When to settle?

[desiderata]

I've been a CNC machinist for 30 years now. I've bounced around looking for the ideal company and believe I am as close to it as I'll find. It's just that my heart isn't into it any more. I've talked to management about schooling but I am limited to what they deem viable and working 2nd shift makes it hard to find a viable course available. I'm thinking of quitting and hoping I can find that place where they see some talent and I'm able to move to something off the shop floor. Or do I simply settle and accept my fate and be thankful I have a good job?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

In the current global economic climate, it's risky yo give up a decent paying job anywhere. However, that doesn't mean you can't start looking for a better one.

Have you explored the possibility of changing shifts within your current company? That might be enough of a difference for now to encourage you toward a job search or viable additional training.

 

[PrincessX]

Hi Desiderata, yes, I agree with the above advice. Try to make changes within the job first. Shift changes, full time to part time, and so on. Maybe that would allow you to find a hobby or some training/second job to develop new interests. I, for myself also find that sometimes I contribute depressive moods or problems out of my work environment to my work. Of course, it could be a combination of both or a prevalence of work related factors that make you feel dissatisfied.
Bottom poin, the economy is bad now, and sometimes a less than ideal job is better than no job. Plus, a lot of people get even more unhappy if they leave their jobs and spend a long time finding something better. It is true for me, for sure.

 

[Retired]

Good advice so far with which I fully agree. When frustrated in an employment situation, perhaps bordering on depression caused by job burnout or dealing with an uncooperative or even psychotic boss, under these conditions of severe stress, unless you are in imminent danger of physical harm from a violent co-worker, it is not the ideal time to make a major decision like scuttling your present job unless there is another job confirmed that you start on Monday.

You may find these resource articles of interest:

Should You Quit a Job You Hate Before Finding a New One?

Hate Your Job? 5 Things to Do Before You Quit

 

[PrincessX]

It depends...on the individual's situation and on the nature of work related stress. Money is not everything, although it's very important. For me, personally, nobody can pay me enough to be abused or work in unhealthy environmens. I have left 2 abusive jobs in the past and that's something that I am more proud of than all my education and experience altogether.

 

[desiderata]

Firstly, I would never leave a job without having another set up. I have a mortgage with one son in college and the other going in a couple of years. Secondly, to get on first shift someone has to leave or be let go. It could happen tomorrow or ten years from now. I'm going on 50 so I feel the need to push things along to get more out of my career or in my mind I'm just status quo. I don't want fear to get in the way of change and I'd like to not have too many regrets should I move on but the thought that this is the most I'll amount to in my line of work is killing me.

 

[MHealthJo]

I wonder if one of those values card-sort type exercises might be something useful for you here, Desiderata? The Russ Harris ACT books have those. You may want to check out his different books and see whether one of them catches your eye more than the others.

Sometimes those kind of exercises can help you get a sense of, for example, whether new achievements or movement or different working conditions, are truly higher on your list of most prized values than say, security and stability. Also once we know what we truly want, there's a lot in those books about how to move past fear to try to move closer to it.

I suppose, though, when we really have tried everything we can think of to move things along and find a better opportunity, and it is just not coming up at this point in time, sometimes that makes it easier- when we end up having have a fairly firm knowledge that where we are at is what's available at this point in time. But I guess if you don't know for sure yet, you'll wonder.

Something to keep in mind for all of us too, is the idea of when we sometimes put 'conditions' on what we have to do or be, in order to be 'good enough'. I have seen people take risks with their security and stability and the assets that they so far have, partly in order to try to feel 'good enough' or 'prove something to themselves'. And I don't know... when I look at what has come about sometimes, I feel it really would have been good for them before it all happened, to see the value within themselves that has nothing to do with what they do for a living, what type of job it is, how much it pays, what material things they possess, etc. There are times when something internal or something in another domain of life, was actually the thing to have a look at, rather than some outside circumstance or lifestyle factor.

Not always, though. The tangible benefits of better conditions or pay that suit us more and allow us to do or have something that is really important to us... that's different. Not to mention of course new achievements and learning, or just new variety and movement... all valid things that we may want to do if at all possible. Guess it's just important to give plenty of thought to why exactly we want to do a thing and how much it would be worth to us or what we would take it to 'mean'... as well as remembering what we do have now, and deciding whether we are prepared to risk something that seems pretty secure, for the other stuff.