Help

RoFed

My job is making me miserable, and I feel powerless to do anything about it. I've been feeling this way for a few months now but it's got to the point where I spend all day seriously considering getting on the phone to my boss and telling her I quit, and I find myself staring into space dreading what's to come every evening and Morning. My girlfriend has started to notice it, and I don't want it to be all that we talk about but I just can't keep putting a brave face on it. I've been feeling a little under the weather recently so she advised I call in sick today and take some time to clear my head.

The problem is I really can't get into the right frame of mind to start applying for other jobs which is making me even more miserable. When I applied for this job I thought I knew exactly what I wanted and was highly motivated to search this out and do everything to better myself and make me appear more employable in this line of work. I think the fact that now after less than a year in my current job I'm more miserable than I was after a year and a half at my last one makes me think I'll never find a job I enjoy. I used to enjoy searching for jobs, now I just look at them thinking "will probably hate it in a few months, will probably hate it in a few months".

I think another part of the reason I'm finding it hard to get motivated to search for another job is that I would like to be self employed. I have always thought, and have always been told by others, that I would suit being self employed. I think I have all the necessary skills and attributes minus one important thing - I don't have a business plan or idea! I have been toying around with the idea of investing in property recently but I'm aware this is very much a long term thing.

Then again I think a lot of this may just be me looking for an alternative exit strategy to finding another job. I'm not expecting anyone to come up with a miracle answer, as I have already found doesn't exist having trawled through the internet, however I think I just need to get it out there and any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers :beer:

getmore4less

what is it about the job you are having problems with?

RoFed

I think it's the lack of structure. I'm a regional sales representative so I work from home and travel a lot. If I only travelled when I needed to it would make more sense, but I'm expected to be out there "selling" 4 days of the week with one day working from home. As a result I end up fabricating a lot of meetings and driving long distances for no particularly good reason apart from to look like I'm doing something. I'm not a salesperson, as I have discovered. The driving really takes it out of me, I feel constantly under pressure from my manager and my customers and I struggle to get motivated to do anything. I think I need the structure of a 9 to 5 job where I can just leave the office at 5 and know that from then until 9 the next day it's my time.

I think a lot of this is in my head as I believe my job is a great job for the right person, that person is just not me. I've tried hard to tell myself this, but unfortunately it would appear there's a switch in me that just can't be turned off.

tea_lover

There's actually a lot of positives you can take from that (although I appreciate it doesn't seem that way right now ) You've identified the areas of your current role that you really don't enjoy, and it'd helped you to see what would be important to you in your next role.

It is difficult to stay motivated when you seem to move from one thing you hate to another thing you hate... believe me, I know where you're coming from on this one!

Take care x.

RoFed

You're right, it's just about trying to keep positive!

[Deleted User]

There are a lot of employers who would like the easy out.


Helps if you end up in the Manager's Office, I guess


If you haven't - doesn't that say something?


Please don't under-estimate self employment

bugslet

As as self-employed person, if you like structrue, then self-employment is not going to deliver.

It may help you if you understand what your career drivers are

http://sarah.theworkexperiment.com/take-your-own-career-driver-test/

links to an exercise you can take to see what motivates you - since mine is independence, then I'm happy being self-employed. Just as well it isn't mioney that motivates!:rotfl:

Good luck - we all go through bad patches at work where it feels like the end of the world, you have to push through and find what does float your boat.

Caroline_a

With self employment you will have only the structure that you put in... but you also need some sort of passion for the product you are selling, as self employment by its very nature has to be all about selling!

In your current job are you expected to create your own leads? How do you do this - phone? cold calling in person? Could that be the reason why you don't like the role? Also, how convinced are you by the product? If you don't like it or believe in it you will be unlikely to be able to sell it convincingly.

I would have an honest chat with your manager when you have identified where you feel that this job is proving difficult. Walking out or self employment isn't the answer!

RoFed

Thanks for that. You're certainly right about the lack of structure in self-employment. I think I've just had my head in the clouds on long drives thinking I'll come up with some miracle idea which will allow me to be raking in the millions while drinking champagne in my mansion :rotfl:

Many thanks for the link to the exercise - I've been looking for a good one of those!

RoFed

Yes I am expected to create my own leads. This is certainly one of my least favourite parts of the job. The product is very niche and while I believe in it, I can't say I'm overly excited about it. I've been having to deal with a lot of complaints due to product faults recently which doesn't help!

I think it would make sense to have a chat with my manager. I just think I'm a bit afraid of this as she's quite intense and very "sell sell sell!". To be honest she hasn't been very supportive of me since I started however she appeared to acknowledge this in her response to my e-mail this Morning saying I was off sick which is nice!

TBagpuss

My job is making me miserable, and I feel powerless to do anything about it. I've been feeling this way for a few months now but it's got to the point where I spend all day seriously considering getting on the phone to my boss and telling her I quit, and I find myself staring into space dreading what's to come every evening and Morning.

Have you spoken to your GP? Is it possible that you are suffering from depression? If so, it may well be job-related but you might find it helpful to have advice about dealing with it, to help you get to a point where you can look / plan ahead.

In terms of looking for a nwe job, I think most people do not have jobs which they are 100% happy with - even if you are doing a job you love, there will always be aspects of it which you don't enjoy, whether that is having to deal with admin or paperwork (bear in mind if you become self employed you will have to deal with a certain amount of paperwork and admin!), colleagues or clients you don't get on with etc.

You might find it helpful to think about what aspects of your current and past jobs you like, and which you don't like, to help narrow down what would suit you.

For instance, if you like the product you're working with but not the sales element then it may be worth looking into the possibility of a sideways move so you have more to do with product support, or training, or design rather than with sales (or whatever is suitable given the nature of the product). Or working in a smaller company so that your role is broader and has less sales and more other aspects.

Think about what motivates you - money / status / respect / interest in the job - obviously everyone has to eat, but it does make a difference to they type of jobs, and the type of employers, where you will be comfortable.