Taking an opportunity and leaping out of comfort zone

[ocrx8]

I recently jumped ship from an ultra safe job into a new company. The role is a definite step up and I'd be lying if I said there haven't been moments where I've questioned the move I made! My confidence has gone to pot as it's all new, which hasn't helped. It's early days though, so I'll see how it pans out. And if I'd never taken this role I would have always (always) wondered what if.

Best advice I'll give to you is not to be too hard on yourself at the beginning of the new job, should you decide to take it. Most new jobs are a steep learning curve and nobody will expect you to be able to do everything immediately.

[funkyrobot]

ocrx8 said:

I recently jumped ship from an ultra safe job into a new company. The role is a definite step up and I'd be lying if I said there haven't been moments where I've questioned the move I made! My confidence has gone to pot as it's all new, which hasn't helped. It's early days though, so I'll see how it pans out. And if I'd never taken this role I would have always (always) wondered what if.

Best advice I'll give to you is not to be too hard on yourself at the beginning of the new job, should you decide to take it. Most new jobs are a steep learning curve and nobody will expect you to be able to do everything immediately.

Thanks. Hope it goes well for you in the end.

I think my problems stem from being so hard on myself. I do expect a lot and do feel bad if I can't get to grips with things so soon. As you have said, it is a learning curve though and you need to take a step back sometimes and accept this.

The advert for my old job has gone out and it's quite amusing. Funnily enough, nearly all of the people in my neighbouring dept have gone for the job. Says a lot about the manager of the team I share an office with.

[DJRC]

Ni such thing as a comfort zone. I move to differernt countries, languages and cultures with different jobs. Only things I research beforehand are the tax rates and housing costs. Im currently considering a 12 month contract in China.

[Chipchap]

I think that on hindsight I may have done this more often than I thought.

• 17 left UK military [Junior Soldier] and moved to SA with no job to go to.

• 24 left a steady job to set up own business. It fell over due to inexperience.

• 31 left steady job to return to UK. Had job offer but needed to relocate wife and 2 small pups.

• Moved around UK to chase promotion within same brand [trucks]

• 46 Tried another venture but chose business partner badly and got burned for a lot of money.

• 50 was back looking for a job working for a boss as a recovering bankrupt !!!

• 56 last month and resigned from a great paying but mind numbing job just because I disliked it.

• No job to go to and going on hols tomorrow for 2 weeks.

Just take the chance if you are half reasonable at what you do it will all be ok.............

[funkyrobot]

Wow. And I thought I had a tough decision with just moving jobs and adding 20 miles extra to the daily commute.

Thanks for your comments.

[pherlopolus]

at 43 with 10 years service I applied for VR 2 weeks ago. No plans, don't know if accepted, but going to head off contracting for a while.

It's a big leap, but I contracted before for 10 years or so, and now I have a much better skill set. It's going to be a bit of a worry, but really looking forward to a few weeks off (probably means I land A contract straight away!)

[funkyrobot]

pherlopolus said:

at 43 with 10 years service I applied for VR 2 weeks ago. No plans, don't know if accepted, but going to head off contracting for a while.

It's a big leap, but I contracted before for 10 years or so, and now I have a much better skill set. It's going to be a bit of a worry, but really looking forward to a few weeks off (probably means I land A contract straight away!)

Good luck.

[funkyrobot]

Well, the fun continues.

Negotiated a reduction in notice period, but it was still left at quite a long time for the 'status' of my role. I thought the point of this was to help my current company get someone else in and trained etc.

They have advertised my job, but put the end date just over two weeks before I leave! I'm also being shunned, ignored and treated like I'm a traitor. There has been no handover plan, no attempt to discuss the work I'm doing and there will be no way of me training the new starter.

What is the point in making me stay here if they aren't interested in me anymore? I'm really sick of this place now and want to crack on with my new job. I've tried to be helpful by offering time at our other sites with my colleagues to help train them up. This, like most things at the moment, has been shunned.

Unfortunately, my silly manager doesn't realise that I do the work and my senior colleague doesn't know what he is doing.

Speaking of my manager, he is telling everyone here that the only reason I got my new job was because of family connections. Apparently, I wouldn't have a hope of getting anything else like it and I'm lucky my family has links to the business. What a load of st!

There is a young chap in the office who I really do feel should take my job. However, any time I'm trying to setup to help him is being cancelled. He has also developed a very arrogant attitude towards me, despite the fact that he was very interested in my role a few weeks ago.

I have to do an exit interview in the last week I'm here. To be honest, I don't see the point. The attitude in here that has made me leave has soured even more over the last week. I really have been reduced to coming into work and browsing the internet all day. It's ridiculous!

Oh well, at least I know I'm out of here soon. The notice period is going to be a real challenge though!

What a silly way to end six years of hard work!

[fin racer]

funkyrobot said:

Well, the fun continues.

Negotiated a reduction in notice period, but it was still left at quite a long time for the 'status' of my role. I thought the point of this was to help my current company get someone else in and trained etc.

They have advertised my job, but put the end date just over two weeks before I leave! I'm also being shunned, ignored and treated like I'm a traitor. There has been no handover plan, no attempt to discuss the work I'm doing and there will be no way of me training the new starter.

What is the point in making me stay here if they aren't interested in me anymore? I'm really sick of this place now and want to crack on with my new job. I've tried to be helpful by offering time at our other sites with my colleagues to help train them up. This, like most things at the moment, has been shunned.

Unfortunately, my silly manager doesn't realise that I do the work and my senior colleague doesn't know what he is doing.

Speaking of my manager, he is telling everyone here that the only reason I got my new job was because of family connections. Apparently, I wouldn't have a hope of getting anything else like it and I'm lucky my family has links to the business. What a load of st!

How long is the notice period?

There is a young chap in the office who I really do feel should take my job. However, any time I'm trying to setup to help him is being cancelled. He has also developed a very arrogant attitude towards me, despite the fact that he was very interested in my role a few weeks ago.

I have to do an exit interview in the last week I'm here. To be honest, I don't see the point. The attitude in here that has made me leave has soured even more over the last week. I really have been reduced to coming into work and browsing the internet all day. It's ridiculous!

Oh well, at least I know I'm out of here soon. The notice period is going to be a real challenge though!

What a silly way to end six years of hard work!

[Anonamoose]

I can feel your pain as I'm sat here in exactly the same position. I managed to negotiate my notice period down from 12 weeks to 4, I suggested gardening leave but they said no they needed me to 'train my replacement' I've sat here for the last 3 weeks browsing the internet etc bored out of head. This thank god is my last full week and my replacement has started today. He has has done this job for year albeit on a different project, it took me an hour this morning to explain the project to him. He pretty much knows everything else that I know.

I've also been ignored and given nothing to do, which is understandable and the reason why I wanted gardening leave because I'm just wasting time here.

Just keep telling yourself it's all over soon. Or you could take a few sick days?

[funkyrobot]

Anonamoose said:

I can feel your pain as I'm sat here in exactly the same position. I managed to negotiate my notice period down from 12 weeks to 4, I suggested gardening leave but they said no they needed me to 'train my replacement' I've sat here for the last 3 weeks browsing the internet etc bored out of head. This thank god is my last full week and my replacement has started today. He has has done this job for year albeit on a different project, it took me an hour this morning to explain the project to him. He pretty much knows everything else that I know.

I've also been ignored and given nothing to do, which is understandable and the reason why I wanted gardening leave because I'm just wasting time here.

Just keep telling yourself it's all over soon. Or you could take a few sick days?

Yes, I keep telling myself that.

Regarding sick leave, I've actually come in today with a stinking headache. Should have maybe stayed at home.

My replacement won't start until I'm long gone. Pointless me being here really.

[fin racer]

funkyrobot said:

Well, the fun continues.

Negotiated a reduction in notice period, but it was still left at quite a long time for the 'status' of my role. I thought the point of this was to help my current company get someone else in and trained etc.

They have advertised my job, but put the end date just over two weeks before I leave! I'm also being shunned, ignored and treated like I'm a traitor. There has been no handover plan, no attempt to discuss the work I'm doing and there will be no way of me training the new starter.

What is the point in making me stay here if they aren't interested in me anymore? I'm really sick of this place now and want to crack on with my new job. I've tried to be helpful by offering time at our other sites with my colleagues to help train them up. This, like most things at the moment, has been shunned.

Unfortunately, my silly manager doesn't realise that I do the work and my senior colleague doesn't know what he is doing.

Speaking of my manager, he is telling everyone here that the only reason I got my new job was because of family connections. Apparently, I wouldn't have a hope of getting anything else like it and I'm lucky my family has links to the business. What a load of st!

There is a young chap in the office who I really do feel should take my job. However, any time I'm trying to setup to help him is being cancelled. He has also developed a very arrogant attitude towards me, despite the fact that he was very interested in my role a few weeks ago.

I have to do an exit interview in the last week I'm here. To be honest, I don't see the point. The attitude in here that has made me leave has soured even more over the last week. I really have been reduced to coming into work and browsing the internet all day. It's ridiculous!

Oh well, at least I know I'm out of here soon. The notice period is going to be a real challenge though!

What a silly way to end six years of hard work!

how long is your notice period?

[funkyrobot]

fin racer said:

how long is your notice period?

Was three months (ridiculously long for someone in my position).

Got it down to six weeks. However, they want me to have a phone for the six weeks after. New work place have said ok as long as it doesn't affect my work there.

[ewenm]

funkyrobot said:

Was three months (ridiculously long for someone in my position).

Got it down to six weeks. However, they want me to have a phone for the six weeks after. New work place have said ok as long as it doesn't affect my work there.

How much are they paying you in the second 6 weeks for the telephone support? If little/nothing it's a goodwill gesture by you to have it, so if it were me, it would be off during working hours at the new place and messages checked when convenient for me.

[funkyrobot]

ewenm said:

funkyrobot said:

Was three months (ridiculously long for someone in my position).

Got it down to six weeks. However, they want me to have a phone for the six weeks after. New work place have said ok as long as it doesn't affect my work there.

How much are they paying you in the second 6 weeks for the telephone support? If little/nothing it's a goodwill gesture by you to have it, so if it were me, it would be off during working hours at the new place and messages checked when convenient for me.

I am doing it out of goodwill so will only turn it on to check messages in the evening etc. As far as I know, I won't be paid for this.

Bit of a pain really but new company said they can't wait three months for me. I have done it so I don't miss the new job opportunity.

[Chest Rockwell]

Good luck with the new opportunity.

funkyrobot said:

I am doing it out of goodwill so will only turn it on to check messages in the evening etc. As far as I know, I won't be paid for this.

I appreciate you're doing that as a goodwill gesture, however, they should pay you. I know it might be a bit late now, but I would talk to them about a consultancy agreement. It's your time so you should be compensated as such. Makes no odds to them because if you serve out your notice period then you get paid, so the same should apply to this arrangement too. You can bet your bottom dollar that they don't offer such goodwill to their customers.

[funkyrobot]

Chest Rockwell said:

Good luck with the new opportunity.

funkyrobot said:

I am doing it out of goodwill so will only turn it on to check messages in the evening etc. As far as I know, I won't be paid for this.

I appreciate you're doing that as a goodwill gesture, however, they should pay you. I know it might be a bit late now, but I would talk to them about a consultancy agreement. It's your time so you should be compensated as such. Makes no odds to them because if you serve out your notice period then you get paid, so the same should apply to this arrangement too. You can bet your bottom dollar that they don't offer such goodwill to their customers.

Interesting, thanks.

The only reason I negotiated the phone cover was because it was the only way I'd get my notice period down. The new company simply couldn't wait 3 months and my current company were getting fussy about the notice too.

I suppose they should be paying me, but everything has been documented and agreed upon now.

Anyway, with the attitude I have been getting lately, who says I have to help with the phone calls. I can always say 'I don't know' and end the call.

To be brutally honest, I'm just glad that I'm out of here in 4 weeks. The atmosphere in my office is slowly degrading more and more, but I will try my hardest to see it through.

Thanks for your advice.

[Chest Rockwell]

funkyrobot said:

Thanks for your advice.

No probs, I wish you all the best with the new opportunity.

[funkyrobot]

Chest Rockwell said:

funkyrobot said:

Thanks for your advice.

No probs, I wish you all the best with the new opportunity.

Thanks.

I've decided that I'm going to see HR about this today. I don't see why I should offer them the phone cover for free. Will see what they say.

If they refuse to pay me, I don't think there is a lot I can do. I just need to know so I am aware of how much attention I need to pay to the phone for that time period.

[anonymous-user]

Hmmm, really shows you what the company you are leaving is really like.

Taking a job out of your comfort zone is something I think everyone should do, I left a solid job to go into a hi-tech start up. The company could have been dead in 6 months but has provided 13 years of employment with a few bumps in the road but I am far better at my role than I ever imagined. It has been really hard work but we have done things that people just say wow when they hear it.

Now we are part of a much bigger company it feels like everything is in slow motion and we are just passengers and something special has been lost.