scared to leave:(

jellybee

Hey guys,
Im looking for some advice. I have been in my job nearly 6 years. it is very demanding and stressful. I am part of a team of 8 staff including a manager. I have a degree in social studies which I feel is rather useless as there are very few jobs in that area I would like. I feel trapped. If I leave I don't know what I would do. I would have no money and can't afford to go back to college full time. I'm starting a new part-time course in March but I'm even unsure of that. I am nearly 29 and feel I have wasted my twenties in this job. The pressure to have a career for myself sorted is immense. Yet I really don't want to do a course thats going to take 4 years of my life. I guess I just don't know what I want:(

Opinions and advice greatly appreciated:)
Thanks.

Zon

My opinion -

Leave your job, you only have one life, you will be happier once you do this.

Sign on JSB, Start looking into back to education allowance & college courses

Think hard about what you really want to do with your life, anything you want to be & just go for it, 4 years or not. This is the correct thing to do. You can be whatever you want. Nothing is impossible

Complete opposite to the guy above.

Stick in your job - but get another job whilst still being employed. You'll also be worth more if you do this. (future contract will be better)

We all feel like you do at times but please look around and seek before you just leap, it's horribly difficult to find a job at the moment for most people.

Have a goal and go achieve it.

Zon

On reflection, you're right in regards to leaving her job, that was terrible advice, I don't know what came over me. The rest still stands though.

jellybee

Zon, your first post is what I believe but Im terrribly cautious which is why I'm still stuck. I know I'm going to have to stick it out. A nice private sector job where you didn't feel responsible for other peoples lives:). Oh and not feeling like you're going to be fired for being out sick!
What is the JSB?

Zon

jellybee wrote: »

Zon, your first post is what I believe but Im terrribly cautious which is why I'm still stuck. I know I'm going to have to stick it out. A nice private sector job where you didn't feel responsible for other peoples lives:). Oh and not feeling like you're going to be fired for being out sick!
What is the JSB?

JSB Stands for Job Seekers Benefit, you should be entitled to it if you have been working, as opposed to JSA aka " The Dole". I believe they're paid at the same rate €196. Then if you wanted to go to college, you should (theoretically) be eligible for BTEA. It's also paid @ the same rate as JSB/JSA.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/jobseekers_allowance.html

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/JobseekerSupports/jobseekersbenefit/Pages/jb.aspx

Whatever you decide, I wish you good luck

jellybee

Woops. 3 't's in 'terrible' . Thanks Zon .

Zon

No problem

jamas

Re JSB, if you leave your job voluntairly there is a "cooling off" period before you will be eligible for a SW payment. The State will argue that while they have an onus to support someone who has lost their job through no fault of their own, they do not have to support someone who has resigned. There is also a requirement that you are genuinely seeking work. BTW in 2011 JSB has gone down to 188 per week for an adult.

eire2009

There is no gain without pain..

Better off with night study these days, any job is worth more than any qualification without experience..

fret_wimp2

i was in this position about 12 months ago. hated my job, wated out, saw nothing good on the horizon, but was afraid to leave as any job is better than no job, and i need to live.

Instead of leaving i decided to make my job better. I changed my attitude. instead of seeing people around me as barriers or troublesome, i started to find ways around their obstacles.

instead of seeing the system as a way of controlling me, i started using it to get stuff done.

I now have a much more interesting job, even though i never moved roles. I forced my job to become a better role, and in the process convinced managment i have drive and ability.

this may be difficult, but is not impossible.

if your not up for leaving your job, then this might be a good exercise for you.

jellybee

Unfortunately Eire I can't do night classes. I work shifts so any time I want off has to be booked in advance. As I have already requested time off for a course in March I can't ask for anymore:(. Its not annual leave, its me saying to my manager 'can i have every thursday evening off for the next year'. Impossible.

jellybee

Thank You Fret. Good advice and something I have not thought about. I'm so caught up in negativity surrounding what I do that maybe an attitude change is the way to go. Are you content in your job now Fret?

eire2009

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

i was in this position about 12 months ago. hated my job, wated out, saw nothing good on the horizon, but was afraid to leave as any job is better than no job, and i need to live.

Instead of leaving i decided to make my job better. I changed my attitude. instead of seeing people around me as barriers or troublesome, i started to find ways around their obstacles.

instead of seeing the system as a way of controlling me, i started using it to get stuff done.

I now have a much more interesting job, even though i never moved roles. I forced my job to become a better role, and in the process convinced managment i have drive and ability.

this may be difficult, but is not impossible.

if your not up for leaving your job, then this might be a good exercise for you.

I totally agree, there’s a very big chance you`ll run into the same problems in another job as well..

Unless you want to change direction altogether .. If you work shift there may be a chance of using that time to study for something most of those night courses can be done by self study there’s no obligation to go every week.. You’d just need to pass the exams.

jamas

A lot of colleges now offer distance learning, where you work on line. There are occasional face to face tutorials, and a lot of web based discussions etc. It might be an option for you.

jamas

Just re reading your first post I was wondering if it would be worth your while investing in some lifecoaching. That might help you to figure out what you really want to do, in a way that fits in with your whole life and values.

Cute Hoor

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

i was in this position about 12 months ago. hated my job, wated out, saw nothing good on the horizon, but was afraid to leave as any job is better than no job, and i need to live.

Instead of leaving i decided to make my job better. I changed my attitude. instead of seeing people around me as barriers or troublesome, i started to find ways around their obstacles.

instead of seeing the system as a way of controlling me, i started using it to get stuff done.

I now have a much more interesting job, even though i never moved roles. I forced my job to become a better role, and in the process convinced managment i have drive and ability.

this may be difficult, but is not impossible.

if your not up for leaving your job, then this might be a good exercise for you.

This has to be a model answer and super advice. So many people seem to drift through jobs bemoaning their lot rather than grabbing the opportunity and making the most of it, and so much of it is down to attitude.

fret_wimp2

jellybee wrote: »

Thank You Fret. Good advice and something I have not thought about. I'm so caught up in negativity surrounding what I do that maybe an attitude change is the way to go. Are you content in your job now Fret?

Thanks guys. like yourself i was digging myself into a hole of negatity.
ITs not easy mind you, but persistence will help and if your collegues are any way decent they will see you are trying to improve things and go with it.

You ask am i content in my job now. I wouldnt say i absolutely love going to work. I dont spring out of bed at 7am singing and dancing! On the other hand, very few people do.

But what has changed is i dont hate going work now, and occasionally i do enjoy it when new things crop up and new areas for me to explore arise!

I think that if i moved jobs at the time when i felt the worst it would have made me feel better for 6-12 months and id get bogged down in the same crap again. Companies are all pretty similar. so to save having to look for another job, having to go through another probation period, losing a few years of service that would help in case of redunancy, i stayed. Yes, it was the right decision.

If your case is like me, then you dont hate your job, but your circumstance. you are stuck to that job/field/industry. You would rather do something completely different. Lot of risk in doing that in Ireland ( not in Sweeden, but we dont live there so what can you do!).

Outside of going back to college, changing fields, starting on the bottom rung again, try what i did for a year and see how it goes.

Best of luck.

jellybee

Thanks all for you're advice. I have applied for a new position so fingers crossed and I am going to seek the services of a career coach. It would be the wrong decision to leave without having another job lined up. I'll stick it out. Thanks especially too you fret:).

rosebery30

Regarding Job seekers Benefit I have a friend who is thinking about leaving her current job because it 50km per day and take 1hour to get too in good weather.(70euro p/w on petrol. nightmare getting to and from work in frost and during winter can take over 1.5hrs as it a secondary road which isnt treated with salt. yes there is another road but that could take up to two hours!cant b ringing n sick as employer wont put up with it which is fair enough and would mean leaving home at 6am she has a child so this wont work.
Now she wants to look for full time work in the city near where she lives which is 20mins driving from her house. it makes more sence to look for a job nearer home because fuel costs would be half and winter months wont b as stressful.
Would she qualify for JSB if she leaves? she is actively seeking full time employment nearer to home. she wants to work full time. she is considering all options because its a quick year and wants to have a plan b!
Cheers

Rowley Birkin QC

rosebery30 wrote: »

Regarding Job seekers Benefit I have a friend who is thinking about leaving her current job because it 50km per day and take 1hour to get too in good weather.(70euro p/w on petrol. nightmare getting to and from work in frost and during winter can take over 1.5hrs as it a secondary road which isnt treated with salt. yes there is another road but that could take up to two hours!cant b ringing n sick as employer wont put up with it which is fair enough and would mean leaving home at 6am she has a child so this wont work.
Now she wants to look for full time work in the city near where she lives which is 20mins driving from her house. it makes more sence to look for a job nearer home because fuel costs would be half and winter months wont b as stressful.
Would she qualify for JSB if she leaves? she is actively seeking full time employment nearer to home. she wants to work full time. she is considering all options because its a quick year and wants to have a plan b!
Cheers

Why doesn't she move closer to her employment?

rosebery30

she is married in has a mortgage. her husband works near where they live.

wmpdd3

fron citizens information:

Loss of employment

You must have suffered a substantial loss of employment in any period of six consecutive days in order to be eligible for Jobseeker's Benefit. This means, you must have lost at least one day's employment and as a result of this loss be unemployed for at least 3 days out of 6 days. Your earnings must also have been reduced because of the loss of employment. You may be disqualified from getting Jobseeker's Benefit for 9 weeks if you:

Left work voluntarily and without a reasonable cause
Lost your job through misconduct
Refused an offer of suitable alternative employment or suitable training
Are aged under 55 and get a redundancy payment of more than €50,000. The exact length of your disqualification (up to nine weeks) will in practice, depend on the precise amount of redundancy payment you received - see below


i think you cant claim for 9 weeks but may be wrong

jamas

My first reaction is that it is much easier to get a job when you have a job. Also there is a waiting period of at least 9 weeks for JSB if you leave your job voluntairily. The weather will hopefully improve soon, and the journey won't be so stressful, and she can concentrate on getting a job closer to home.

rosebery30

Was talking to her last nite about this in she was saying the same thing it's easier get a job when u have a job. Weather picking up now n hopefully she can find something nearer home n the next few months. She's gonna stay put :0)