Jacking in your job

[flatlandsman]

It is reading this you realise the staggering difference between jobs. I will NEVER be able to do a 4 day week as I work in engineering, so it is a 5 day a week job unless a company decides to go 4 days which is never happening

You can see here the difference in job spec, salary, position, and it makes me laugh, so obviously many of the people commenting are very senior, well paid and the like.

not everyone is in that boat some of us have no options like this!! the only things we can do is put up or shut up or move on. I am firmly of the move on if you are unhappy, Iearned this luckily very early and it has helped and hindered me, I will not stay at a company that treats its employees badly or unfairly (you would be amazed how many people do) and I was lucky enough to contract for many years so have zero fear for doing this.

Redundancy is a huge part of life in my field, has been for 20 years, it hurts, so I also try not to get attached to a firm, it makes no sense when you are just cannon fodder to them. It still happens, happened to me in early 23, hardens you up, toughens and makes you realise to most firms you are just collateral, so treat them as they treat you, as a service that pays you, do your job, do it well but treat them with contempt when you have to, as they do the same to you in an instant.

ALWAYS keep your eye on the job market, even if you are happy is my best advice to anyone remotely unhappy, it only takes a click and your unhappiness could be relieved.

[The OG Jester]

This thread has helped me to get the finger out and explore other positions. Applied for several over the past couple of weeks with some good chats now happening. Although the spanner in the works was getting a letter on Monday from my employer giving me a wage increase without even asking. Just need to see what is out there as even the extra money might not be enough to suffer any more time here.

[CoupeKid]

The OG Jester said:

This thread has helped me to get the finger out and explore other positions. Applied for several over the past couple of weeks with some good chats now happening. Although the spanner in the works was getting a letter on Monday from my employer giving me a wage increase without even asking. Just need to see what is out there as even the extra money might not be enough to suffer any more time here.

I'm getting a bit jaded with my job. When I started 2.25 years ago I did as I was trained because I respected the more senior people and what they did and said made sense.

Since then they have moved on and the newer people or ones recruited from other companies have a different ethos and its not one I agree with. I might be wrong and they might be right but nobody has come along and said we're doing it differently, it just seems to have happened. That, and they've told us all to travel far more than they said I had to do when I joined and no amount of money is going to compensate for doing something I disagree with or travelling pointlessly.

I've been speaking to a few recruiters and have had an initial interview with one company which seemed to go well and I'm waiting to hear about another interview date, which should have happened this week. Fortunately I'm not desperate for another job so can afford to wait for the right one.

Edit: Had feedback from two of my potential jobs last night. Last night was not a good night. One company said they were going with people they had found themselves (avoiding agency fees I suppose) and the other said they had found someone suitable through another agency so weren't going to progress me. As that job could have been written for me I'm a bit annoyed to say the least.

Still, I live in the South East of England and am in a field in high demand, I'm told, and I have some good skill so there should be something out there.

I've seen two companies advertise but I don't exactly use their products and sort of assume that people who work there are really into what the company does, if you see what I mean. Like if you work for a fashion company you are probably into fashion. I could be wrong. And I keep seeing one advert but it reads as if they are really looking for someone to fill a diversity quota so why should I bother?

Edited by CoupeKid on Thursday 25th January 10:29

[James_33]

There's a lot of people on here earning decent money, high positions within the companies they work for and i guess that can take its toll over time regardless of the money.

On the other end of the spectrum I don't earn a great deal of money (bus driver) but the stress and anger is off the charts sometimes, unrealistic times to stick to, public who feel that they can offload any abuse directly at you and you can't do a thing about it because the company will always take the publics side as they hate bad press, corporate bks that gets dished out to us all pretending to care when we all know differently, treated as nothing but a number because we are easily replaceable and that for some of us makes us feel worthless, the amount of times i have thought about just jacking it in with nothing to go to i simply can't count but if it wasn't for having young kids and other commitments I'd probably take the gamble and leave.

[austina35]

James_33 said:

There's a lot of people on here earning decent money, high positions within the companies they work for and i guess that can take its toll over time regardless of the money.

On the other end of the spectrum I don't earn a great deal of money (bus driver) but the stress and anger is off the charts sometimes, unrealistic times to stick to, public who feel that they can offload any abuse directly at you and you can't do a thing about it because the company will always take the publics side as they hate bad press, corporate bks that gets dished out to us all pretending to care when we all know differently, treated as nothing but a number because we are easily replaceable and that for some of us makes us feel worthless, the amount of times i have thought about just jacking it in with nothing to go to i simply can't count but if it wasn't for having young kids and other commitments I'd probably take the gamble and leave.

I admire you for doing the job you do. Nobody should have to put up with verbal nonsense at work. On the rare occasions I travel on a bus, I always say thanks before getting off the bus.

[James_33]

austina35 said:

James_33 said:

There's a lot of people on here earning decent money, high positions within the companies they work for and i guess that can take its toll over time regardless of the money.

On the other end of the spectrum I don't earn a great deal of money (bus driver) but the stress and anger is off the charts sometimes, unrealistic times to stick to, public who feel that they can offload any abuse directly at you and you can't do a thing about it because the company will always take the publics side as they hate bad press, corporate bks that gets dished out to us all pretending to care when we all know differently, treated as nothing but a number because we are easily replaceable and that for some of us makes us feel worthless, the amount of times i have thought about just jacking it in with nothing to go to i simply can't count but if it wasn't for having young kids and other commitments I'd probably take the gamble and leave.

I admire you for doing the job you do. Nobody should have to put up with verbal nonsense at work. On the rare occasions I travel on a bus, I always say thanks before getting off the bus.

It's always appreciated when people say thanks, at least by me anyway, but the job itself is awful, it's bad enough driving when in a car sometimes but driving something like a bus where the driving style is completely different makes a job which should be relatively easy more difficult, however over the years the amount of abuse i have received for simply doing my job has took its toll on me and turned me into a person who has a negative outlook on life.

I envy anyone who loves getting up to go to work because they love their job, but having read most of this thread it's apparent that earning big money doesn't always generate happiness with their job? Maybe as time has gone on from when people first started out in their careers that demands have got bigger and the stress etc has gotten much bigger with it.

[RabidGranny]

James_33 said:

austina35 said:

James_33 said:

There's a lot of people on here earning decent money, high positions within the companies they work for and i guess that can take its toll over time regardless of the money.

On the other end of the spectrum I don't earn a great deal of money (bus driver) but the stress and anger is off the charts sometimes, unrealistic times to stick to, public who feel that they can offload any abuse directly at you and you can't do a thing about it because the company will always take the publics side as they hate bad press, corporate bks that gets dished out to us all pretending to care when we all know differently, treated as nothing but a number because we are easily replaceable and that for some of us makes us feel worthless, the amount of times i have thought about just jacking it in with nothing to go to i simply can't count but if it wasn't for having young kids and other commitments I'd probably take the gamble and leave.

I admire you for doing the job you do. Nobody should have to put up with verbal nonsense at work. On the rare occasions I travel on a bus, I always say thanks before getting off the bus.

It's always appreciated when people say thanks, at least by me anyway, but the job itself is awful, it's bad enough driving when in a car sometimes but driving something like a bus where the driving style is completely different makes a job which should be relatively easy more difficult, however over the years the amount of abuse i have received for simply doing my job has took its toll on me and turned me into a person who has a negative outlook on life.

I envy anyone who loves getting up to go to work because they love their job, but having read most of this thread it's apparent that earning big money doesn't always generate happiness with their job? Maybe as time has gone on from when people first started out in their careers that demands have got bigger and the stress etc has gotten much bigger with it.

I think in our fathers time, it was simply a case of 'getting on with it' whereas nowadays people are less likely to adopt such a benign attitude. People are more mindful of their health nowadays and the pressures associated with being on the hamster wheel. Money doesnt cure these issues by and large.

[James_33]

RabidGranny said:

James_33 said:

austina35 said:

James_33 said:

There's a lot of people on here earning decent money, high positions within the companies they work for and i guess that can take its toll over time regardless of the money.

On the other end of the spectrum I don't earn a great deal of money (bus driver) but the stress and anger is off the charts sometimes, unrealistic times to stick to, public who feel that they can offload any abuse directly at you and you can't do a thing about it because the company will always take the publics side as they hate bad press, corporate bks that gets dished out to us all pretending to care when we all know differently, treated as nothing but a number because we are easily replaceable and that for some of us makes us feel worthless, the amount of times i have thought about just jacking it in with nothing to go to i simply can't count but if it wasn't for having young kids and other commitments I'd probably take the gamble and leave.

I admire you for doing the job you do. Nobody should have to put up with verbal nonsense at work. On the rare occasions I travel on a bus, I always say thanks before getting off the bus.

It's always appreciated when people say thanks, at least by me anyway, but the job itself is awful, it's bad enough driving when in a car sometimes but driving something like a bus where the driving style is completely different makes a job which should be relatively easy more difficult, however over the years the amount of abuse i have received for simply doing my job has took its toll on me and turned me into a person who has a negative outlook on life.

I envy anyone who loves getting up to go to work because they love their job, but having read most of this thread it's apparent that earning big money doesn't always generate happiness with their job? Maybe as time has gone on from when people first started out in their careers that demands have got bigger and the stress etc has gotten much bigger with it.

I think in our fathers time, it was simply a case of 'getting on with it' whereas nowadays people are less likely to adopt such a benign attitude. People are more mindful of their health nowadays and the pressures associated with being on the hamster wheel. Money doesnt cure these issues by and large.

Agreed

[h0b0]

End of June 2023 I had to make a choice. Turn up to work on Monday and continue being miserable or walk away with no leads on another job going into an uncertain job market. My wife was away with my daughter that Friday. I went for a walk and did some thinking. I am naturally a brutally logical person but my job had become so overwhelming logic had gone out of the window. Within seconds I knew I had to walk away from the job. I sent my wife a text message to let her know I was handing in my resignation. I had ChatGPT write the letter and emailed it to my boss. (For a load of convoluted reasons, that was me giving the company two fingers)

This was not a snap decision though. I had been messed about financially twice. There's a saying fool me once, shame on you... Without naming the company, I will say they are FAANG (I hate that term) and the normal tenure was 24 months. I was in for 3 years and that was considered crazy long. I would guess less than 5% are in for as long as I was. The benefit of being messed around for money was that I did not have enough in the pot to buy the car I wanted, but I could afford life for 12 months. They effectively funded me walking away. If they had paid me in full it would have been spent and I could not afford to meet my own financial commitments without a job.

It has not been a smooth ride. With the exception of one opportunity that I knew would not happen until 2024, there was nothing. The last company offered to make things right several times. I had to reject them over and over again. Those in the industry will know how crazy that is with no job to go to..

I wanted to be financial responsible so my spending has dropped massively.

However, the week after I had finished I sent a message to an old manager. I did not expect him to reply really. I was surprised when, almost immediately I got a response. We have been speaking since and this week I have been offered a job starting in February. The terms are better than what I was on and I am happy.

There has been some incredible benefits from being out of work. I have a new appreciation for money. In truth, I was eating out 2-3 times a day. Most nights we would eat as a family, but it would have been delivered from a local restaurant. My wife and I did not have the capacity to work long hours and cook. We have not had delivery for 7 months. My wife an I have only been to one restaurant and that was for her birthday. I can think again. The constant headache and brain fog has gone. The light bulb in the garage that was blown for 18 months has been changed. I took up tennis. I am st. I rode my bike more in the last 6 months than in the first 10 years of owning it. We cancelled all paid for summer activities for the kids and I spent all day messing around with them on adventures to local streams or pools. I was a 44 year old kid skipping stones. Since school went back I have spent the mornings before school having fun with my daughter (my son goes very early). I am so grateful that I have had this time with her at 10 because I know she will probably hate me in a couple of years being a teenage girl.

Now the full disclosure part so people do not think I am suggesting they walk out of their job without a plan. I had savings that had been built up for a frivolous purpose but were used to allow me to continue contributing as if I still had a job. Also, my family live a frugal lifestyle relative to income. With the exception of 2012 when we built a house, we have always been able to live the same lifestyle on one wage. So if I had to, I could be out of work for as long as required. I know this is not the reality for most and I appreciate how fortunate I am. This took away all stress.

Good luck to those who find them in desperate places and know you can get out.

[James_33]

I sit here at going up for 5am contemplating whether i want to go into work this morning or at all, my situation is we would struggle hard if i quit, the Mrs would be extremely angry too i guess, but what do you do when the job has such a massive negative impact on how you are to where it makes you feel ill?

Edited by James_33 on Thursday 25th January 05:13

[GiantEnemyCrab]

James_33 said:

I sit here at going up for 5am contemplating whether i want to go into work this morning or at all, my situation is we would struggle hard if i quit, the Mrs would be extremely angry too i guess, but what do you do when the job has such a massive negative impact on how you are to where it makes you feel ill?

Edited by James_33 on Thursday 25th January 05:13

You quit.

Missus being angry is secondary issue. You'll find something else.

[jasonrobertson86]

James_33 said:

I sit here at going up for 5am contemplating whether i want to go into work this morning or at all, my situation is we would struggle hard if i quit, the Mrs would be extremely angry too i guess, but what do you do when the job has such a massive negative impact on how you are to where it makes you feel ill?

Edited by James_33 on Thursday 25th January 05:13

Well, can you bear it long enough to find something else?

[RabidGranny]

GiantEnemyCrab said:

James_33 said:

I sit here at going up for 5am contemplating whether i want to go into work this morning or at all, my situation is we would struggle hard if i quit, the Mrs would be extremely angry too i guess, but what do you do when the job has such a massive negative impact on how you are to where it makes you feel ill?

Edited by James_33 on Thursday 25th January 05:13

You quit.

Missus being angry is secondary issue. You'll find something else.

it might be worth opening up and discussing the job and the current situation you find yourself in with her and make sure she leaves the discussing knowing completely how you actually feel ie leave no ambiguity and also what your intentions are. she has a choice to back you or back the money. as discussed money doesnt buy happiness and could potentially lead to further misery. so evaluate this with her and do some research as to the jobs market etc to see what the alternatives are.

[gangzoom]

This is an interesting watch.

https://youtu.be/eSWwIQzKsbY?si=0_PBEyE6WqoDAsWC

Equality interesting reading.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/adriangostick/2023/08...

The summary seem to be your job and certainly 'wealth' has little impact on happiness.

[The OG Jester]

Handed my notice in today, 3 months notice period and I have no where to go.

I know I'll find something and it's giving me an extra impotence to do it.

It was pretty empowering handing my notice in. I was asked where I was going (as if it was a competitor, potential garden leave) but telling them I have nothing lined up and the place has broken me felt amazing.

The look of disbelief was wonderful for me. I have savings tucked away catering for THE WORST CASE but I'm more confident now that my skills will be snapped up elsewhere.

[mcdk2]

The OG Jester said:

Handed my notice in today, 3 months notice period and I have no where to go.

I know I'll find something and it's giving me an extra impotence to do it.

It was pretty empowering handing my notice in. I was asked where I was going (as if it was a competitor, potential garden leave) but telling them I have nothing lined up and the place has broken me felt amazing.

The look of disbelief was wonderful for me. I have savings tucked away catering for THE WORST CASE but I'm more confident now that my skills will be snapped up elsewhere.

Do something special and memorable with the time between jobs. You might regret it if you miss the opportunity!

[RabidGranny]

The OG Jester said:

Handed my notice in today, 3 months notice period and I have no where to go.

I know I'll find something and it's giving me an extra impotence to do it.

It was pretty empowering handing my notice in. I was asked where I was going (as if it was a competitor, potential garden leave) but telling them I have nothing lined up and the place has broken me felt amazing.

The look of disbelief was wonderful for me. I have savings tucked away catering for THE WORST CASE but I'm more confident now that my skills will be snapped up elsewhere.

Echoing the previous post, don't spend the time just burrowing away looking for jobs, go and and do something worthwhile and make the downtime worth it and memorable,

[Mabozza]

The OG Jester said:

Handed my notice in today, 3 months notice period and I have no where to go.

I know I'll find something and it's giving me an extra impotence to do it.

It was pretty empowering handing my notice in. I was asked where I was going (as if it was a competitor, potential garden leave) but telling them I have nothing lined up and the place has broken me felt amazing.

The look of disbelief was wonderful for me. I have savings tucked away catering for THE WORST CASE but I'm more confident now that my skills will be snapped up elsewhere.

Good on you Jester!

Please keep us updated on your journey, your posts, and others resonate deeply with myself

Edited by Mabozza on Saturday 27th January 10:40

[BigMon]

I think I'm another one who is rapidly approaching this milestone too at age 51.

Been in my current post 3 and a bit years, and the last six months\year have been pretty bad. Our big boss runs the department on favouritism which means the 'chosen one' gets all the best plum jobs, and just got a 100% pay rise despite having almost no experience while the rest of us just sit there. If I wasn't involved in it then it would be comical really. Almost like they're running a trial on which strategies can reduce morale to zero.

My mate on the team calls us 'mushrooms' (kept in the dark and fed on st).

The only positive is I can walk to work. If I had a car I think I would have left by now.

When you're daydreaming about how what you'd say when you handed your notice in then it's probably safe to say you should go really.

[Danny4494]

The amount of people in a similar position on here is surprising,

I’m in a similar position couple of businesses I tried to set up that started going quite well ended badly during the whole Covid situation since then a family friend (that term is loose more of a friend of a friend of someone my dad knows) who owns a medium sized second had car sales around 50 cars, said I could come and help him out if I wanted just sales and admin etc sorting customer finance, adverts etc.

Been here for 2 years now, one of the valets left about a year ago so naturally got asked here and there just give that a quick valet, wash this off or that off, now I spend most of my days doing auction runs and valets, still drop in on car sales when customers turn up etc, but not very often no incentive either to be honest no commissions etc.

Never had a contract etc just fill out self assessment for self employed so not earning pension, no holiday pay etc, often get told I’m not needed or needed with less than 12 hours notice (got told today not needed now Tuesday Wednesday but they might need me Thursday they will let me know Wednesday night), recently been struggling just to make ends meet only getting 3-4 days a week so dipping in the savings to make ends meet not ideal and the savings are nearly gone now.

Feel lost not sure what to do or where to go, never felt better than when I was running my business the drive and ambition is something I don’t think I will ever get from a regular 9-5, I will be leaving this job as soon as I get a plan.

Strange analogy but bear with me, did you ever loose your parent in the supermarket when you were a kid that sheer panic you felt of not knowing what to do where to go, that’s what I feel like an adult lost in a big supermarket of life.

Can honestly say I have never been so miserable