Advice Please

[Diluted]

OK this is going to be long winded I think...

So yesterday my boss told my group he was leaving the organization. Now I'm not so sure I wan't to stay here either (I've kind of felt like this for a while). Now this is really pushing me to go find something new. Before I jump ship people are suggesting I give it a chance. Now let me give you some background...

My department is broken up into 3 cost centers: Information Systems, Info Technology (my group), Ambulatory IS. IS and Amb IS are pretty much a tight knit group, my group is just kind of cast off to the side. They get pretty much whatever they ask for and we get nothing. They try and walk all over us and the only thing that is stopping them is my boss. Now once he's gone one of their 5-7 supervisors is going to be over us and I'm afraid we're just going to get walked on.

They're going to need to hire someone to replace him, assuming that one of those other supervisors doesn't get promoted up. My train of thought is they're going to hire someone that fits in to their plan. My boss isn't like that.

Our boss is extremely lenient when it comes to time off, they're very hard nosed. Like if I want a day off I can just put it on his calendar, no explanation needed. Same if I want to take a vacation, it just goes on the calendar and as long as a bunch of us aren't off at the same time it's no problem. If I need to leave to do something in the middle of the day it's no big deal or if I need to switch shifts and work the evening, again not a problem.

Needless to say I'm gonna get my resume up to date and put out the feelers. It can't hurt. I don't think I'm the only one in my group who feels this way. I'm not against change, but now the other groups will be able to walk all over us with nobody to stick up for us.

Am I jumping the gun? Or based on what I've said is it a valid argument?

 

[JSP]

Not jumping the gun.. Follow your gut feelings. Should always have a top notch resume ready to go anyways. If you are not going to be happy, no reason for you to stay. Just make sure you have another job before jumping ship. And don't burn the bridge either though. Good references help a lot.

 

[Szajko]

Like jspansel said, even though cliche... do what makes you happy! Ride it out for a little bit and have your plan B ready.

 

[Diluted]

Oh I'll definitely be sure I have something else first. I can't afford to be out of a job. I don't intend on burning the bridge.

I seem to have misplaced my resume so unfortunately I'll need to start from scratch. Luckily my mom knows hiring people and lawyers that can look it over for me and let me know how it is once I'm done.

I'm almost interested in pursuing a completely different career path, however, I can't afford to take a pay cut and I don't know what else to do that would pay me what I'm making.

 

[Parcho]

My job went through 4 bosses last year. I wanted to jump ship but they finally hired someone that used to work at this account previously and knows wtf they are talking about. Basically what I'm saying is, it might suck for a bit but stay and see how bad it really goes. You might actually like getting one of their supervisors since that might be the key to making your group not be outcasts. Don't predict the rain before you get wet.

 

[Diluted]

I'm kind of tired of this place anyway, even before him telling us he was leaving. I think he was probably the reason I've stayed. The flexibility was huge and now without that it seems like there's no point. Also the other groups micro manage the sh!t out of their groups. We don't have that with him and I feel like that's going to start happening.

Like I said, I'll put the feelers out and see what comes my way.

 

[CrazyCawi]

I'm kind of tired of this place anyway, even before him telling us he was leaving. I think he was probably the reason I've stayed. The flexibility was huge and now without that it seems like there's no point. Also the other groups micro manage the sh!t out of their groups. We don't have that with him and I feel like that's going to start happening.

Like I said, I'll put the feelers out and see what comes my way.

why dont you try and get the supervisory position?

 

[r0ar]

why dont you try and get the supervisory position?

I agree. Be the boss that doesn't let the other groups step on your team!

 

[Diluted]

why dont you try and get the supervisory position?

I'm not qualified, he's a director, we don't have a manager. I'm also not really the supervisor type.

 

[dart1963]

wtf is this resume thing you speak of...


ugh... been here for almost 14 years now... can't really help

do what you feel is right, talk it over with the wife... put out feelers with friends on openings and see. Just remember, the grass isn't always greener on the other side

 

[Rabbitman109]

I guess what I am going to say is basically a re-iteration. Throw the resume out there, and see what you can get, but stay for a bit, and see how it goes. You never know, it may be okay. If it sucks, hopefully someone will have been contacting you about working for them. I hate being in these situations, but I think you have the right idea. Just let it ride for now, and see if you can get in somewhere else. I wish you the best of luck, and I am sure that you will do the right thing for you and your family.

 

[r0ar]

Come be a rent a cop in Chantilly with me! haha

 

[Diluted]

wtf is this resume thing you speak of...


ugh... been here for almost 14 years now... can't really help

do what you feel is right, talk it over with the wife... put out feelers with friends on openings and see. Just remember, the grass isn't always greener on the other side

Been here for 7...

I can't imagine it could get much worse. I'm pretty much plateau'd where I am. There's nowhere else to go, and getting $.15 raises every year isn't doing much for me.

 

[JSP]

Been here for 7...

I can't imagine it could get much worse. I'm pretty much plateau'd where I am. There's nowhere else to go, and getting $.15 raises every year isn't doing much for me.

Like I said, if you are not happy, move on if you can. Life is short. No reason to stay somewhere if you are not happy.

 

[r0ar]

Like I said, if you are not happy, move on if you can. Life is short. No reason to stay somewhere if you are not happy.

This pretty much sums it up.

 

[Diluted]

Now would be a good time, I'm only 28 so I have a while to go!

 

[CrazyCawi]

Now would be a good time, I'm only 28 so I have a while to go!

youd still retire at 58 if you put in 30 years,,,,so before 60 still. Get it done but dont burn your bridge.

 

[DragonBlu]

My rules for the last 45 years of working for "the man". 1.Always have a plan B. 2.Never burn bridges. 3.Try to find a job you can be happy at. Worked my first job 15 years and it was the best move I ever did to quit and move on. I have less than 5 until I retire and even though I work for an ass,I can do five easy. I have learned to manipulate and tolerate. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

 

[Nastybutler]

I don't know if this is really any sort of advice, but I thought I'd share my recent experience with a similar situation. Instead of a cool boss leaving, it was an ass of a boss driving away good people though.

First some backround (I'll try and keep this part brief). I worked for a company in the town next to the town I grew up in after I left college. Cool manager for a small electrical distribution branch in a rural town. Low level job, but room to advance. Well, sales weren't so good, so after two years I was laid off. Got hired by a competitor and worked there for a year, then got hired back by my former company to a better position (thanks to the cool manager who was like a second father to me). Worked in that position for just over a year before a position in Anchorage (the "big" city) opened up.

Somehow I got that job despite limited experience and it being a pretty big jump in responsibility. Worked in that role for five years and was starting to get a wandering eye, but not so much that I was actively looking for a new job. My boss in Anchorage who hired me, seemed like a good guy at first, but once you got to know him you could tell there was just something not quite right. Control freak, vindictive, insecure. That sort. But I liked a lot of the people I worked with. Still friends with them now. Then my boss, who's driven away good talent before, started making things unbearable for several of my close coworkers and they started to leave, which pissed me off. The silver lining was another position came open that I applied for and got, as my boss was still treating me well. It was a lateral move on the org chart, but it helped get me out of my stagnant position and build my resume and give additional experience.

Well six months or so after I got that position, things in the office went really bad. The office went into two factions; those who sucked up to the boss, and those who the boss didn't like. I don't suck up, so by default I ended up in the other faction.

I was trying to stick it out as best I could and began looking for another job when something happened that "broke the camels back" so to speak. I requested to use some vacation time, over a month in advance of when I wanted to take it, which was well within the company policy. I didn't hear back on whether it was approved, but that wasn't unusual. I just assumed it was approved. Well about two weeks before my scheduled vacation I get an email from my boss saying that I wouldn't be able to take time off unless X,Y, and Z were done first. X, Y, and Z being huge tasks that my predecessor had left outstanding and there was no way they were possible to get done in time unless I worked 12 hour days for the next two weeks straight (I was a salaried employee).

I didn't reply to the email, and I talked it over with the wife later that night, and after a couple of days to really think about it, I put my two weeks notice in. I didn't have another job lined up, but I knew I couldn't work there anymore. I knew it was risky, but I do live in a state with loads of employment opportunities, so I wasn't worried at the time (2.5 months later and still no interviews, I was getting pretty worried).

I ended up landing a much better paying job, and am SO much happier. I wouldn't recommend just quitting your job, but I will say that if you have faith, something better can happen if you make it happen.

TL;DR My job got unbearable, so I up and quit, and landed a much better job in terms of pay and happiness three months later.

 

[Marthy]

Follow you guts feeling. You still have a long way to go. Agree with DragonBlue here. Having a plan B is the best job security you will ever have. Don't burn bridges, ever! It's part of networking... Never know when an old working buddy will be needed for reference somewhere else. It's a small world out there.

I had many lobs, especially in my racing days. And many of those might hire me back (some of them still call me every now and then for job offer)

On the other hand you need to be careful with massive job search. Take notes of where and when you send resume... some of them might call you in 3 months. The other thing too word might go around and end up back in the front office. Don't talk about anything at work. You will be amaze how many back sabers work with you... they're everywhere. Keep it quiet for yourself...

Good luck!