Note: I published, removed, published, remove this post because it could easily be miscontrued as being unappreciative of the fact that I have a job, but in all honesty, it’s how I feel, so ultimately I decided to publish. I am grateful I can work and have a job, but at the same time, I need to weigh what’s more important. I don’t have a family to feed, and so I believe I have the luxury of being able to determine what I want to do at this point in my life. In no way do I believe I would pursue the same route had I had people depending on me. I know many have worked hard to just find a job, and so I want to make sure my readers understand, I’m not taking this lightly. It’s just how I feel…
I’m going to do my part. Finish up what I can.
Yes, I feel bad I’m not going “above and beyond” to help out, which I’ve done for my entire career…6 years now. Yes, I feel bad that I’m taking advantage of my employer, sort of. Yes, I feel bad. And I think I’m going to feel that way until everything is said and done. But honestly, I’ve given my employer adequate notice that I just don’t like support. I’ve told them many times, and if my immediate performance is not a “hint,” I don’t know what is. I think I need to find something where I don’t have customers.
I hate watching my coworkers take all these issues so seriously. Some of them getting angry and upset. Some just quietly chugging away working 12-14 hours a day. Heck, I don’t need that. I’ve got lots of things to do with my life other than work.
After I get fired, I’ve decided I’m going to:
- Open up that online business by myself.
- Go back to school part time. I think I’m going to pursue a masters degree in education or business.
- Help my parents out with their business.
That should allow me to still spend time with Brownie. Obviously, income is not a concern at this state. It’s going to be hard seeing my net worth crawl after months of growing pretty rapidly. So that being said, I’m going to do what I can, put on a hard hat, and enjoy the ride. Any thoughts? Am I a complete slacker? I should go to hell? What?
I don’t think we know enough about your situation to call you any names (lol). However, I do think there’s more to life than work and money. If you are stressed and unhappy, it begins to affect your health. Without health, you couldn’t work anyway. So if you’ve reached the end of your rope and you have a plan B, then I say go for it. I hope you get fired soon…I think.
Hey kiddo,
I hear you. Support is not something you can do endlessly. If your company does not understand the implied social contract of giving you some job satisfaction, you shouldn’t feel bad for leaving. Support is a high burnout job and call-center work lasts generally about 18-24 months. I don’t know exactly what kind of support you are doing, but 6 years is a long time at any one job and no one should stay that long. Tally up your raises and I’m sure you will find that if you had jumped ship earlier, you would have made more.
I’m all for leaving when you need to leave, or even 6 months before you need to leave. At least you’re doing it in a classy way.
Much good luck to you. Have fun with Brownie!
mapgirl
Only you know when you get to that point where It’s Just Not Fun (or even Bearable) Anymore, and I agree that it’s much classier to come to a gradual and well-planned close, than to simply blow your stack one day. I think you will look back on this as one of the great decisions of your life. Too many people think that life is something that just happens TO them, and they passively sit through it, but you can change anything.
There’s something very “adventurous” about trying to get fired. I dont mean it in the bad sense of running your boss over with your car, but in the “I dont care what you think” sense. No job is worth losing your sanity over. You never know what doors may open for you unless you take this leap!
Best of luck- all will turn out as it should!
I recently ran into a stretch much like yours. It wasn’t just me though, but all my co-workers. We knew we could all get 20% more money at other similar jobs and that the company was no longer moving in the direction that it was when we signed on. I personally had to support (as a software engineer) code that I felt needed to be completely rewritten (or refractored as they say in the software world). I think we all ended up trying to do just the bare minimum where months before we were happy to work 12 hour days. As Single Ma said, it was getting to the point where it not only impacted my health, but my relationship with my fiancee. One of the best moves I ever made was getting out of that game.
I agree with single ma in that there is more to life than work and money. As someone who up and quit her job to return to grad school to make a career switch, I fully endorse doing what makes you happy and everythin else falls into place!
How can we help with the online business venture?
This ought to make dad feel good - having you more involved with the family business.
There is a reason for everything. Hopefully you are swiftly fired.
While I was at the hospital today, I was scanning the Sun Times and they had an article about Hawaii. Well, and now that I know someone there –sort of, I read on. Do you know that quake made Hawaii fall a yard deeper into the sea. I hope you aren’t planning on a long life cause word had it that in another 80 thousand or some crazy number like that years, your home state will be under water.
Maybe Hawaii just wants to be where California is going.
Hmm… can I get the unedited version?
I just found this post, and it seems incomplete. What’s the whole story?
That said, why not just quit? That’s what I did just over 12 months ago, and I’m very happy with life. Getting fired means burning some bridges. What happens when your next employer calls your old boss? Just my 2 pesos.
I had a good long conversation with my manager yesterday, where I repeatedly stated, “I am not looking at support as my career path.” Again, the usual replies, “What if you moved to _____?,” “What if we moved you to another product?,” blah blah blah…
Kira, You know, I’m really the type of person to just let things happen, if an opportunity presents itself, I’ll jump on it, but if it’s not there, I’ll just go along…It could be a problem.
Maria, Thanks…adventurous is an interesting way to put it lol.
Lazy Man, Congrats on making that move. I’m not at the point that it is affecting relationships, I think…just during work…don’t bother me. I get really grumpy while doing work. I feel like that coworker that was about to retire, who had his door closed all the time.
Udandi, Single Ma is wise isn’t she?!?
D, Are you serious? 1 yard is a big amount…I could imagine less than 80 thousand years at that rate. Ah, maybe if I invest in a house about 1000 yards in, I’ll have beach front property before I die?
Jonathan, Yeah, there’s a lot more…it’s been ongoing now for quite some time. I’ve been hating my job on and off…it’s a love hate relationship. On calling your previous employer, that’s actually illegal. The only thing an employer can get from your previous place of employment is your length of employment and end date or something like that I think.
Single Ma, Lol…Thanks?! :S
Mapgirl, Thank you! Seriously, I’m debating…
Just quit. Don’t try to get fired. When you do that, you’re playing games. That’s not the right thing to do. On top of that, you’re just extending the amount of time you’re unhappy. Wouldn’t you want to spend as much time as possible happy? If you don’t like your job, and you can do so, quit.
I’ll second what flexo said. Quit, don’t try to get fired. In the long run, it will be better for you, your employer, and maybe most importantly . . . Brownie!
There’s nothing wrong with looking for something else and still doing the job you were paid for. Or quitting to give you the chance to do that full time.
But unless you know with absolute certainty that nobody will ever look at your resume again, trying to get fired seems like it would be shooting yourself in the foot.
Or, what Flexo said, in many more words. [grin]
Please, please! Do the responsible thing and give your employer notice and leave your company on good terms. The world is smaller than you think (and employers talk more than they should) and you don’t want your bad attitude about a job you hate to come back and bite you at a later date.
I have left several jobs over the years because I came to the point where I could hardly face another day there, so I understand how you feel. Because I had children to support, I always lined up another job before quitting the hated one. But you are in a position to just give two weeks notice and go!
You guys are right…I think that’s why I feel bad.
I’ve had some time to think about it now though, and I’m willing to give it another try.
In Hawaii, it’s not easy to come by a competitive paying position, yet a technical, well paying job. So yes, in some ways, even though I don’t enjoy 4 out 5 days at work, just happened to be the past few weeks were more like 7 out of 5 days :/, it ain’t easy to pick up and go.
I don’t like playing games either. And to play games while dealing with my coworkers would be like sticking pins in myself…It would be painful. So I can’t do it. I’ll work, do what I can, and if that’s still not enough, then my manager will have a talk and decide what to do. I’m not screwing up, just doing what’s reasonable…and if that’s not good enough, then quitting might be an option.
I agree, don’t try to get fired, just quit. You want to leave on good terms just in case something happens and you need to come back to this place. Which is what happened here recently a, a coworker left and his new job turned out to be utter crap but because he left here on good terms they were willing to hire him back. Not that you would go back, but its best to not burn that bridge.
Now about that online business, could you make movies starring Brownie?
[...] Financial Freedumb is unhappy at his job and wants to underperform to get fired. Commenters agree: just quit and don’t play games. [...]
way to go!
get out of that shit. work is supposed to make you happy, not to kill your enthusiasm.
If you have a plan, go for it. If it is just a depression phase, you may want to really think it out. With the corporate mentallity nowadays, we dont owe them anything, do what is right for you.
Revisiting this page, I’m a little concerned. Never pick up and quit if you don’t have something lined up. But BE HONEST about what you need at work with your management. Give them a chance to make things better. After that, look for a job that will make you happy and leave your current job on a good note.
Don’t screw them over by looking to get fired. That’s a very bad idea. Email me off-blog if you wish to discuss further.
Do your best to take the high road. You will always remember how you handled this tough spot. I think you’ll look back on it better and with more self-respect if you give notice when you decide to go. Ditto on the burning bridges comment. You never know when a co-worker will end up being your boss, especially in a small world like Hawaii tech. It’s happened to me (different town, different field). Just my two cents. But take care of yourself. Do what’s right for you!
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