Want to leave my job (vent/rant)

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bob'smom

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I really want to leave my job but I have concerns. Not about getting another job (my brother is willing to give me one in the near future) but about the aftermath of my leaving. I work for a TV station, and my job is highly specialized. It is hard to find traffic managers (people who manage the commercials and sales contracts.) I and most of the other managers I know have arrived at the job by accident. Both of my assistants want the manager's job handed to them, and neither deserves it. One doesn't follow directions and is on her cell phone all day and the other is more focused on a music career (she's in a band) and her social life. However the person who gets the job gets an office with a TV, and they both want that. Current management does not give raises or additional vacation for promotions (our previous owners did). We have had bad experiences in the office with people dragging out resignations and I don't want to be another. Yet I know they're not ready to handle what's coming once I leave. A lot of the job is memorizing all sorts of crazy requests and needs of various clients. That can't be translated in just a list of job duties.

I really don't want to deal with repeated phone calls for "help" once I'm gone, to the point that I'm ready to change my cell phone number and e-mail address. My brother has suggested that I propose to them that I can be paid to be an adviser for a set period of time (they can call with questions but I wouldn't be there on a daily basis.) I'm just really tired of dealing with things and it's time to move on. Why should I even offer?
 
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Originally Posted by Bob'sMom

I really want to leave my job but I have concerns. Not about getting another job (my brother is willing to give me one in the near future) but about the aftermath of my leaving. I work for a TV station, and my job is highly specialized. It is hard to find traffic managers (people who manage the commercials and sales contracts.) I and most of the other managers I know have arrived at the job by accident. Both of my assistants want the manager's job handed to them, and neither deserves it. One doesn't follow directions and is on her cell phone all day and the other is more focused on a music career (she's in a band) and her social life. However the person who gets the job gets an office with a TV, and they both want that. Current management does not give raises or additional vacation for promotions (our previous owners did). We have had bad experiences in the office with people dragging out resignations and I don't want to be another. Yet I know they're not ready to handle what's coming once I leave. A lot of the job is memorizing all sorts of crazy requests and needs of various clients. That can't be translated in just a list of job duties.

I really don't want to deal with repeated phone calls for "help" once I'm gone, to the point that I'm ready to change my cell phone number and e-mail address. My brother has suggested that I propose to them that I can be paid to be an adviser for a set period of time (they can call with questions but I wouldn't be there on a daily basis.) I'm just really tired of dealing with things and it's time to move on. Why should I even offer?
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Okay, let me try to discect.
1. You want to leave your job because _______?________ ("dealing with things" - can you be specific?) i.e. you aren't getting rewards for what you do, you are beginning to feel "used", you're at a dead end, and need to think of your future???

2. Maybe you are just burned out - maybe a good vacation would help?

3. Brother: Working for Family could be a problem - if so, what are the pros and cons?
4. Will you be putting your working conditions in a written agreement so that if there are concerns, later, you'll both have an agreement that you can review?

5. Current Job: Why would you be getting calls for help? It's specialized - sure, but, they will manage - remember, no one is really irreplaceable. Sorry, that's hard for me to say, - but - the business will continue without you - they'll make mistakes, but - oh, well.

6. When you leave, will you still feel some sort of loyalty to someone there?

7. Do you really think that they would be willing to pay a consultant's fee, or, are would they be more likely to punt?

8. If one of the "undeserving employees" gets your job - do you still want to be their "back-up"?

9. I'm tired - especially - your post brought back memories - I've been retired for 7 years now, and I still tire easily after 9 years of stress - I loved the people, but finally had to leave because I couldn't really take a vacation due to all the responsibilities I had - and - since business was slow - no pay increases, and, had to pick up slack when they layed off people and didn't replace them --- sorry, I'll stop my own "rant/vent" ...
 
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bob'smom

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I do have specific reasons for leaving that involve the direction the station is taking. There have been a bunch of conflicting plans as to staffing, programming, even where the studios will be located. The plans change like the wind and it becomes stressful to deal with.

I am burnt out and need a vacation but every time I come back there is a pile of things that the assistants didn't do, even though they were told how to do it and to do it. That's why it's unlikely either one will get the job. I really don't feel any loyalty to anyone. There is much info that needs to be passed on so the job can go smoothly, and perhaps it's the time for the supervisor to come up from the home office. Once I'm gone I don't want to come back. Maybe the girls will surprise me and step up, or they'll hire someone from the outside quickly.
 
gloriajh

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Boy, to I hear that!

Before I left, I left a document that listed all the pertinent information to help someone move into the position - and, then I was able to leave knowing that I did the right thing - more for myself than the business. I left on great terms, and probably could return to them if I found myself in difficult financial trouble.

Unlike your situation - the people I worked for/with were/are like family - but, I was so stressed out - and burned out, that the thought of returning stresses me out.


The responsibility of your job ends the day you are no longer their employee - even though there's so much to know - you've got to find a way to be okay with leaving the responsibility up to them - ...

(I want to encourage you more, but I'm beat right now, and it's only 10:30 p.m.) - it's the cats and especially the ferals I'm trying to socialize - takes up a lot of my day- so I'm beat right now
...

- no matter what "job" I take on - I'm driven to do it thoroughly - ... And I think that's the way you are - but, there will always be slackers who are more than willing to just exist and let others do the heavy lifting - but, it's at our peril if we don't just find the "I've done the best I can, but I'm done" button ... okay- hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to make more sense ... meanwhile -

- if you do go to work for your brother, I still encourage you to write down what he is expecting of you, and visa versa ...

- good night...
 
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bob'smom

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Thanks. I have some instructions already written out (going back to past vacations) and have been working on the rest. I'm doubting they would keep me on as a consultant because in order to do that (besides money) I have to maintain full access to their server and programs. We've had issues with employees who were put on consultant-like status abusing the privilege to undermine others. I wouldn't do that but I can understand why they're gun-shy.

I think my biggest reason to leave is that it's been several years of the same arguments - sales selling things (shows, features in news and sports) that the station no longer carries, sales fighting with programming to add more commercials and programming wanting the commercials cut back, clients who expect certain ratings levels that the station isn't going to meet, etc. A vacation isn't going to solve this, and management hasn't shown any inclination to change it.
 
clpeters23

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When I was laid off from GE I was the only one in the office that knew about toll-free call network provisioning and routing. I pointed this fact to the people that laid me off and said I would not become an unpaid worker. They would have to pay me per consulatation; I no longer worked at the company and would not provide free information.

My ex-boss called me that afternoon asking for help and I had to tell him no. I know he wasn't happy, but that's just the way things had to be.

If you do become a consultant, make sure everything's spelled out in writing, agreed upon and signed. You have to protect yourself!
 
gloriajh

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Originally Posted by Bob'sMom

Thanks. I have some instructions already written out (going back to past vacations) and have been working on the rest. I'm doubting they would keep me on as a consultant because in order to do that (besides money) I have to maintain full access to their server and programs. We've had issues with employees who were put on consultant-like status abusing the privilege to undermine others. I wouldn't do that but I can understand why they're gun-shy.

I think my biggest reason to leave is that it's been several years of the same arguments - sales selling things (shows, features in news and sports) that the station no longer carries, sales fighting with programming to add more commercials and programming wanting the commercials cut back, clients who expect certain ratings levels that the station isn't going to meet, etc. A vacation isn't going to solve this, and management hasn't shown any inclination to change it.
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Sounds like you know what you've got to do - try not to burn any bridges, you never know when you might need something. I hear what you say about "vacations" - been there, done that - very frustrating, and stressful - time for a change - hope working with your brother will be a great experience, if that's what you decide to do.

Be well!
 
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I hope whatever decision you make turns out to be the best one for you!


I just wish I had a job to be able to say "I want to leave my job". The company I work for decided to close our branch office and I lost my job at the end of July. I started searching for a job mid June since we knew at that time and I still haven't found anything.
 
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bob'smom

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I would only leave if I have another job. There is a possibility that my brother may hire me. I intend to leave on good terms when the time comes and will do all I can until that point to make the transition smooth. I'm becoming more uncomfortable with the idea of consulting for them. It would ultimately be a crutch and people would run to me rather than figuring it out for themselves.
 
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I can understand why you want to leave. My job isnt nearly as important as yours but Im a server and when it comes down to them needing someone to help Im the first one they call. When they need someone to stay for 10+ hours to cover someone because they need a strong server to carry a side..Im the one they ask. When I didnt have my license I bent over backwards to work the shifts they needed covered including a closing shift during the week where my rides both had to get up at 4Am and 5 Am to go to work and they were coming to pick me up at 1am...Its hard and a pain and mentally and physically exhausting...I wish you the best of luck in deciding what you want to do whether to leave or stay. And if you leave many vibes sent to you that you find another job that makes you happy and helps to keep you as stress free as possible.
 
gloriajh

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Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog

I can understand why you want to leave. My job isnt nearly as important as yours but Im a server and when it comes down to them needing someone to help Im the first one they call. When they need someone to stay for 10+ hours to cover someone because they need a strong server to carry a side..Im the one they ask. When I didnt have my license I bent over backwards to work the shifts they needed covered including a closing shift during the week where my rides both had to get up at 4Am and 5 Am to go to work and they were coming to pick me up at 1am...Its hard and a pain and mentally and physically exhausting...I wish you the best of luck in deciding what you want to do whether to leave or stay. And if you leave many vibes sent to you that you find another job that makes you happy and helps to keep you as stress free as possible.
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Hey - Every job is important - if one job wasn't in the mix of Jobs we'd all have it harder - everyone's job is part of the whole, and when one is gone, the others don't do as well - I'm not saying that very good 'cause I'm not a morning person (it's 7 a.m. ish here in CA) -- thank you for filling a position that helps everyone in one form or another.
 
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