thursday.
I knew things wer slow, but not losing money slow. So I had more or less no warning. I liked my job. My job before that was closer to yours (thogh not quite so bad) long hours, bad deadlines, etc. (until the company decided to buy thier next program instead of bulding it inhouse). My previous job was much nicer - occasionnal extra hours but not insane, in a field I liked (GIS/ Mapping).

You can always explore your options now so you their is less time between now and your next job.

Brian

12

I’m sending out résumés. But it’s unlikely there will be any interest until I get north.

My previous position there was nice (except for Management). Almost just enough of a challenge, and pleasant people in the department. But I still think back on my first ‘real job’ as a ski and binding technician and think ‘That was a nice job.’

13

Sounds like you’re approaching critical mass. It’s mostly a matter now of whether or not you believe you can continue on the way things are going now, and whether you see any improvement in the forseeable future that could possibly help ameliorate the stress and frustration. 'Cos if there isn’t, and you can’t, it sounds about time to hit Monster or the trades or wherever employment opportunities in your field are to be found and burn a bridge or two.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do though. I hate changing jobs, but sometimes it’s the best thing you can do for yourself.