Work Boxers

Don’t Stay If You’re Miserable

by Mark on March 1st, 2008

Unless you have a plan…

With thanks to Susan Heathfield.

Top Ten Reasons To Quit Your Job

I’ll talk about those I can identify with and you might want to click through to Susan’s article to read the rest.

1. Your company is experiencing a downward spiral, losing customers, losing money, and rumors of possible closure, bankruptcy and failure prevail.

Personally, having been in this situation recently, I’d suggest doing some research online. It isn’t difficult to find the financial statements of your company at their web site. If you have an awareness, you can see the “rumors” might have some basis if, for example, your company has been losing millions of dollars each month for the last six (6). You can also determine if the “powers that are” have made adjustments in their personal “golden parachutes” recently. Upping the amounts of dollars they’ll receive upon a change of ownership (though that’s common language) could be an indication something is in the works. That doesn’t mean the change would be bad - you could find yourself with better (or worse) owners.

2. Your relationship with your manager is damaged beyond repair. You have sought help to mend the relationship but you know it is too damaged for recovery. (Perhaps you were untrustworthy, missed work on too many days, or the manager acts like an untrustworthy jerk.) Whatever the reason, the relationship is irrecoverably damaged.

Whatever the reason? Well, the unemployment folks said “Despite your best efforts you were unable to maintain your employer’s quota.” That leaves it open to interpretation doesn’t it? If you’re working for someone who refuses to react to the current market and steadfastly maintains their obsession with margin in an economy headed towards a recession, there’s little you can do to save your “job.” And - when your store manager terminates your employment with an incredibly inappropriate, wide mouthed, sh** eating grin, I would say that relationship was damaged beyond repair.

4. Your values are at odds with the corporate culture. Perhaps your company is egalitarian and you believe in assigned parking spots for salaried employees. Your company does annual employee satisfaction surveys and you think these are a waste of time. Your company is hierarchical and you want to influence every aspect of your job. No matter where the clash is occurring, a lack of congruence with the corporate culture will destroy your attitude at work.

I learned a very long time ago it is one thing to talk a good game, it is another, entirely different thing to walk a good game. I don’t want to get into this very deeply but I am willing to say that discrimination most certainly exists regardless of your color.

5. You’ve stopped having fun and enjoying your job. No matter what changed, when you dread going to work in the morning, it’s time to quit your job.

You can only “make” your own fun for so long when you have purposely become, to your manager, part of “them.” Them being the hourly folks who do the selling and stock work and 99% of the customer relations on the floor while management cowers in their upper, behind the scenes, very unavailable, backroom offices popping their “better than thou” heads out of their holes long enough to disappoint you and your customer before retreating behind the walls again.

6. Your company is ethically challenged. Perhaps the managers lie to customers about the quality of the products or the day on which the product will ship. You become aware that the company is stealing information from competitors. Whatever the issue, don’t stay in an organization where your ethics are out of sync.

Perhaps it was just me, but when a store manager tells you they will speak with you about your application for an available management position, never does, then transfers a friend in from another location who isn’t as qualified as you, ethics are out of sync.

10. And the top ten reason to quit your job? You are unchallenged, need more responsibility, and seek opportunities that just don’t exist for you in your current organization. You’ve explored the current and potential options, and they are limited. It’s time to quit your job.

Well, the original store manager, the professional who hired me, told me, having seen my resume’, that I was certainly qualified for advancement. He spent a great deal of time with us discussing our feelings and thoughts about improving business. He had a problem with follow-up but at least he gave us the dignity of speaking with us. His replacement was the most unavailable, unapproachable, arrogant, belittling, unprofessional person who simply refused to offer any dignity towards “them.”

I waited it out. I researched my options. I did not dignify her wide-mouthed, stupid grin nor react to her excitement when she terminated me. I had a plan, put it into effect, moved on and I’m ok for now. I’m also a lot happier!

Karma…

Tags: Business Plans, Quit Your Job, Self-Employment, Small Business, Small Business Start Up

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