Quitting my job

LegacyUser

I posted in PI but I found this forum instead & think it is more suitable here.

I've been working in Canada for the guts of a year now & it has been a good experience up until recently. I'm on a career break from home, needed the break as I felt trapped in a job I couldn't progress in & that was where all my experience lay. I didn't quit it as I know how valuable it is to have a job & would like the safety of something to return to, when I come home from Canada.

Over here I got a job in a completely different field & loved it at first. 3months ago, I was promoted (well I was initially told my hours & pay were being extended & that they would find more things for me to do). Next thing I know, I find out(via an email that had me cc'd on it) that I was the office manager- despite no discussion of this with me. That wasn't a problem at all, in fact I felt proud that I had been promoted so quickly with so little experience. But I have no experience of this role & had they been upfront about the position with me, I would have declined it. I don't feel ready for the position.

Since then however, things have rapidly gone downhill. I feel I have been thrown into the deep end but I have been trying my best to swim. All the new responsibilities & deadlines that have been thrown at me are so overwhelming but I have been trying my best to keep on top of everything.

The stress of the past couple of months is the real problem- i've become a tearful, exhausted mess. I throw up every morning before work as my tummy is in knots. I feel on edge all day long in work & don't feel up to the job, nor do I want to work in the company anymore. I feel like a failure even though I haven't failed- i just realise the work/industry isn't for me. I'm getting panic attacks during the working day & at the weekends. I'm bringing work home with me & working late.

I'm currently on sick leave for a couple of days & on the verge of quitting. I didn't come to Canada to feel like this! I have a bit of money that I could travel on and feel this is what I want to do.

I've never quit a job before & don't really know how to go about it or explain myself. I don't want to leave the company in bad favour but I don't want to work there anymore. I want to quit sooner rather than later. I would work out my notice if I had too but I just don't know how to approach the HR manager & what reasons I'm giving

krd

If you keep pushing at it, you'll be surprised how much your stamina increases.

Think about what you're doing - cut out wastes of energy - focus more - if you're feeling too stressed just pull back a little. You'll eventually get a balance. You'll feel when you're going that little bit too much.

The great thing about stressful jobs like that is once you get a grip on it you'll find you can do so much more without having to kill yourself.

oxysept

Found myself in a similar situation a few years back - left a Job to progress - new job great, quickly turned out different than expected, worked all the hours I could to dig myself out - only dug in deeper - throwing up in the morning not sleeping fighting with friends & family - finally my father pointed out a few home truths - I didn't want to quit I never quit - if I quit I'll never get another job and other MAD totally IRRATIONAL thoughts I don't think i was far from doing something stupid.... took a while for the home truths to sink in, but one morning I decided not to go to work - relaxed for the day got my head together, next morning I phoned in & QUIT, didn't make a fuss but never went back, two weeks later I meet a HR rep from the company at a place of my choosing and had a very good and civil conversation explaining why.

I look back now 10 years later on that experience - yes I did learn from it, it toughened me up I've handled far more stressful jobs since (closed a plant putting 400 people out of work) & I have to admit that bad experience helped. But I have also come across others in this situation & I try to help when I can. My mistake was not communicating with my boss or seeking help from peers at work, I had this great new job & I could do it all. I dont blame teh company or my boss for t all, for elements of yes but I should have spoken up and asked for help, it can be hard to do but its what you have to do.

My advice is find someone at work to explain your situation to them, your boss if you can if not another supervisor / manager. Some times the act of having to organize your own thoughts & feelings and explain them to someone else will help you understand what you have to do for you.

After i quit I went to my Doc he told me take a few months off but I had a new Job within six weeks in the same field - i did four interviews with different companies 3 of them made offers to me I was very honest with them in the interviews as to what had happened all offers were a promotion and better jobs I was amazed, the company I accepted explained to me that I had learned a life lesson the hard way.... of course that was 10 years ago Jobs wre more plentiful.

Now I'm back at the very first company ......again..... very happy, at the top of my profession in Ireland.... well thought of by my peers, and wouldn't take much for me to move up a few more steps Internationally in the company, but I'm making sure I can handle things before I allow the to happen.

Be careful take care of yourself - try to understand what it is about the job you like & whats dragging you down in the job & please talk to someone.... and remember.....

WORK to live don't live to work...... there is more to life.