Starting a new Job, but then regretting it?
Discussion
Yep went from a 2nd line support job to a 2nd line support job but the working environment was very different, the first one was very relaxed everybody knew everybody and was friendly to a very different environment.
Worked out OK though, following on from my grandmothers death (first close death I had experienced) I had some time off, quit, went travelling to New Zealand, came home and landed an agency job on the railway, 12 years later I'm still with the railway.
Worked out OK though, following on from my grandmothers death (first close death I had experienced) I had some time off, quit, went travelling to New Zealand, came home and landed an agency job on the railway, 12 years later I'm still with the railway.
Yes.
I once took a job at a "Energy management company" to earn extra money while I was at University after seeing an advertisement the local paper. The job description was very vague, and placed an emphasis on IT skills and organisation.
After applying for the job, I was promptly invited for an interview. They had one floor of a reasonably nice looking glass office block on an industrial estate and I was interviewed by the two directors of the company, which I thought was 'overkill' for what appeared to be a fairly poorly paid and vaguely described job.
They grilled me on my IT skills, A level results, Microsoft office skills, asked me about my previous jobs, read through my whole CV while I sat there in silence, asked what I was studying at University, where did I see myself in 5 years, all that kind of thing. Total overkill and made me think the job was quite substantial.
I didn't really ask much about the job, but they told me that it was a "Highly technical role which involved matching UK businesses with suitable commercial energy suppliers based on their location, usage and business requirements"
They called me a couple of days later and said I had been successful and could start straight away.
Within 30 minutes of starting work on my first day, I realised to my horror, that it was simply a 'hard sell' call centre where the employees sat at rows of desks like battery hens in a large open plan office room, endlessly cold-calling businesses and trying to make them change electricity and gas suppliers. Nothing more.
The two directors sat at desks at the front of the room, playing Snake and texting on their Nokia phones all day, while occasionally looking up and glaring/shouting at everyone to make them dial faster.
You had to phone people constantly all day long, getting screamed and shouted at by angry business owners for cold calling them, and if that wasn't bad enough, at the end of every week, the directors would read out a list of people who hadn't sold to enough customers and tell them that they were getting sacked next week if they didn't sell more. You had to 'sell' 10 electric or gas contracts per week otherwise they would fire you on the spot at the end of the week.
I got up and walked out after 2 weeks, having been just been told "phone me again and I'll kill you" by a guy at a bakery I had just called, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst 2 weeks of my life.
More incredible was the fact that the people who worked there had been there months/years and said they hated it but 'couldn't find work doing anything else'.
I once took a job at a "Energy management company" to earn extra money while I was at University after seeing an advertisement the local paper. The job description was very vague, and placed an emphasis on IT skills and organisation.
After applying for the job, I was promptly invited for an interview. They had one floor of a reasonably nice looking glass office block on an industrial estate and I was interviewed by the two directors of the company, which I thought was 'overkill' for what appeared to be a fairly poorly paid and vaguely described job.
They grilled me on my IT skills, A level results, Microsoft office skills, asked me about my previous jobs, read through my whole CV while I sat there in silence, asked what I was studying at University, where did I see myself in 5 years, all that kind of thing. Total overkill and made me think the job was quite substantial.
I didn't really ask much about the job, but they told me that it was a "Highly technical role which involved matching UK businesses with suitable commercial energy suppliers based on their location, usage and business requirements"
They called me a couple of days later and said I had been successful and could start straight away.
Within 30 minutes of starting work on my first day, I realised to my horror, that it was simply a 'hard sell' call centre where the employees sat at rows of desks like battery hens in a large open plan office room, endlessly cold-calling businesses and trying to make them change electricity and gas suppliers. Nothing more.
The two directors sat at desks at the front of the room, playing Snake and texting on their Nokia phones all day, while occasionally looking up and glaring/shouting at everyone to make them dial faster.
You had to phone people constantly all day long, getting screamed and shouted at by angry business owners for cold calling them, and if that wasn't bad enough, at the end of every week, the directors would read out a list of people who hadn't sold to enough customers and tell them that they were getting sacked next week if they didn't sell more. You had to 'sell' 10 electric or gas contracts per week otherwise they would fire you on the spot at the end of the week.
I got up and walked out after 2 weeks, having been just been told "phone me again and I'll kill you" by a guy at a bakery I had just called, and I can honestly say it was one of the worst 2 weeks of my life.
More incredible was the fact that the people who worked there had been there months/years and said they hated it but 'couldn't find work doing anything else'.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 23 September 18:08
Yes
Took on a job doing the fire protection and detection in a coal fired power station
Took it because it was site based and with a fantastic company, it soon transpired to be mostly mechanical but I am electrical bias, and the mechanical was hard Graft and involved getting wet a lot of the time, lifting heavy pipe and working outside.
I also couldn’t stand the knob head I worked with, he was worse than the job
I stuck it out but was constantly looking for other jobs, had a interview for one, even took it but they moved the goal posts so I turned it down
Stuck it out another 3 months and then my company posted another position which was perfect for me.
2 years on I’m still in it.
If that hadn’t come up I would have jumped ship as soon as I could
I took a pay cut of a few K but it was so worth it
Took on a job doing the fire protection and detection in a coal fired power station
Took it because it was site based and with a fantastic company, it soon transpired to be mostly mechanical but I am electrical bias, and the mechanical was hard Graft and involved getting wet a lot of the time, lifting heavy pipe and working outside.
I also couldn’t stand the knob head I worked with, he was worse than the job
I stuck it out but was constantly looking for other jobs, had a interview for one, even took it but they moved the goal posts so I turned it down
Stuck it out another 3 months and then my company posted another position which was perfect for me.
2 years on I’m still in it.
If that hadn’t come up I would have jumped ship as soon as I could
I took a pay cut of a few K but it was so worth it
Nickbrapp said:
Yes
I also couldn’t stand the knob head I worked with, he was worse than the job
I work all over with the same company, but based on location and which tax regime I come under it can vary how much I earn. I much prefer working for less pay and work with decent guys, than high pay working with a bellend 12 hours a day.I also couldn’t stand the knob head I worked with, he was worse than the job
Lifes too short for that sort of thing.
Yes. My last job
Before that I worked in publishing for a wonderful company with brilliant people, but after 13 years I felt it was time to move on.
Found what felt like a great job in market research and was interviewed by the ceo who I got on with. Got the job and when I started was introduced to my boss who turned out to not only be the most vile colleague I’ve ever had, but the nastiest person I’ve ever known. I shudder just thinking about how dreadful he was.
It took 6 months to get to grips with things and I stuck it out for 3 years until I couldn’t take it any more.
I now work as a marketing consultant for at a brilliant company and have great colleagues again.
Before that I worked in publishing for a wonderful company with brilliant people, but after 13 years I felt it was time to move on.
Found what felt like a great job in market research and was interviewed by the ceo who I got on with. Got the job and when I started was introduced to my boss who turned out to not only be the most vile colleague I’ve ever had, but the nastiest person I’ve ever known. I shudder just thinking about how dreadful he was.
It took 6 months to get to grips with things and I stuck it out for 3 years until I couldn’t take it any more.
I now work as a marketing consultant for at a brilliant company and have great colleagues again.
Yes
I was a fairly newly qualified surveyor, and had been used to my own case load based on area, with big or small. I knew when to ask for help from the boss.
Went to being treated as a graduate, writing reports for the boss. Not happy. Said this, nothing changed, other than some gossip about my private life at a wedding with lots of surveyors.
Boss then went on holiday, so I ended up having to speak to senior partner to tell him I was quitting. I then had the pleasure of dealing with an idiot who was just trying to make my life difficult in terms of handover, and telling me my christmas leave was cancelled. Another call to senior partner...
Went back to my old place, with the tail between my legs. They had replaced me, but I was so good they wanted me back
f
kers made sure I got my old company car rather than a new one though!
I was a fairly newly qualified surveyor, and had been used to my own case load based on area, with big or small. I knew when to ask for help from the boss.
Went to being treated as a graduate, writing reports for the boss. Not happy. Said this, nothing changed, other than some gossip about my private life at a wedding with lots of surveyors.
Boss then went on holiday, so I ended up having to speak to senior partner to tell him I was quitting. I then had the pleasure of dealing with an idiot who was just trying to make my life difficult in terms of handover, and telling me my christmas leave was cancelled. Another call to senior partner...
Went back to my old place, with the tail between my legs. They had replaced me, but I was so good they wanted me back
fkers made sure I got my old company car rather than a new one though!I went from an office based role, to a relatively senior role, to a closer to home and equally paid hands on technical role and I hated it, it was all the silly rules and a really oppressive environment.
I was being treated like (a child) someone who couldn't be trusted to a) do my job and b) do my job without stealing stuff.
Fixed break times, lunch was not long enough to heat and eat a decent meal, nothing to drink between breaks (not even water), my blood sugar level was all over the place, high after break time, but falling I was asleep an hour later, I was having severe mood swings, had inform a manager when going to toilet, toilets had auto lights that turned off after 3 minutes (so you couldn't take a sh*t at work), not allowed to have a mobile phone, which made it impossible for family to contact you without having to go through the main phone line and then you had to stand there with a cordless phone and your boss listening in to potentially private stuff. It wasn't even a production line, there was absolutely no reason for it to be this oppressive aside from creating a false hierarchy.
I think what annoyed me the most was the disparity compared to the office staff who could basically do whatever they liked, whenever they liked.......
lyonspride said:
I went from an office based role, to a relatively senior role, to a closer to home and equally paid hands on technical role and I hated it, it was all the silly rules and a really oppressive environment.
I was being treated like (a child) someone who couldn't be trusted to a) do my job and b) do my job without stealing stuff.
Fixed break times, lunch was not long enough to heat and eat a decent meal, nothing to drink between breaks (not even water), my blood sugar level was all over the place, high after break time, but falling I was asleep an hour later, I was having severe mood swings, had inform a manager when going to toilet, toilets had auto lights that turned off after 3 minutes (so you couldn't take a sh*t at work), not allowed to have a mobile phone, which made it impossible for family to contact you without having to go through the main phone line and then you had to stand there with a cordless phone and your boss listening in to potentially private stuff. It wasn't even a production line, there was absolutely no reason for it to be this oppressive aside from creating a false hierarchy.
I think what annoyed me the most was the disparity compared to the office staff who could basically do whatever they liked, whenever they liked.......
All of that is breaking employment law!I was being treated like (a child) someone who couldn't be trusted to a) do my job and b) do my job without stealing stuff.
Fixed break times, lunch was not long enough to heat and eat a decent meal, nothing to drink between breaks (not even water), my blood sugar level was all over the place, high after break time, but falling I was asleep an hour later, I was having severe mood swings, had inform a manager when going to toilet, toilets had auto lights that turned off after 3 minutes (so you couldn't take a sh*t at work), not allowed to have a mobile phone, which made it impossible for family to contact you without having to go through the main phone line and then you had to stand there with a cordless phone and your boss listening in to potentially private stuff. It wasn't even a production line, there was absolutely no reason for it to be this oppressive aside from creating a false hierarchy.
I think what annoyed me the most was the disparity compared to the office staff who could basically do whatever they liked, whenever they liked.......
Every story he has appears to be.
I think everyone goes through a few weeks of "WTF have I done?", followed by "can I have my old job back?", followed by "this is OK", followed by "get out", followed by "gotten over it".
Shock of capture. Unless you have a true vocation that you love, e.g. pilot.
I think everyone goes through a few weeks of "WTF have I done?", followed by "can I have my old job back?", followed by "this is OK", followed by "get out", followed by "gotten over it".
Shock of capture. Unless you have a true vocation that you love, e.g. pilot.
Edited by 01WE01 on Thursday 24th September 10:16
whitesocks said:
lyonspride said:
I went from an office based role, to a relatively senior role, to a closer to home and equally paid hands on technical role and I hated it, it was all the silly rules and a really oppressive environment.
I was being treated like (a child) someone who couldn't be trusted to a) do my job and b) do my job without stealing stuff.
Fixed break times, lunch was not long enough to heat and eat a decent meal, nothing to drink between breaks (not even water), my blood sugar level was all over the place, high after break time, but falling I was asleep an hour later, I was having severe mood swings, had inform a manager when going to toilet, toilets had auto lights that turned off after 3 minutes (so you couldn't take a sh*t at work), not allowed to have a mobile phone, which made it impossible for family to contact you without having to go through the main phone line and then you had to stand there with a cordless phone and your boss listening in to potentially private stuff. It wasn't even a production line, there was absolutely no reason for it to be this oppressive aside from creating a false hierarchy.
I think what annoyed me the most was the disparity compared to the office staff who could basically do whatever they liked, whenever they liked.......
All of that is breaking employment law!I was being treated like (a child) someone who couldn't be trusted to a) do my job and b) do my job without stealing stuff.
Fixed break times, lunch was not long enough to heat and eat a decent meal, nothing to drink between breaks (not even water), my blood sugar level was all over the place, high after break time, but falling I was asleep an hour later, I was having severe mood swings, had inform a manager when going to toilet, toilets had auto lights that turned off after 3 minutes (so you couldn't take a sh*t at work), not allowed to have a mobile phone, which made it impossible for family to contact you without having to go through the main phone line and then you had to stand there with a cordless phone and your boss listening in to potentially private stuff. It wasn't even a production line, there was absolutely no reason for it to be this oppressive aside from creating a false hierarchy.
I think what annoyed me the most was the disparity compared to the office staff who could basically do whatever they liked, whenever they liked.......
Yes. I left the forces after a pretty successful career and went to work for a 'Big 4' consultancy.
It was like working (I would imagine having never done so) in a glorified call centre as it was a non-client facing role. I knew after about 3 weeks it wasn't for me. Started job hunting a month after that and had a new job lined up 2 months later but had to wait a few months to get security clearances transferred - all in, I lasted about 8 months there. It wasn't a case of not settling after leaving the forces but I didn't enjoy it. I was bored and not challenged with a lot of the work I was given. I still keep in touch with a lot of the people I worked with as they weren't the problem but I'd never work for a Big 4 again. Just before I left, I checked the cohort that I had gone through induction with in London - over 40% of them (about 35 people) had left the firm before I did so clearly it wasn't just me.
Ironically, I now do work on an adhoc basis for Big 4 consultancies as an external SME but I pick and choose projects very very carefully. I've also been in places where auditors from the consultancies have been in and they just look miserable from the start of the day to the end of the day.
It was like working (I would imagine having never done so) in a glorified call centre as it was a non-client facing role. I knew after about 3 weeks it wasn't for me. Started job hunting a month after that and had a new job lined up 2 months later but had to wait a few months to get security clearances transferred - all in, I lasted about 8 months there. It wasn't a case of not settling after leaving the forces but I didn't enjoy it. I was bored and not challenged with a lot of the work I was given. I still keep in touch with a lot of the people I worked with as they weren't the problem but I'd never work for a Big 4 again. Just before I left, I checked the cohort that I had gone through induction with in London - over 40% of them (about 35 people) had left the firm before I did so clearly it wasn't just me.
Ironically, I now do work on an adhoc basis for Big 4 consultancies as an external SME but I pick and choose projects very very carefully. I've also been in places where auditors from the consultancies have been in and they just look miserable from the start of the day to the end of the day.
Twice;
- started working in the Public sector for the first time, resigned after 2 days and still had to work my 1 month notice period. Dreadful culture.
- started a job for an owner managed business, quickly realised the MD, whilst nice, micro managed everybody. First thing of the day, meeting to discuss what I was going to do that day...............for the first month my notice period was a week, after that it went to 3 months. Ummed and ahhhed that whole month but decided to stick at it, imbecile lol. I left after a year
- started working in the Public sector for the first time, resigned after 2 days and still had to work my 1 month notice period. Dreadful culture.
- started a job for an owner managed business, quickly realised the MD, whilst nice, micro managed everybody. First thing of the day, meeting to discuss what I was going to do that day...............for the first month my notice period was a week, after that it went to 3 months. Ummed and ahhhed that whole month but decided to stick at it, imbecile lol. I left after a year
Yup, I made a massive mistake. Took a consultant job that came with a company car. I was to work from home and cover the Essex area. They had me driving everywhere BUT Essex. Aberdeen on one occasion.
Whats worse is I was young and stupid, sold my car due to not needing it anymore and spent the money.
When I left, I had to buy an old banger to get around
Whats worse is I was young and stupid, sold my car due to not needing it anymore and spent the money.
When I left, I had to buy an old banger to get around
Quite a few times, but most of those fortunately were contract roles which I either stuck at or walked out of straight away.
The most dissapointing was when I accepted a perm role for an F1 team. I'd worked in F1 before and loved it, good atmosphere and nice perks.. This one had been run on a (relative) shoestring budget for years and was a rubbish place to be, with a manager who liked to micromanage to the point where they may as well have hired an apprentice for a fraction of the money as he had to explain to me exactly how he wanted everything done in minute detail. I didn't hang about for long. I felt bad as I had friends for whom this would have been a dream job.
Life is too short to be somewhere you don't want to be!
The most dissapointing was when I accepted a perm role for an F1 team. I'd worked in F1 before and loved it, good atmosphere and nice perks.. This one had been run on a (relative) shoestring budget for years and was a rubbish place to be, with a manager who liked to micromanage to the point where they may as well have hired an apprentice for a fraction of the money as he had to explain to me exactly how he wanted everything done in minute detail. I didn't hang about for long. I felt bad as I had friends for whom this would have been a dream job.
Life is too short to be somewhere you don't want to be!
Yes.
I had a busy,rewarding, well-paid role for decades but got made redundant.
I went to a similar role but knew after 3 weeks I'd not stay. The people who did the real work were hard-working and lovely but they were let down by shambolic company processes and IT systems. I was frustrated for months until I worked up the guts to leave with no other job to go to.
I got a more junior role in the same industry but before noon on the first day learned some info about company plans that made me see I was going to be screwed for doing a senior job for junior pay. Also, my established colleague didn't want anything to do with me and spoke to me like I was a schoolboy the first time I lifted my head from my screen to talk to another worker. I also got wind she was working towards qualifications in a different industry and suspected I'd be left holding the baby for all of it. Toxic atmosphere : zero jollity. I left before the first week was done.
On the positive side this proved to me it was time to leave the industry and I'm happier than I have been for a long time, doing something totally different and entry-level.
I had a busy,rewarding, well-paid role for decades but got made redundant.
I went to a similar role but knew after 3 weeks I'd not stay. The people who did the real work were hard-working and lovely but they were let down by shambolic company processes and IT systems. I was frustrated for months until I worked up the guts to leave with no other job to go to.
I got a more junior role in the same industry but before noon on the first day learned some info about company plans that made me see I was going to be screwed for doing a senior job for junior pay. Also, my established colleague didn't want anything to do with me and spoke to me like I was a schoolboy the first time I lifted my head from my screen to talk to another worker. I also got wind she was working towards qualifications in a different industry and suspected I'd be left holding the baby for all of it. Toxic atmosphere : zero jollity. I left before the first week was done.
On the positive side this proved to me it was time to leave the industry and I'm happier than I have been for a long time, doing something totally different and entry-level.
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