Leaving a job on a whim...

colm_gti

I'm in a bit of a funny situation and could use some experienced advice.

I've been in a job for exactly 9 months now, my first proper full time job since I finished studying in September. I was quite lucky, I didn't have much time between finishing and securing this job, which is relatively confidence inspiring.

However, it is not particularly related to my degree or masters, and 9 months on I genuinely feel sick at the thoughts of going in most mornings. The people I work with are fine, I get along with everyone, but the nature of the work is demoralising and downright upsetting. On the plus side it has taught me a lot of things, including my own personal values.

I have a few interviews happening, which is good, but no solid offers of yet. In the meantime, I am at the end of my tether with my current job, and cannot take much more of it. I would be much happier scraping by walking dogs until I secure something I could see myself doing more long term.

My question to you, am I foolish to leave? Does it look bad to leave a job because it's making you deeply unhappy? Will potential employers look upon it as an issue with me?

Worth noting also that I am not living in Ireland at the minute, but in a city with an economy not hit by any form of recession, with a lot of places crying out for part-time support...

ComputerKing

Don't leave your current job until you have a new job lined up.

InReality

I hated my first job , aimed to be there a year and got fired about 9 months in.
If it was me I'd wait until I had a new job , and I'd try not to over-think the current one.
Try for a year anyhow looks better on the CV.

my teapot is orange

I can definitely relate to this. From personal experience, I think that when you want to do something, it can be easy to exaggerate the arguments in favour of it and minimize the dangers. My thoughts would be that you should not leave until you have a new job. If you are correct that your area is not particularly recession-hit and places are crying out for part-time support, then if you accelerate your job hunting, you will be in your new job fairly quickly. If you are not correct about those things, you will be glad you held onto this one. Also, keep professional and perform to the best of your ability until the end. Don't mentally "check-out" because your plan is to leave. You will want a reference at least, and you never know, there may be some surprise promotion or internal move that makes you happier if you're identified as particularly good.

December2012

If lots of places are looking for part time support then get one of those jobs before leaving this one.

ABajaninCork

It's horrible, but try to hang in there until you get something better. Remember - it's easier to find work, when you have a job, than if you don't.

Are you in the UK, OP? DWP will not pay you if you've walked off the job!

colm_gti

Thanks for all of your input.

To put it into better perspective I should probably refrain from being so ambiguous, I doubt any of my colleagues check boards.ie all to often...

I'm educated to masters level in the life sciences, and am working in commission based, sales type role in London.

I would normally agree with holding onto a job until another is secured, but I am not an aggressive sales person, and am being pushed to do just that, which is getting me very down. I'm not going to lie, I'm not doing well here because it's not in my nature to work in that way. It's hard to bring myself to go in and cold call people when I know I will be faced with the same objections, and not intending to build a career out of it.

tenifan

colm_gti wrote: »

I would normally agree with holding onto a job until another is secured, but I am not an aggressive sales person, and am being pushed to do just that, which is getting me very down. I'm not going to lie, I'm not doing well here because it's not in my nature to work in that way. It's hard to bring myself to go in and cold call people when I know I will be faced with the same objections, and not intending to build a career out of it.

Get good at it. it's a life skill. Just like you're selling stuff to them, in a real job you'll be trying to influence co-workers, managers and customers.
The only objection really is if you're selling absolute crap and you have a moral objection. But I don't think it's enough to leave a job because you don't like it. It's your first real job after and you'll find it a lot easier to sail into a new job with a good reference than to try to explain a gap on your cv and the reason you left a decent job.

Itsallrelative

There's two important questions here:
1) Just how unhappy/sick/miserable is this job making you?
2) Can you afford to be unemployed for potentially several months (and possibly end up having to move home)?

If the answers are 1) very and 2) yes I can handle that, then seriously consider it. Just be realistic and realise that it might not be so easy to find a job this time around. London feels very bustling and prosperous, but the UK definitely hasn't escaped the recession so make sure you have your eyes wide open when making your decision.

colm_gti wrote: »

I would be much happier scraping by walking dogs until I secure something I could see myself doing more long term.

If this is a valid option, then try lining up some dog walking to tide you over whilst you search for a 'proper' job. If you're desperate to get out of where you are now it can come across in interviews, but also it colours your decisions, making it more likely for you to walk out of one terrible job and straight into another.

Thargor

Im in a very similar position aswell except Ive been doing it for 3.5 years, life sciences aswell and not very closely related to my degree but Ive had one interview in 3 years so still going in in the mornings, thinking of just jacking it in and going traveling for a year but don't have the courage. I look back on the year I spent on the dole in Galway after graduating with real nostalgia like it was the high point of my life Im so sick of this job.