Career change?

[kirbyultra]

I'm in the airport getting ready to go home after my long vacation. I'm really dreading going back to work. I hate my job so much that I am ready to quit on any given day. The job is so draining of my personal life and taxing on my mental health! But it's high paying and it's the only job I've had since I graduated college about 4 years ago.

I don't have any children and I just have my Kirby bunny and my husband. I want to quit altogether and just take a long while to rest (or maybe think about what else I want to do in life). My husband says we can afford to do that. I really want to but am afraid with the way the economy is going that I should really help in saving as much as we can while we both still have our jobs. Hubby hates his job too. We do different things, but we work for the same company. We both realized while on vacation how much of ourselves we lose in our regular day-to-day lives because of our work. It's like we weren't living at all.

If I were to leave this job, I would never want to go back to this industry (finance)or do this line of work. Unfortunately, it's the only training and education I have. Th world is just too ugly here and I think my firm already pays more than any other in the industry for what I do. So it would be pointless to change jobs and do the same thing. But if I leave all of this, there'd be no question that I'd take a big paycut.

Has anyone done any major career change? Any words of encouragement? Any advice? I'm so torn about whether to stay or leave.

 

[Elf Mommy]

I would encourage you to stay on, honestly. This economy is nothing to sneeze at right now. Find personal outlets in other ways, like Kirby, and your husband, or some other personal hobby. There are billions of people out there in jobs they dislike, and there are millions more who can't find a job at all. You seem to have realized that the job is taking away from you as a person. Capitalize on that. Find moments for yourself every day. Now is not the time to throw a good job away and look for something new. If you want to change careers, start looking, training and doing something toward that end WHILE keeping the job you have. Be secure in what else you want to do, while maintaining the income you have, until you're ready to make the leap.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

^^^ I concur.
Is it possible to pursue company-financed educational opportunities? Workshops? Any additional education you can get out of them while there would increase your prospects if you decide to move on in the future.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I do defently keep your job Where I live mc donalds is on a hiring freeze. Times are hard I am a vet tech and cant find a job and there are always animals that need help. Thats how I looked at it when I chose this career.

But if times are tough more people are less likly to take there animal to the vet hense no work. Which means like when storm was cheezing I would have rushed him in then but I had to watch to make sure befor cause times are touch.



Anyway the minute you diside to Quit your husband may loose his job. Save now and work on your school for something else form home and relize what you have good cause many people are loosong everything.

 

[BethM]

I would agree with everyone who is advising you to keep your job for now.

Also, I would suggest looking into education right now for something you'd rather do, maybe take a class or two, and then when the economy gets better you will be more prepared to make a career change. I know how much it can suck when you hate your job, and if the economy were better I'd say go for it and quit. And as far as taking a paycut when you do change jobs, if you find something you really love, the pay cut will be easier to take. (As long as you're making enough to live on!) It will help to ease things later if you keep your better-paying job, for now.

 

[pamnock]

You have your entire life ahead of you and this career sounds dismal. If this job is draining you mentally and physically, maybe it's not the place to be. The stress can also be very draining on your marriage.

You have your husband's blessing and you are financially able to leave your career at this time. You also don't have children, which gives your more financial flexibility. Take your chance now. It's a career you can get back into if necessary (you may come to realize that it wasn't so bad after all). I've heard of many people who were glad they picked mental health over money.

I would also take into consideration whether or not you owe on student loans. If it were me, I'd probably want to pay off my student loads with the career my education was intended for. Also keep in mind that you are coming back from vacation - every dreads returning to their job at that point. Give this some thought to be sure you are making the right decision.

I did have a friend who went to college for graphic arts. She hated here career and went back to school for nursing, and has been in that field for over 20 years.

Keep us updated on how things are going. It'll be interesting to see which direction you've decided to take!

Pam

 

[kirbyultra]

Thanks everyone for their input! I really, really appreciate it. I have been spending a lot of time thinking about it the last two days (with jet lag and all, I have a LOT of nighttime hours to think!)...

I hear what everyone's saying about the economy and how tough it is out there. I found out they just fired 3 more people in my dept while I was gone on vacation and perhaps this week there will be another round (rumors and speculation, no one knows for sure). It literally means every single day is going to be that much harder with even fewer people to do the work our dept was meant to do. It was already "harder" since December, and it was really tough for me to drag my half dead body around until my vacation. But now..?

Ours is one of those that's gone over to India and that's why our company feels at liberty to fire over half our staff in a short amount of time. The problem is that every day when I go to work, I literally am still doing what I used to do plus teaching people how to do my job. It is so frustrating to hand over MY job in a gift package to a bunch of people I've never met who just doesn't seem to get it. And it drives me crazy, but for what? I know I am nothing but a number to my company now. We used to be a company that prized its "people" but we're all just numbers now. Nobody wants to do a good job anymore after we've all seen how it's all gone down the drain, but people still try out of fear for being the next out. I don't know whether they'll get rid of all of us eventually in favor of India (with the service they get from there I cannot imagine how, but then again logic just does not seem to apply anymore!).

Pamnock, BethM, I think you're right. I should start taking some classes. Any classes. I have no idea what else to do but I should at least make the effort to figure out what I do and don't want. Luckily neither myself nor my husband have student loans to pay off anymore. We both have separate mortgages to pay though Luckily, we both have enough saved currently to ride out a long while to be able to eat and still pay our monthly. At least we've done something right there.

I'm too chicken to quit outright, that's just me. Besides, why quit when they can fire me eventually and collect severance? I would be lying if I said I give the same 150% I did 4 years ago and every single day up until about a few months ago. Given how much I literally hate the place today, I'm giving the best that I can. I don't want to lose myself anymore. I really hate feeling like I'm selling my soul to the devil just to get a nice paycheck twice a month. What is the point of it when I get home so late that I only have half an hour to play with Kirby before showering, going to bed, and starting all over the next day? Kirby is all I have to make me happy. I can't stand it if they try to squeeze him out of my day too. ssd:

 

[BethM]

Maybe you'll get fired soon, and you'll be able to collect a severance? That might work out well for you.
My mom got laid off from a job several years ago (her whole department was cut), and her severance was 6 months pay, so it gave her plenty of time to look for something new. The severance pay was enough that she could take her time to find something she really liked, instead of just having to take the next job that came along.

 

[kirbyultra]

One can hope...

 

[slavetoabunny]

I feel for you. I don't hate my job, but I do hate driving 120 miles each day to/from work. Even if I could find work closer to home, it would pay about about 1/3 of what I make now. I will have my house paid off in November, which will broaden my options. I would definately hang in there and see if you get laid off so you can get severance and unemployment.

 

[kirbyultra]

Yikes that is a pretty long commute.