Job--discouraged

[Shawnee123]

I know I've mentioned before how I love my job and hate my job. Advice given has been to see what else is out there. Well, for all my seeming bravado I'm a big chicken who hates change, and stay with the status quo for probably the wrong reasons.

A job has come up that I am very qualified for, at another college. It's more money, and more of what I like to do and less of the aspects I don't like. Also, my experience has been that at most other schools you don't have the understaffing that we do ( a little understaffing is good, I like being busy and doing less with more, but when it's to the point that you can't do any of your job well and can never follow through like you want...that's too much stress for a perfectionist.)

The downsides are the drive (I'm about 5 minutes away from work now, would be about 45 minutes if I got the other one), the friends I have here, and I know the ropes.

My salary would increase by over half of what I currently make. I could get a decent car. I could buy some decent clothes.

I've got my resume ready, and only need to slap together a cover letter. I am almost assured an interview at the very least, due to my qualifications.

So what's the problem? I'm scared to death! However, the past few weeks I seem to be stressed to the point I close my office door and cry about once a week. I know people who used to work here and have gone on to other institutions and they report that they do not have the responsiblity of 3 people; they are less stressed.

Today, it feel easier because I came in with a good attitude, and the same old crap is hitting me in the face. I have time to write about this because I am assigned to watch a table at a "fair" we are having; most of these events I am stuck with, when I am far behind on my regular work.

I guess I am asking for encouragement. Those of you who have made a change...were scared...how do you do it?

Do you believe that what is meant to be will? This job, when I started 5 1/2 years (and two promotions ago), saved my life. I finally felt like I was doing something important. I'm tired of feeling undervalued, and I'm tired of my paycheck reflecting that. It used to be mostly about the money, so I stayed because I was happy with most other aspects. Now, I wake up in the morning with an upset stomach thinking about this place.

Ah well, thanks for letting me vent, and for listening (for the umpteenth time!)

[Flint]

I completely identify with your position.
You're close to home, you know your way around, and you don't want to learn a whole new place, with all new people.

Do you believe that what is meant to be will?

Sure, if you were meant to sit on the couch eating cheetos and watching Jerry Springer all day, would that happen? Would it be pre-ordained by the immortal gods? You know the answer as well as I do: you're not going anywhere by staying in your comfort zone. You've got to take the leap.

[Shawnee123]

I know that's true, it seems I need a big kick in the pants or a major catastrophe to make a change.

[Flint]

The average salary for what I do is six figures. I make considerably less than that. I started here from the ground up, and took this job as my own, by learning things and taking over things that other people were unwilling or unable to do, or didn't even know needed to be done. But my pay has only creeped up from what it was before.

I tell myself that I'm still learning things here, and that they are paying for my school, and that is true, I do have skills that I need to build, and I need a degree on paper; but I suspect that I could still walk out of here right now and double my salary.

In the meantime, it's close to home, and I don't have incredible pressures on me most of the time. But, just this morning, I saw a guy in the hall that I know is getting laid off soon (budget crunch), and I thought "If I somehow lost my job here, it would probably be a positive..."

[Trilby]

I know the feeling well, shawnee, the love/hate. i think if you look at what you posted you will find your answer.

What I have found is that change, while sometimes easy, sometimes hard, is almost always a good thing. I know how hard it is to leave work-friends--but if they are MORE than work-friends, they will still be there for you. I feel for you. I usually just sabotage myself until there isn't any alternative to the change. Don't let that happen to you--take charge and do what is in your BEST interest.

[wolf]

Go to the interview. What's the worst that could happen? Getting the job? Significantly better salary, closer to your personal objectives, if the job is that great, you could always move.

[glatt]

Sounds like a good job. And while a 5 minute commute is very nice, a 45 minute commute is pretty normal in this country.

[skysidhe]

Originally Posted by wolf

Go to the interview. What's the worst that could happen? Getting the job? Significantly better salary, closer to your personal objectives, if the job is that great, you could always move.

Good advice. Just go to the interview and see what happens.

[smurfalicious]

There is a reason why this opportunity has presented itself to you at this time.

[barefoot serpent]

Originally Posted by skysidhe

Good advice. Just go to the interview and see what happens.

Yes. I 3rd what wolf said. Remember, you get to interview them also. If you don't like them, then don't change jobs.

[jester]

I think you should go for it. Sometimes, we have to step out of that box we created to keep ourselves safe. Your qualifed - this could be that "this is the direction I need to take". If you stay in a "semi-depressed" state, from work - it's definitely time to go somewhere else. Good Luck

[Trilby]

I think flint is crazy.

A crazy person.

[Shawnee123]

These are the things I need to hear. Bri, I've done the same thing with the sabotaging...I can't do that in this situation, but I find that there are days I might!

Thanks for the advice. I can't believe how unhappy I've become here, when it used to be my raison d'etre.

You all are great, even crazy Flint!

[Flint]

Brianna, I might be crazy, but this is at the root of it: I don't feel confident enough in myself to take the leap. I don't feel confident enough in my own skills. There's so much that I need to learn; but the flipside is that I'm probably not valuing the knowledge that I do have. I don't know. I'd feel better with a degree in hand, before I go free agent.

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by Flint

Brianna, I might be crazy, but this is at the root of it: I don't feel confident enough in myself to take the leap. I don't feel confident enough in my own skills. There's so much that I need to learn; but the flipside is that I'm probably not valuing the knowledge that I do have. I don't know. I'd feel better with a degree in hand, before I go free agent.

Great, now Flint is writing stuff that I could have written... the world doesn't need two of us!!