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Fed up with job want to switch to something more basic

loveisdivine

I want to preface this by saying I know that I'm the only one that can eventually make this decision (my husband is part of it too) and I'm basically just looking for some pro's con's, blunt truths etc. that might help me along the way to figure out what to do.

I've been doing the same office based job for about 10 years now, both here in Ireland and in the UK.

To say I'm bored of it is a complete understatement. It's not challenging, it's not fulfilling/stimulating and is in no way satisfying.

One of biggest problems is I'm sick of sitting on my arse. 10 years I've sat on my arse and the thought of getting to 50 or 60 and having spent the majority of my working life sitting down depresses me.

I also work about 1 hour from home and spend money on tolls. When we first moved further away I didn't really mind. The house we bought was worth it. But now, the job isn't worth it. My role has, over the years, become less and less busy. I'm starting to be given the ****ty jobs no one else wants to do just because I have free time.

I'm basically either bored and twiddling my thumbs, or being handed crap that somebody hasn't bothered doing for months and now I have to clean up the mess. I can see the job becoming more of an "assistant" role, which I really don't want.

I've been looking for similar roles close to home but they are few and far between and honestly, I don't want another office job.

So, within walking distance from home is a lovely cafe/grocers/florist. It's a lovely place, we go there often. They are looking for cafe staff/waiters. I've been thinking about it for a while and imagining myself walking to work, with a simple but active/busy job where I get to be on my feet, makes me happy.

Okay, maybe I'll have to work weekends and the pay won't be as good. But at the moment I don't work weekends and I'm still unhappy.

I obviously need a job, I have a mortgage and bills. But we could definitely manage on less than we currently have. I have waitressed in my younger days so I'm not completely oblivious to the negatives of it. Also, if I started just waitressing, maybe I could eventually get into the grocers side of the business, which I would really love.

I don't want to rush into anything. But I don't think I can carry on as I am much longer. I spend nearly 10 hours a week commuting and don't have time to do more personally fulfilling things. I don't want a high paying, life encompassing career. I just want to go to work, be busy then go home. Focus more on home life.

Agh, I'm rambling.

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Nymeria

Hi OP,

I really wanted to post, as I am pretty much in the same situation...I'm so glad you have taken a chance and apply for the other job in the shop near to you -fingers crossed. The only thing I would say is, don't get too disheartened if nothing comes of that, something else good will come your way if you go out and look for it.

I've worked in office based roles for the last 10 years, from banks to insurance, and I've come to realise that the corporate world just isn't for me. The following is a big long rant that you can just skip if you feel like...

A few months ago, I felt really down, depressed, waking up in the middle of the night stressing about the emails I hadn't sent, or the 20 that would be waiting when I got into work the next day - it felt like I was slowly drowning.

And I understood why I have been resisting moving up in roles over the past few years...it always seemed like a bit more money for a lot more stress.
I was also studying part time for work, two evenings a week, and that made it even worse I think.
I remember at one point wondering to myself 'why am I studying to be better at a job I don't even like'....

Obviously, not everybody feels like this - some people can hack working in an office, making half decent money... answering a million emails a day, but I feel like I will die of boredom if I stay here, there's no room for creativity, meetings are boring and pointless, my 'nice' colleagues just dump work on me that they can't be bothered doing.

ANYWAY... I have been seeing a life coach for the last little while, who has helped me to look at what my career values are, and try to find something that aligns with that. I handed in my notice at work

I'm going to take the summer to try out new things, probably work in a shop or a cafe or something like that, maybe travel a bit...and there is a professional cookery course starting later in the year that I want to do. I have a bit of savings, and no dependents so I'm lucky in that sense.

The key thing I have learned from the life coach, is that you don't have to throw the whole lot away and start again...you can if you want to, but small steps in a new direction, something that interests you more.

I won't have it all figured out by the summer, but that's ok. I feel lighter already having taken positive steps in the right direction...whatever that ends up turning into.

People seem to ask what you do when they meet you...or what you're working at, but they don't seem to ask if you are happy doing it. I would be so much happier making less money, doing something more basic that I enjoy. Meeting people, making food, being a bit creative, producing something tangible, being outdoors for a bit.... I'm still coming to terms with letting go of a proper career path in a respectable job, and 'wasting my potential', that is something I will have to work on...

Who knows, in a few years I might try to start my own cafe, grow my own vegetables, have a market stall, something like that...maybe it will happen, maybe not, but I want to try and live a different type of life, and I'll never get there sitting in that grey office, being depressed.

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stuboy01

Hi OP,

well done on just making the step of considering the change.
I've come to realise a few years back that there is more to life than a job that pays well. I'm currently in a decent job (not fantastic money, but good colleagues and i find it interesting most of the time and frustrating at others). I was recently approached by a recuiter via linkedIn to put myself forward for a similar position but with a 25K salary increase.
One look at the job description turned me right off, I knew I'd have a longer commute and it would also involve international travel, so less time with my family.
The extra money would have been nice but my wife and I decided that it wouldn't make up for the lost time.

There are more important things than money, as long as you have enough to get by.

Life is far too short to spend in a job that drains the life out of you.

Best of luck

loveisdivine

Just a quick update - got an interview with them tomorrow!

Fingers crossed the pay and hours etc aren't too bad

loveisdivine

I'm not feeling super confident, not because I doubt myself, but because it's only just occurred to me what bad timing this is. I have a poorly timed (but well needed) holiday for 2 weeks in May, it was booked last year and we can't change any of it now. Plus I'd have to give 4 weeks notice here, which means I'd only have a week or 2 between finishing here and then going away for 2 weeks!

I imagine that's going to put them off

I'll just be honest about it in the interview and hope for the best.

dixiefly

Best of luck. I wouldn't say that the holidays will be an issue if they see you as the right person for the job.

[Deleted User]

loveisdivine wrote: »

Just a quick update - got an interview with them tomorrow!

Fingers crossed the pay and hours etc aren't too bad

Good luck what for you won’t pass you.

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loveisdivine

It went really well. Going in for a couple of hours tomorrow to see if I like it/they like me! It's more of a supervisor role, so things like hours and pay are up for negotiation. The only slight negative is that I'd have to work most weekends, probably only 1 in 4 off.

But unless it goes awfully tomorrow, or we can't come to an agreement on pay/hours, then I think I'll definitely take it if they offer it to me.

bertsmom

Loveisdevine that's brilliant! Congratulations and very well done. I have been following this thread and rooting for you. I'm delighted and wish you all the very best.

professore

If you are commuting by car you will save a fortune walking to work if possible. Even more if there is a second car you can sell.

loveisdivine

Ok so, I did about 4 hours on Saturday. I enjoyed the work, very busy, time flew in.

However, I have quite a few concerns. I won't go into too much detail but I think it's gonna be too many hours (more than I do now), probably more stress than I currently have to deal with. Things were incredibly chaotic and not in a good way. Plus it was left very ambiguously, the manager didn't seem to want to sit and have a chat about hours/pay or anything. Just wanted to know if I could do the same again next weekend (which I wouldn't be paid for btw) but there might not actually be a job for me because someone that previously worked there is coming back and will probably get the role I interviewed for.

Basically, it doesn't quite sit right with me. As much as I want out of here, I don't wanna rush and make the wrong decision.

georgewickstaff

Unpaid? They want you back for more unpaid work? Of course they do!

Alarm bells alright. This is not how things should be done.

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Addle

I don't think you're in a position to be asking pointed questions to be honest.
What good will it do?
There's already someone else for the job.

Fair play for trying. At least you're not left wondering 'what if'. And something else will turn up,

LegacyUser

Very common tactic in the hospitality and restaurant sector to advertise a position and get someone to come in to do a "free trial" to cover for other staff on leave or hoildays. It's a nasty, cheap trick and anywhere that tries this stunt should be exposed. It's far too prevalent in the sector along with not getting breaks and availing of free labour from catering departments in colleges where students are pimped out under the guise of accreditation for their placement. Just because restaurants have high operating costs doesn't give them the right to exploit or take advantage. I wouldn't go back if I were you. You have had a taste now of some of the murky practices within the sector. Trust your gut on this one.

loveisdivine

Well we sort of left it that I'd go in for a few hours on Saturday. But to be honest, I think I'm gonna drop in after work tomorrow or Friday and let them know it's not for me.

I don't mind it being chaotic as in busy, I was there for the busiest portion of the day so I expected that. But on numerous occasions it descended into a complete mess and the woman I would be replacing got quite pissed and had words with a few people.

I have enough stress and politics in my current job. The whole point was I wanted something more easy going, I don't mind being rushed off my feet, but this just strikes me as something where in a few months time I'd be deflated and stressed out again.

Thanks for the support though everyone, I know what I want now and I'm going to keep looking for it.

miamee

As far as I can remember, this was a place near your home or where you liked to go occasionally for a treat? If you want to continue doing that, don't leave it until Friday to tell them you can't be in on Saturday after saying you would. You don't owe them anything at all but it might leave a bad taste with them and knock the shine off the place for you going there if you know what I mean? Maybe the shine has been knocked off already after last weekend though.

It's great that you tried it out and were able to pinpoint the bits that you know would drive you mad - progress!

loveisdivine

Yes I'll go down tomorrow. My husband and parents thought I should go in again on Saturday just to be sure, but my mind is pretty made up so I don't see the point. I'd be losing the most productive part of my day to work for free when I know it's not really going to go anywhere.

I don't want to leave a bad taste in their mouths so to speak, although we don't go as often these days cos it's so expensive!

qwerty13

Awh such a pity OP. I like my job, but lots of people who do the same work as me seem to hate it, so I’m always interested when someone leaves for something very different.

Anyway, fair play to you for trying it out, and even more so for deciding it wasn’t for you. As you’re not happy in your current role, it would be too easy to jump into a new / different job. So respect to you for evaluating it properly and deciding against it.

I really hope you can find a job that makes you happier soon.

Cushtie

Hi OP,

I was following this thread too. Fair play to you for giving it a shot. Sorry it didnt work out on this occasion. You seem like a very level headed and patient person so I think you will eventually get what you are looking for.

At least now that you have planted the seed you will prob take more notice of other opportunities that otherwise may have passed you by.

Thanks for sharing your story, gives others (like myself) to look at our own situation and maybe think about that change!

loveisdivine

Just a little update, I approached my manager about not having a lot of work to do and perhaps changing my hours a bit. Long story short, I'm being offered a sizeable sum of money to basically bugger off! It seems they want to replace me with someone that can be more of an assistant to other members of staff. He assured me my job is perfectly safe but said it's probably not going to improve in the way I would like any time soon.

We're having another meeting today to go over the details but I'm pretty certain I'll go ahead and take the offer. It will give me a year or so to find something else, although obviously I'd rather get something straight away.

To be honest, it's like they read my mind! I couldn't have asked for a better situation.

messy tessy

Ah that is deadly news! Congrads!

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LynnGrace

Delighted for you, OP.

qwerty13

That’s a brilliant outcome! You must be so pleased. Just shows how it’s worth speaking up - which isn’t always easy to do, fair play to you for doing it.