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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » What do you do when work lets you down?

June 23, 2008 10:54 p.m. P71 Reader

I scored a new job and this is my second week, but it's really not going so hot...

First, some background. I have a great work record (2 years with a car lot, 3 years active duty military, 4 months at NAPA, plus the old high school and summer jobs) and I just graduated college with my Associates of Business (don't worry, I start on the Bachelors in the fall). I got hired by a guy that I met racing (go figure right?) and the company seems great, but it's out of my comfort zone (steel).

Anyways... I'm working OK, I have some military injuries that got me medically retired (and yes they affect my racing, I can't pass an SCCA/NASA Competition License physical nor an NHRA 9.90 license, I also wear extra safety gear even auto crossing and drag racing). I can work OK, but it really takes a toll on me and I'm not allowed near any cool machinery.

Problem is I work with about a dozen guys, of which maybe 6-8 made it out of high school. Two are convicted DUI's (which sits nasty with me) and can't even drive to work. Any high schooler could do this job for minimum wage. I wonder to myself every damn day why I even took the job, but I needed something to bring in money over the summer (GI Bill benefits stopped).

I don't want to screw with the company (or my very understanding girlfriend) but is it really worth busting my hump for another 7 weeks before school starts again just to tell them goodbye? They assume I'm going to stay on long-term (I have no idea why, I made it very clear from the start that I was already accepted into my new college and that I would at the best reduce to part time when school started).

I guess I just needed to vent a little. My body hurts and my mind is pissed for being forced into the same repetitive task day in and day out. Advice?

(PS - GRM, you wouldn't be hiring any Pacific Northwest based freelancers now would you? )
June 23, 2008 11:27 p.m. ThunderCougarFalconGoat New Reader

Dude, you could always call and ask for advice. But I can give it to you here if you want. Danny is a pretty understanding guy, so I think if you had to quit for school, you wouldn't be burning any bridges. Now, as to whether its worth it... doubt it when it makes you this unhappy. But, you have the job, its only 7 more weeks till school starts, and it would be really difficult to find another job that would only hire you for less than 7 weeks. So really, your choice is, do you want to have money and be miserable about your job, or be poor and be miserable cause your gf is complaining about money?
June 23, 2008 11:30 p.m. Salanis Dork

If you can find a job that pays better and/or sucks less, change over. If you're generally up front, I'd say that's cool.

Otherwise, sounds like you need the money. Sucks, but true.

One more option: see if you can get hours cut back?
June 24, 2008 8:16 a.m. slefain Dork

The warehouse manager I used to work for always said: you can never fault a man for bettering himself. That's the way he handled anyone who left for a better job somewhere else. If a job is better for you somewhere else, there's no shame in taking it.
June 24, 2008 8:21 a.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

I spent a summer working in a box factory. Sounds a lot like your deal.. the guys who were willing to do the job we're often not the kind of guy you'd want to introduce to your sister, and the job itself was brutal. 10 hours of moving 50 pound boxes around in the crushing heat.

But it didn't kill me, kept food on the table, and as it turns out I got in great shape and some of those guys were pretty cool. They just had good-decision-impairments.

Tough it out. Seven weeks isn't that long.
June 24, 2008 8:36 a.m. stuart in mn Dork

P71 wrote: is it really worth busting my hump for another 7 weeks before school starts again just to tell them goodbye?

It wasn't really clear what it is you don't like about the job, but the way I look at it is this: you're just trying to make some money before you go back to school. If you quit now, unless you have another job lined up (that you'll quit in seven weeks anyway) all that will happen is you won't make any money.

Temp jobs while you're going to school generally suck, but that's just how it works. I spent one summer working in a fiberglass plant, and another working in chicken barns. They were awful jobs but they helped pay for my schooling, and that was all that counted. Unless there's something life threatening or morally repugnant about the place, you should stick it out.
June 24, 2008 8:40 a.m. Xceler8x Reader

Stick the 7 wks and chalk it up to experience. When you go to school you'll look around and know you made the right decision to go back.

Everyone has had jobs where they say "This is suck." They make good jobs that much nicer when you land them.
June 24, 2008 8:52 a.m. John Brown UltimaDork

The only good job is being the guy that fits Pamela Anderson for her bras. Outside of that all jobs are the suck.
June 24, 2008 9:20 a.m. Duke Dork

I'm with the 'stick it out' crowd. You're not likely to improve your working conditions with a 6-week job. It's not going to be fun, but it sounds like you've survived some pretty un-fun stuff so far.

Bear it out, say sayonara before school starts, and hang in there.
June 24, 2008 9:27 a.m. Jack SuperDork

7 weeks will appears as the blink of an eye in anther 10 years. It sounds like you need the money, the job won't kill you, just finish it up and use the memeory of this sucky experience to keep motiviated in school, so there won't be any more sucky jobs later on.

Actually, there will be more sucky jobs, but they won't be as sucky because you will have a degree and have more opportunities.

Jack
June 24, 2008 11:24 a.m. Nashco Dork

As mentioned, stick it out, it's only 7 weeks...that will fly by if you just think about the paycheck and how it will help you out while you're back at school. Also, if you make friends with some of the guys maybe you'll be able to get access (through their help) to some cool equipment in some future projects. You never know when networking will help you out, even at crappy jobs.

Bryce
June 24, 2008 11:30 a.m. Salanis Dork

Don't burn bridges.
June 24, 2008 11:47 a.m. 914Driver HalfDork

Say you've had it. I hate to get up in the morning, I hate the mind-numbing proletarian routineness with a bunch of mouth breathers in a place OSHA doesn't know exists. Quit.

Can you find a less sucky job in less than three days? Most places won't start you the day you fill out the application, so it may be two or three weeks before you get a tumble, then you're gonna walk right after they break you in?

With the experiences you mentioned, military time et al, I'm guessing you're not 30. That's not too young to bitch about your situation, but you can't throw in the towel yet. Seven weeks, now a tick over six, is almost over. Military. Boot camp. Pushups in the sun, some guy screaming at you all the time, you finished that OK. This is cake. When you get to school and have some time; look at places to work that give ex-military priority placement. A Veteran with one day on the job here, gets saved in a lay off over men, women and children that have 40+ years service. That's just part of the reward.

Don't worry about the people around you, run your own race. It makes the girlfriend content, brings home money and is short lived. What could be better?
June 24, 2008 12:06 p.m. Type Q Reader

Maybe I am reading too much into this, but it sounds like there is more going on here than the job itself. I have been luckly enough not to suffer any severe injuries in my life. I did, however, go through a period when I was very sick. On the tail end of that, I got a job in a grocery store to earn money for college. I understand the frustration of working hard at things other people do without thinking. I remember clearly being exhausted and hurting. I was lucky to have a boss and coworkers who were sympathetic. At the same time, they didn't really know how much it took out me sometimes just to show up and work a normal shift.

If you decide to step away from this job, you will lose no respect from me. You have already persevered through things that would break the spirit of many people. Only you know what it takes get in there and make it happen everyday. If gets to be too much, it's too much.

However, I encourage you to stick with it a while longer. Every new job is hard for the first couple of weeks. I do consulting, so I am starting fresh on a regular basis. Remember you are not alone. Your girlfriend, your boss and the GRM community want to you succeed. We are here when you need encouragement.
June 24, 2008 12:25 p.m. MadScientistMatt HalfDork

Reminds me of the time I spent working at a Waffle House for a summer. I figured I could put up with any job for three months. The last month my main motivation for staying was to prove myself correct on that matter. Hang in there, it's only seven more weeks.
June 24, 2008 12:37 p.m. Salanis Dork

One other thing. It's kinda shiny happy person-ish to leave without giving 2 weeks notice. So you have to subtract that from the time of whatever you'd do after this job.
June 24, 2008 1:47 p.m. poopshovel Dork

Different strokes & all that. Personally, since the summer between 9th & 10th grade, the longest I've been without a job is about a week and a half...at the end of day 5, I was ready to freaking kill myself. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a "workaholic" by any stretch of the imagination, but the idea of not having income for a week or more scares the E36 M3 out of me.

IMO - Hang in there till you're back in school. Bust your ass, as a matter of fact. I'd also have a really brief, to the point talk with the boss to remind him that you're quitting as soon as you're back in school.

If you feel that the job is worsening your injury, I'd let the boss know right away, and give him the 2 weeks notice as Salanis mentioned. Again, it can be really quick and to the point; "Thanks for the opportunity to work here, but I think I've bitten off a little more than I can chew" or whatever.

One other thought: I don't care if your GF is an absolute freaking saint. You never want to be the guy who's "looking for work 'til school starts back." If you're going to get a job, get it in that 2 week grace period. Otherwise (assuming you live together based on the 'context clues',) you'd better be one dish-washin', vacuum runnin', keeping the place spotless, dinner on the table havin-ass mother berkeleyer.

My $.02. Good luck, and thanks for your service to our country.
June 24, 2008 8:59 p.m. P71 Reader

Hey thanks for the support everybody!

I'm going to just stick it out and make the money. Double-up on the happy pills and go to bed early.

THANKS!
June 24, 2008 10:54 p.m. neon4891 HalfDork

reminds me of my time at Vanguard Printing. Same situation with coworkers. The only good part of the job was my first evening in the bindery was putting together copies of the Aug.07 issue of Car Kulture DeLuxe. I said berkeley it and went back to food service after 3 days. Good to see that you have a stronger resolve than I did.
June 25, 2008 1:29 a.m. Wally SuperDork

Seven weeks will be up pretty soon, and the happy pilss can't hurt. With any luck maybe you can convince the girlfriend your doing it "for us" and can get some extra credit.

Tim Baxter wrote: I spent a summer working in a box factory.

What do they pack boxes in to ship them?
June 25, 2008 1:44 a.m. Ryan9118 Reader

It could always be worse. You could be doing HVAC and crawling around in 30 year old crawl spaces that smell like cat piss and are covered in rat E36 M3, with old insulation hanging down on your head. Add in all the dust and the odd wet spots with fur in them (decomposed critters?) that you just happen to put your sleeve in. Oh and that wet stuff just soaked to the skin. Plus the occasional armed large rat trip you JUST about put your hand in. Or the awesome crawler you get that's 14" high, with a concrete floor. And that's just the environment, not the work itself.

Tough out the 7 weeks and put the cash in your savings. It'll feel that much better the first day you get to sleep in.
June 25, 2008 8:48 a.m. internetautomart SuperDork

Stick it out.
Just don't associate with the riff-raff.
June 25, 2008 10:28 a.m. aussiesmg HalfDork

P71 mate, stick it out man, can you say "Racing Budget"

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