Do you like your job?

Congrats Barney!

And congrats to you aswell Barnsy!

Excellent news, nice one.

Congratulations Barnsy, hopefully you enjoy it.

I recently left a job I’ve held for fourteen years to enter the world of short term academic contracts - currently operating as a lecturer in US history for a Russell Group Uni(not that this makes a difference - I just feel wildly unqualified to be here!), as well as a research assistant on a large project and about to be confirmed as treasurer of an organisation for US Studies based in Scotland. Apart from the fear of redundancy/contract ending and my complete agreement with the UCU’s four fights, I wouldn’t change my job for the world. Recently released a book, a journal article and have a book chapter on the way as well.

Tomous wrote:

Barnsy! wrote:Is everyone on here working and has anyone ever left a job without having another job lined up?

I'm in my mid 30s and have worked since leaving university without a gap. I've definitely come to the conclusion I need to get away from my current job and am doing everything I can to do so. I think there are other jobs out there and I will still have to work my notice period. If the worst came to the worst I could manage a little while without money coming in. I would feel guilty and irresponsible for handing in my notice without an offer lined up - but I'd also feel like I was taking a positive step forward to ultimately make things better for myself.

I've decided I want to hand in my notice now but not sure if I should.

The issue is if you don't find a job quickly and have an employment gap on your CV which you'll need to explain in interviews. I left my job but it was to travel for a year, so it was easily explained in interviews.

Of course you can try to explain the issues with your current job and protecting your mental health etc but this is a difficult thing to get into in an interview.

Have you tried to apply for other jobs and get a sense of the market? I would certainly suggest doing that first.

I know that this is redundant in context now as Barnsy has found a new role (well done!), but I would leave a role without a new job lined up if I felt I needed to for the sake of my mental health, though this does create risk that you have to settle for the first job that comes up, which increases the chances of that cycle repeating in my experience! It is a balancing act against the need to fund your life, but eventually the strain can become too much. To get around any gap in employment, just don't include full dates in your CV, just the years. My listed job roles go back as far as 2018 and everything prior to that is lumbered in to one category of 'Other Roles', which is just a list of some job titles which I have held. There's no real relevance to an employer whether you had a five month gap back in 2020, so don't highlight it and the chances are it wont be bought up.

I really enjoy my current role, but having been there for three years, I think it's time to move on. I feel somewhat bad about it as my current manager is great and took me on with limited experience, but I want to grow further in my field and I think the potential to do so in my current position is limited, mainly due to reduction in the team size due to decisions made by the wider business. My CV and Linkedin profile are ready to go, just got to wait for the right thing to come up now...

Thanks it is a massive weight off my mind. The stress and workload was too much, but the culture of the place is what was making me depressed. I'm currently on 60mg of Fluxotine and have noticed an improvement in my mental health. I handed in my notice yesterday and have to work a months notice - my new job will be working for my old boss (who I love) from years ago at a different company. In the meantime before I start the new job I'm going to try and work on myself more, as some of my problems are internal due to horrible life events I haven't processed properly.

I'm kind of buzzing at the moment; my lifes been on pause, I haven't really been looking after myself nor wanting to do anything and have been super indecisive. But after work I ran 10miles (And I can't over emphasize I am not a runner) then made a bunch of positive small-things-to-some-but-kind-of-a-big-deal-to-me decisions. I made a charitable donation, I booked myself in for a marathon in Tromso Norway, I've taken Friday off and am going to Amsterdam with my girlfriend for the weekend, I've bought a 3DS (imagine playing A Link Between Worlds for the first time). Also I think once I've settled in my new job - I want to go away on some amazing holiday this year which I haven't done for years.

I know that reads like a cheesy 'LiVinG mY bESt LiFe' post, but right now I'm enjoying feeling positive about the future and life in general.

I love you guys

Yes King. You do you.

Great news Barnsy!

Barnsy! wrote:Thanks it is a massive weight off my mind. The stress and workload was too much, but the culture of the place is what was making me depressed. I'm currently on 60mg of Fluxotine and have noticed an improvement in my mental health. I handed in my notice yesterday and have to work a months notice - my new job will be working for my old boss (who I love) from years ago at a different company. In the meantime before I start the new job I'm going to try and work on myself more, as some of my problems are internal due to horrible life events I haven't processed properly.

I'm kind of buzzing at the moment; my lifes been on pause, I haven't really been looking after myself nor wanting to do anything and have been super indecisive. But after work I ran 10miles (And I can't over emphasize I am not a runner) then made a bunch of positive small-things-to-some-but-kind-of-a-big-deal-to-me decisions. I made a charitable donation, I booked myself in for a marathon in Tromso Norway, I've taken Friday off and am going to Amsterdam with my girlfriend for the weekend, I've bought a 3DS (imagine playing A Link Between Worlds for the first time). Also I think once I've settled in my new job - I want to go away on some amazing holiday this year which I haven't done for years.

I know that reads like a cheesy 'LiVinG mY bESt LiFe' post, but right now I'm enjoying feeling positive about the future and life in general.

I love you guys

This is so awesome, you come across as a really positive person and glad things are on the up.

Great stuff Barnsy!

I like WFH. Today for example I decided i needed a rest mid afternoon due to a blinding headache from being in multiple Zooms throughout the day. So I went to bed. And slept. For 2 hrs.

Woke up, came downstairs, checked emails and IMs and nothing that needed a response. Logged off.

KingK wrote:I like WFH. Today for example I decided i needed a rest mid afternoon due to a blinding headache from being in multiple Zooms throughout the day. So I went to bed. And slept. For 2 hrs.

Woke up, came downstairs, checked emails and IMs and nothing that needed a response. Logged off.

Today, after dropping my son to nursery, I came home and started work an hour later. Then at midday I took a few hours for lunch to do washing, clean the kitchen and work out before working for most the afternoon (dipping out to play the Kirby demo ).

The flexibility it gives you in managing your day is truly life changing.

It's also improved our sex life, both WFH means more opportunities

Tomous wrote:

KingK wrote:I like WFH. Today for example I decided i needed a rest mid afternoon due to a blinding headache from being in multiple Zooms throughout the day. So I went to bed. And slept. For 2 hrs.

Woke up, came downstairs, checked emails and IMs and nothing that needed a response. Logged off.

Today, after dropping my son to nursery, I came home and started work an hour later. Then at midday I took a few hours for lunch to do washing, clean the kitchen and work out before working for most the afternoon (dipping out to play the Kirby demo ).

The flexibility it gives you in managing your day is truly life changing.

It's also improved our sex life, both WFH means more opportunities

True dat

I used to like my job but after the 2 year lock down and working from home I genuinely don't like my job, I just liked the people there that made it bearable. Now everything is remote Im starting to think of going back to uni and finish it. Feeling bit down lately as im getting older and feel like Im stuck in trash job that pays well.

Barnsy! wrote:Thanks it is a massive weight off my mind. The stress and workload was too much, but the culture of the place is what was making me depressed. I'm currently on 60mg of Fluxotine and have noticed an improvement in my mental health. I handed in my notice yesterday and have to work a months notice - my new job will be working for my old boss (who I love) from years ago at a different company. In the meantime before I start the new job I'm going to try and work on myself more, as some of my problems are internal due to horrible life events I haven't processed properly.

I'm kind of buzzing at the moment; my lifes been on pause, I haven't really been looking after myself nor wanting to do anything and have been super indecisive. But after work I ran 10miles (And I can't over emphasize I am not a runner) then made a bunch of positive small-things-to-some-but-kind-of-a-big-deal-to-me decisions. I made a charitable donation, I booked myself in for a marathon in Tromso Norway, I've taken Friday off and am going to Amsterdam with my girlfriend for the weekend, I've bought a 3DS (imagine playing A Link Between Worlds for the first time). Also I think once I've settled in my new job - I want to go away on some amazing holiday this year which I haven't done for years.

I know that reads like a cheesy 'LiVinG mY bESt LiFe' post, but right now I'm enjoying feeling positive about the future and life in general.

I love you guys

I don't know who you are but this is wholesome post. Just remember you will get your ups and downs just keep going and congratulations on your new job.

Congrats on the job and the positive effects it's had.

Thank you for the well wishes by the way - I'm a few weeks into my new job and really loving it. My mental health has improved and I'm noticing positive effects and am in general a lot happier already. I parted with the company I was unhappy with on good terms - there's no bitterness on either side and I obviously wish them well. I've made a few positive changes and I'm still a little mentally fragile and prone to depression on some days (for non-work related reasons) but I'm doing better and am excited for the future

JT986M2 wrote:I was very much thinking the same thing as you Barnsy earlier today - do I just hand in my notice to get out of where I am at the minute.

How are things with you now - JT, hope you're well and happy too?

Barnsy! wrote:

JT986M2 wrote:I was very much thinking the same thing as you Barnsy earlier today - do I just hand in my notice to get out of where I am at the minute.

How are things with you now - JT, hope you're well and happy too?

That's really nice of you to ask. I'm still at the same job, but things have settled down. The first few months in the new team had a big impact on my mental heath. Lots of changes, lots of new things to learn. I went from a big fish in a small pond, to a small fish in a big pond. At the same time I was also going through a rough patch relationship-wise. One or the other happening would have been difficult but manageable, but both happening at the same time felt very destabilising. Added to that there were some issues the house, so all that led to a rough few months.

Back in January and early February I was having a good look at jobs, but I found it was slim pickings for WFH jobs. There were lots of 'WFH for now, moving to hybrid' type roles, and I just realised that WFH full-time is a big benefit for me at the moment. Around the same time things were improving at the job, and things were also improving in my relationship, so I felt more stable once again.

I'm still looking to move, but I'm taking more time to think of the kind of job I really want, rather than jumping into a similar role at a different company.

I'm glad to hear you were able to move to a new job and that it's been very beneficial to your mental health!

I’m starting to hate my job at the moment, we’ve got a new departmental manager and safe to say they’ve annoyed a good percentage of the members of staff in the 6 or so weeks they’ve been there. I’m trying to move department at the moment, get away from the manager and get into a slightly more sociable shift pattern. Somethings meant to be in the works re moving department but it’s going rather slowly