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Switching Jobs

clownish

just clowning around
I worked for a failed start up when I graduated in 2010. Needless to say, I didn't make a lot of money, but the payout from leaving was okay. Been working for a middle sized company since then. For me, having never worked in a corporate job, I find things a little stressful when I was working in the office every day. Since my first year there, I've switched to remote working about 1-2 days a week, which makes things much more manageable. I've been here about 2.5 years now and I would definitely make a change - I don't like hanging out with any of my co-workers, I find the company culture extremely stale, and the work itself is totally unfufilling. Plus I'm working 100+ work weeks - the time to start looking is right now, even though the compensation is okay!! I've got a huge project launching in a week and after that I will be searching for a new job asap... Don't stay where you don't like it.
 

nuggstein

Go Kart Champion
I worked for a failed start up when I graduated in 2010. Needless to say, I didn't make a lot of money, but the payout from leaving was okay. Been working for a middle sized company since then. For me, having never worked in a corporate job, I find things a little stressful when I was working in the office every day. Since my first year there, I've switched to remote working about 1-2 days a week, which makes things much more manageable. I've been here about 2.5 years now and I would definitely make a change - I don't like hanging out with any of my co-workers, I find the company culture extremely stale, and the work itself is totally unfufilling. Plus I'm working 100+ work weeks - the time to start looking is right now, even though the compensation is okay!! I've got a huge project launching in a week and after that I will be searching for a new job asap... Don't stay where you don't like it.
I don't understand how people can work that many hours. I don't even understand 40. How do people live lives? I need my sleep too. I can't function properly on lack of slep. I mean, sure, more power to you...but to anyone who just lives to work...I will never understand. I hate working overtime, especially when I don't get paid extra because I'm salaried. I hate working late because then I'll miss my source of transportation if I didn't drive in, and I'll start getting anxious. Plus there are so few hours in the day when you get home, it's just very depressing. I hate the possibility of having to work on a weekend. I hate that we get so few vacation days...looking at Europe they get like an entire month not including holidays and whatnot. Looking into the future, if I were to have a family with kids, I don't understand how anything is feasible or manageable.

When my mom was my age (I'm 25), she was able to get a job right out of college, get her own place, and save money for house. I don't even know how it's possible to save money ... yeah I know I have a car and whatever, I can afford it, but aside from that, after other expenses and whatever...I don't know how people do it without being in tons of debt. My only debt is student debt, which is almost paid off. I don't consider my car debt, because I can always sell it.
 
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v-dug

Go Kart Champion
If you loved your job/company, I'd tell you to go out and make new friends. Sometimes old friends hold you back in life, or more accurately, you can hold yourself back by being afraid of letting go of the past.

HOWEVER, that doesn't appear to be your case. Sounds like you aren't fulfilled by work or non-work time where you're at, so you should be looking. I wouldn't make going back to your hometown a requirement, but if you find something close enough to see everyone more often, that's a bonus.

Also, consider this: at least in IT, moving from company to company is often a good way to not only increase your experience, but increase your salary. Staying at the same company for many years (10-20) usually means slower salary growth. It's not looked at as a bad thing to move in 2 or 3 years. Now, moving every 6 months, 12 months, 18 months repeatedly...might look suspicious. Take that from a senior manager.
 

jnj2455

Ready to race!
I don't understand how people can work that many hours. I don't even understand 40. How do people live lives? I need my sleep too. I can't function properly on lack of slep. I mean, sure, more power to you...but to anyone who just lives to work...I will never understand. I hate working overtime, especially when I don't get paid extra because I'm salaried. I hate working late because then I'll miss my source of transportation if I didn't drive in, and I'll start getting anxious. Plus there are so few hours in the day when you get home, it's just very depressing. I hate the possibility of having to work on a weekend. I hate that we get so few vacation days...looking at Europe they get like an entire month not including holidays and whatnot. Looking into the future, if I were to have a family with kids, I don't understand how anything is feasible or manageable.

It's part of the fucked up world that we are in today with the amount of connectivity that we have. For a while, my role in my project required me to do avg. 55 hour weeks and I was BURNT out. And the sad thing, I know certain people easily eclipse 55 hours like its nothing. My work phone is always blowing up even after hours. I just leave it in my briefcase and try to enjoy my evening. I also try to get into work by like 7/730 and leave early so I can enjoy my evening especially during the warm months.

Though 100+ hours in a week is extreme.
 

clownish

just clowning around
I don't understand how people can work that many hours. I don't even understand 40. How do people live lives? I need my sleep too. I can't function properly on lack of sleep. I mean, sure, more power to you...but to anyone who just lives to work...I will never understand. I hate working overtime, especially when I don't get paid extra because I'm salaried. I hate working late because then I'll miss my source of transportation if I didn't drive in, and I'll start getting anxious. Plus there are so few hours in the day when you get home, it's just very depressing. I hate the possibility of having to work on a weekend. I hate that we get so few vacation days...looking at Europe they get like an entire month not including holidays and whatnot. Looking into the future, if I were to have a family with kids, I don't understand how anything is feasible or manageable.

When my mom was my age (I'm 25), she was able to get a job right out of college, get her own place, and save money for house. I don't even know how it's possible to save money ... yeah I know I have a car and whatever, I can afford it, but aside from that, after other expenses and whatever...I don't know how people do it without being in tons of debt. My only debt is student debt, which is almost paid off. I don't consider my car debt, because I can always sell it.

I work that much but its not always 100+... just like everything it goes in waves. However, I've never worked less than 50 hours a week. Ever. It's just normal now. I compensate by asking for raises more than twice a year and taking random days off where I ignore work things for 24 hours. I also get a solid amount of PTO. I have had title changes 4 times in the last 2.5 years, and I do not sleep a lot... I figure I'm young and I've got the time to burn at both ends right now so that in my 30s I can slow up and chill out a bit. It's the nature of my job right now, since I work at a smaller international company so people need things 24/7.

I also work two jobs and only one of them is that many hours. The other one is fortunately hobby-related so its hella fun but obviously it gets far less attention... Wish I made money at it so I could do that more.
 

mkvince

Go Kart Champion
Some people enjoy living by themselves after graduating college and working. Some don't. Your case is the latter. You want to be closer to the family and the girlfriend. My advice is continue working at the current company and seek for other opportunities near home. Once you get new job offers, make sure you weight all the factors and sometimes you have to balance things out. You may not get everything you want, and make your decision from there. It's understandable that you have a good job now and don't want to give it up, but there are plenty of other opportunities out there. You won't find out until you try it out. My philosophy is "you work to live, not live to work". Good luck!
 

NYCSuits

Go Kart Champion
If you loved your job/company, I'd tell you to go out and make new friends. Sometimes old friends hold you back in life, or more accurately, you can hold yourself back by being afraid of letting go of the past.

HOWEVER, that doesn't appear to be your case. Sounds like you aren't fulfilled by work or non-work time where you're at, so you should be looking. I wouldn't make going back to your hometown a requirement, but if you find something close enough to see everyone more often, that's a bonus.

Also, consider this: at least in IT, moving from company to company is often a good way to not only increase your experience, but increase your salary. Staying at the same company for many years (10-20) usually means slower salary growth. It's not looked at as a bad thing to move in 2 or 3 years. Now, moving every 6 months, 12 months, 18 months repeatedly...might look suspicious. Take that from a senior manager.

Yea I don't love my company...I don't like what they have become over time. Some of my best co-workers (4 of them) quit and found better jobs elsewhere...However, they had a leg up on me...they went to law school which advances your career greatly. I would most likely have to change my field of work.

Don't "burn any bridges" on your way out. Grass may be greener; or you may find out it isn't.

Just be honest with them; learned a lot, great experience for you and glad you could help the company, just looking to get closer to home now as you miss friends/family, etc.

Believe it or not even large companies are generally pretty easy to work with on departures when you are up front about reasons (and they aren't hits against the company).

I'm not looking to burn bridges but I know quite a few people who left my company who wouldn't hesitate to write me a recommendation/use as a reference. They now hold job titles leagues better than what they previously had.

Some people enjoy living by themselves after graduating college and working. Some don't. Your case is the latter. You want to be closer to the family and the girlfriend. My advice is continue working at the current company and seek for other opportunities near home. Once you get new job offers, make sure you weight all the factors and sometimes you have to balance things out. You may not get everything you want, and make your decision from there. It's understandable that you have a good job now and don't want to give it up, but there are plenty of other opportunities out there. You won't find out until you try it out. My philosophy is "you work to live, not live to work". Good luck!


Yea, that's what I concluded. I grew up in NYC and I'm ready to go back. Just have to figure out how to go about it and where to start looking
 

Gunkata

Drag Race Newbie
yep, agreed with mkvince for sure.. whatever you do, NEVER leave a job w/o having a new one first/lined up.. I've seen people FUCK their life up BAD, when doing that.. esp the last few years, you cannot assume that you will land something right away.. no matter how bad it is currently, always find new employment before you up and quit somewhere.
 

D Griff

Go Kart Champion
Don't "burn any bridges" on your way out. Grass may be greener; or you may find out it isn't.

Just be honest with them; learned a lot, great experience for you and glad you could help the company, just looking to get closer to home now as you miss friends/family, etc.

Believe it or not even large companies are generally pretty easy to work with on departures when you are up front about reasons (and they aren't hits against the company).

Definitely. I'm actually going to visit my old job later today just to say hi to my coworkers. I left on great terms and it's always better that way.

I don't understand how people can work that many hours. I don't even understand 40. How do people live lives? I need my sleep too. I can't function properly on lack of slep. I mean, sure, more power to you...but to anyone who just lives to work...I will never understand. I hate working overtime, especially when I don't get paid extra because I'm salaried. I hate working late because then I'll miss my source of transportation if I didn't drive in, and I'll start getting anxious. Plus there are so few hours in the day when you get home, it's just very depressing. I hate the possibility of having to work on a weekend. I hate that we get so few vacation days...looking at Europe they get like an entire month not including holidays and whatnot. Looking into the future, if I were to have a family with kids, I don't understand how anything is feasible or manageable.

When my mom was my age (I'm 25), she was able to get a job right out of college, get her own place, and save money for house. I don't even know how it's possible to save money ... yeah I know I have a car and whatever, I can afford it, but aside from that, after other expenses and whatever...I don't know how people do it without being in tons of debt. My only debt is student debt, which is almost paid off. I don't consider my car debt, because I can always sell it.

nuggstein

I totally agree though, my new job has taken over my life a lot of the time. I should have anticipated it more, since I'm traveling 90% of the time, they sort of own your time when you're on the road because you can never really leave things at work and go home. I'm not someone who loves working, I love spending time with friends and family and doing cool things. That said, my job is interesting and great experience, the people at the company are cool and I'm getting to see tons of places so I'm sticking it out for a while.

If you loved your job/company, I'd tell you to go out and make new friends. Sometimes old friends hold you back in life, or more accurately, you can hold yourself back by being afraid of letting go of the past.

HOWEVER, that doesn't appear to be your case. Sounds like you aren't fulfilled by work or non-work time where you're at, so you should be looking. I wouldn't make going back to your hometown a requirement, but if you find something close enough to see everyone more often, that's a bonus.

Also, consider this: at least in IT, moving from company to company is often a good way to not only increase your experience, but increase your salary. Staying at the same company for many years (10-20) usually means slower salary growth. It's not looked at as a bad thing to move in 2 or 3 years. Now, moving every 6 months, 12 months, 18 months repeatedly...might look suspicious. Take that from a senior manager.

Really good advice here. Never be afraid to make new friends in a new place, but I can relate to it being tougher in your 20s. It was so easy to make friends while in school, sometimes I feel like I don't have any around me anymore since most of my close buddies live all over the country. But you just have to make the best of it.

As for changing companies somewhat often… it's definitely worked for me in terms of making more dough. When I switched over to this job three months ago I ended up getting a 30% bump in pay.

yep, agreed with mkvince for sure.. whatever you do, NEVER leave a job w/o having a new one first/lined up.. I've seen people FUCK their life up BAD, when doing that.. esp the last few years, you cannot assume that you will land something right away.. no matter how bad it is currently, always find new employment before you up and quit somewhere.

Definitely this.
 
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