Career change dilemma

April 8, 2008 2:40 PM

I'm being taken advantage of at work. My life and career need a major overhaul. I need to make a really big U-turn, but how?

Today I'm really feeling burned, and I'm really at the end of my rope. The situation today feels like a last-straw moment, though it's minor in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, the studio I work in has been taken over for the past two days by a guy from a different office. My managers never think to tell me that this is going to happen. I've been in my position almost ten years, but becasue I'm a part-timer, I get treated like I don't exist. I'm flexible and friendly and I can always grab another studio -- although there are problems associated with that, which is where some advance notice from management that I'm not going to have my normal workspace would be helpful. This is the fourth time they've done this to me. I'm so tired of being treated like drek! I know these guys aren't going to change. I could stay here another ten years doing excellent work and they still wouldn't even know my name. I need to quit and/or change my life in a major way. This is a true thing I can no longer avoid as of today. I'm in my forties and there isn't always going to be another chance to start over. I feel like I need to grab this one.

So here's my situation in a nutshell: I have two part-time radio jobs. One involves commercial production (voicework and ground-up creation of commercials), and also a lot of data entry. It's about 26 hours a week.

I've been underpaid at this job for years. I can't get a raise, can't change my status to full time, and can't get hired in any other capacity at this station. My mentor, who is great but isn't my manager, is giving me lots of creative production tasks, and seems to think I should be ecstatic to get them. My position is, I'm making a few bucks above minimum wage to build commercials for airplay on all the stations in our cluster, and I'm doing production director level work, but can't get hired full time and am not getting paid what I'm worth. People always scurry up to me and say, hey, I heard you on station blah blah blah! It's like being a celebrity, except that it's practically a minimum wage job.

I have another part-time job in which I'm on the air, and it pays twice as much, and the fun factor is greater. But my position is fill-in, rather than full time, and I can't get a straight answer from them about whether or not I will ever be given a regular schedule or full time status. They're basically not holding out a lot of hope for me.

I've begun to realize the radio thing is a bit of a dead end, and I want to start ramping up work on my other projects. I just don't know how to do it, exactly. I'm an artist and would like to find a job as an illustrator, sketch artist, cartoonist, or something like that. If I could sell my fine art, that would be great too. With an art degree I could also be a creative director or get a number of possible positions in advertising. It seems like it would really open things up for me.

Currently I have a BA in Liberal Studies. It would take about another 100 credits to complete my degree, and since I could only take one class at a time--since I'm paying as I go--completion of my art degree would be a few years out.

If I do go back to school, I would need to keep one or both of my part-time jobs since I'd be doing this without loans. I'm worried. We don't have kids, but my two jobs are already an incredible time suck. I'm wondering how I could add school into the mix and not explode. And my DH gets annoyed when we're both so busy that we never see each other. I don't want to risk more tension in my marriage.

One last piece--I'm almost finished with a novel I've been working on. In a perfect world, I would be able to nail it down and get it published in about a year's time (don't have an agent or publisher currently). An advance would cover a big chunk of my schooling costs. But again, I'm just free-associating.

I don't know where to begin, and I'm overwhelmed at the thought of how much work I've got ahead of me. Any insight/advice would be appreciated.

posted by frosty_hut to work & money (20 comments total)

Although I'm at a different, earlier point in life, were I you, I'd break it down a bit. Find yourself a job you feel better about first, and put school and your novel (congratulations!) on the back burner for a little while. After you find a new job, you'll have mental and emotional breathing room to reevaluate your longer term goals.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 2:59 PM on April 8, 2008

Is it possible for you to take a vacation now? I know that sounds like thin advice, but often, a simple relocation and suspension of your weekly habits can really open you up to some insight into your situation. You may get various tips and suggestions here on what to do, but no one but you will be able to help you, ultimately. A forced timeout will might help you look at your options more clearly.
posted by Burhanistan at 3:01 PM on April 8, 2008

Hmm. I remember when you wanted to start your own blog. How did that work out for you? Looking at your past questions... you're really not happy there, are you? Strike's answer seems like the right one to me. Solve one problem at a time.
posted by Leon at 3:12 PM on April 8, 2008

I don't so much have advice, as I do words of encouragement. I couldn't believe the difference in how I was treated when I moved from part time and contract work to full time. Night and day. I think you need to look for something new. Perhaps you could start by taking classes on resume writing/ interview skills.

I don't love my job, but I have a good employer now. I'm not saying you should throw away your passion for radio, but please think about taking a job in an institution that's known for treating its peeps well. Do any of your friends like where they work? I worked as an adjunct, and later as a contract worker at a large university. The architecture was great, but I always felt like I was begging for crumbs.

A full time job with one employer is actually kind of scary and final. But you will get treated better, and people will begin to see you as an asset rather than a threat.

Good luck, particularly with the novel. Starting a new job will distract you, but it might provide you with greater stability in the long run.
posted by gesamtkunstwerk at 3:18 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Striketheviol (love your handle BTW), thanks for your input. Hm. I was thinking I would have to hang on to one of my part-time jobs in order to complete school. The only thing going for my part-time schedule has been that it's given me the flexibility to take morning classes (that's how I finished my BA). I'm worried that a new full time job would be problematic schedule-wise. But maybe I should take your advice.

Burhanistan, I would love a vacation. Not sure how to swing it funds-wise, but I agree it would help my state of mind! Maybe I should try to make it happen.

Leon, I gave up the blog idea (this is related to job number 2). It would have involved a lot of unpaid work for the station, which neither of us felt right about. They do permit me to contribute to the collective blog now (glory halleluja), and it's fun. But I'm a bit deflated. There was much talk of hiring me full time in the early days, and that murmur has just about died. They retain their power by withholding information, so I have no idea whether I'm still being considered for a status change or what. I'm not holding my breath though.

Gesamt, thanks for your comment. I like the architecture image. I picture being tortured while looking at beautiful surroundings. But I'm still being tortured. Good point!

I'm feeling like you all are saying I should definitely go with a new full time position. But I don't know how I'll finish school in that case. I don't think I can take all the classes I need to take at night.

Thoughts?
posted by frosty_hut at 3:31 PM on April 8, 2008

I thought you have a degree (B.A.) already? In which case the school seems a lot less important than getting a not-sucking job. Also, 100 credits is a huge amount, isn't it? It just seems as though getting from A to B with a less sucky full time job would be a lot easier than going back to school. But it's your life, of course, you get to decide.
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 3:43 PM on April 8, 2008

Are you going to school right now? If not, then I suggest you change your immediate situation, rather than holding on in the event that you return to school. If you are in school now, how many years do you anticipate that it will take to finish? Can you get a full time job, do the classes you can do, and then switch to part time to finish up?

I understand about paying your dues to get ahead later, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to make your present absolutely miserable for an unknown future reward.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 3:46 PM on April 8, 2008

It is nearly impossible for you to change the perception of you at the companies you currently work for. They see you a certain way and can't imagine you in another role. If you want to be a different person (worker) you must leave to become that person. Not so different from family in that way.

So, let's look at what can come of your situation. First of all, it sounds like you enjoy working in radio, just not under the current circumstances.

Working parttime is essentially an apprenticeship. If you view your jobs as training for your next job then suddenly things open up a bit. But you have to change your attitude and let go of the whining.

Take whatever tasks you can get your hands on and do them without griping. Forget about your position, your pay, whatever else irks you and learn everything you can.

You have to be ready for that next job before you look for it. Not to mention, if you work hard and have a great attitude jobs just seem to flow to you.
posted by trinity8-director at 3:48 PM on April 8, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

Riffing a bit on what others have said - can you find a really good job elsewhere? If you have background and skills in radio, are there other stations in your area where you can get reasonable pay and appreciation for your existing skills, whether full-time or part-time?

As others have said, a better job may help you figure out your other priorities. If you can go work for a competitor, even for a year or two, it could make a big difference in your paycheck, your stress level, and your perspective on what to do next.
posted by kristi at 4:25 PM on April 8, 2008

Well, you seem like an intellectual, increasingly self-aware person from your AskMes...your problems don't sound like an attitude issue to me. If you do feel ready, it doesn't strike me as implausible that you could get another job, and put yourself in a new situation where you have less of a history to ruminate over (this is key), and then plan for school later on. Adding school on top of your current two jobs sounds like too much of a strain right now.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 4:30 PM on April 8, 2008

I agree it might be best to put school on hold and get a completely different job. You mentioned an art degree could get you a job in advertising. I've had only a tangential relationship with advertising (I was a copywriter, not an artist), but it was my impression that a portfolio is most important, more important than a degree, and you can build one with spec or volunteer work if necessary (or just create one out of the blue, as in "Here's what I would have done with the X campaign").

I say this because I think it's a common tendency to assume that a degree will lead to certain work or more income. However, a degree doesn't even necessarily increase your income, at least in my field. I'm 46 and have only a bachelor's but am charging healthy fees in a field in which many people have master's degrees. Recent salary statistics for my industry show that people with a higher degree don't necessarily make more money than those without the degree. There was only a slight difference in average salaries between master's and bachelor's degrees.

If you really want to get into advertising, maybe you could use your radio experience to get hired with an advertising firm. Then, once you've seen the innards of the field, if you still want to get in as an artist, you could try building a portfolio.
posted by PatoPata at 4:36 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

It sounds like you were resigned to completing your art degree mostly one or two classes at a time anyway, right? That can be challenging, but totally doable with a full-time job - lots of people get their degrees that way (speaking from experience). Also, one full-time job can often be less draining than 2 equivalent part-time jobs because there's less gear-shifting involved.

If the main purpose of the art degree is to position yourself for higher-level positions in advertising, maybe you can leverage your existing creative talents into a full-time not-higher-level position in advertising? Then not only will you be able to see how you like it, but maybe your ongoing professional development will become something your employer will be willing to support with either tuition benefits or flex time or both. Or, you may find that you are well suited for a higher-level position and that an art degree is not what you actually need but maybe something else?

I would think that having your demonstrated wide range of being able to work across multiple media would be an asset. Good luck!
posted by shelbaroo at 4:47 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I will second trinity8-director's advice, then add a few additional thoughts. First, take some time to pick up some books on resume writing. If you are really ambitious and ready to do all the exercises in "What Color Is Your Parachute", it will be well worth the effort, although sadly, few have the fortitude. An older book called "The Perfect Resume" or now "The NEW Perfect Resume" offers up some exercises, which should help you to see just how valuable you are, but in MUCH less time. (Forty hours or thereabouts.) Use your personal results from these exercises to construct your resume. Doing these exercises in a thoughtful and deliberate manner are essential. I believe they will allow YOU to see yourself in a whole new light, and that is 90 percent of the ballgame. Now that you have a resume in hand that you are proud of, put it aside until you speak directly to both companies you work for, asking them for exactly what it is you want. Set up a formal appointment time with the person who can make this happen, not necessarily your immediate boss. Given your new sense of value to these organizations and to any future companies, you just might be surprised at what happens. If nothing happens, then start sending out those resumes.

Not meaning to ignore the other possibilities you have in front of you, frosty_hut, but I am giving advice in the order I think makes the most sense. I really hope that you keep working on your novel and attending school as you can. I would wish you luck here, but I honestly believe that if you do what I am suggesting, you really won't need luck. You will make your own.
posted by LiveLurker at 5:07 PM on April 8, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Frosty, I agree you should have a job where your coworkers are thoughtful and supportive, and where you get the pay you deserve.

But because of your past questions, I suspect there's something else going on here also worth exploring. In my experience, being upset -- truly upset, like you are -- over not being treated with respect has at least as much to do with yourself, and with what their actions cause you to think and feel, as it has to do with them. People probably do lots of rude things (eg, burping) that don't push your buttons quite as much as them forgetting to tell you (again) that someone else needed the studio. So, why does this make you so upset? I might be wrong here, and if so, feel free to ignore me. But it sounds like you are a bit of a perfectionist and are pretty critical of yourself, and then you worry about how others judge you and whether they notice that you're "always screwing up." So, then when people don't treat you well, you wonder why, and what you did to deserve it, and is it because you're not good at your job? All these worries come to the surface temporarily, and then you're angry, because you do deserve the studio space and you are good at your job. So, rather than the issue being "how can I get them to remember to tell me when they need the studio?" it's now about you, how good you are at your job, and why don't they see and acknowledge your value? And that makes this relatively simple (if inconsiderate) oversight very upsetting. So, I agree with you that they're being rude and making your job harder, but I'm not sure it's because they don't respect you. It may. Or it may just be that they didn't realize, or were busy and forgot, or blah blah blah.

So, maybe you should make a career move. At the same time, I would think seriously about the fact that you've asked a number of questions about interpersonal relationships, mostly work relationships, involving a number of different people. That doesn't mean your work environment is not bad, but it does make me think something is going on behind the scenes. You may want to seriously consider what you're bringing to these situations and come up with ways to examine it and move beyond it (therapy?), or find a work situation where these worries won't always arise. Otherwise, the new job will be just like the last one.

Just five months ago you were calling one of your jobs "the best place I've ever worked, except for Dick and his engineering co-horts....one of those chance-in-a-lifetime situations." What caused the switch?
posted by salvia at 6:11 PM on April 8, 2008

Frosty_hut: Have you thought about student loans? I mean, you can pretty much go to school and worry entirely about how to pay it back later. I'm assuming you're 100 credits away from your BA? Or are you 100 credits away from a second degree? Big diffrence.

Was your other education paid for with student loans, or with work?
posted by delmoi at 9:20 PM on April 8, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I agree with salvia, especially the phrase: "You may want to seriously consider what you're bringing to these situations and come up with ways to examine it and move beyond it (therapy?), or find a work situation where these worries won't always arise. Otherwise, the new job will be just like the last one."

I am in a similar situation as far as not being satisfied with my work life, though without the degree and in retail settings. Funny, my side thing is that I'm also writing a book, but it's about floral design. Anyway, good luck on the novel. If that really took off, all of this would be less compelling in your life. But, hard to pin your hopes on that. Honest self-examination can take you a long way. At least I'm hoping that for myself. One thing I have learned is that I am 100% responsible for my situation.

One book I've been reading is "48 Days to the Work You Love" by Dan Miller. He also has a website and podcast. If you just google the book title you can find him. His premise is that everyone can find work they love and make money at it if they just sit down and look at themselves a bit. A great number of people don't like their jobs but stay with them for all sorts of reasons which end up not making sense. Anyway hope something I or someone else here said helps.
posted by robinrs at 12:51 AM on April 9, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Thanks for all of these great suggestions. I also appreciate the input from those who remembered other posts. I do think that my personal issues, or whatever we want to call them, have an affect on my work life. I'm well aware that things bother me that others shrug off with ease. I've worked with therapists all my life, but have recently been through a dry spell without any counseling of any sort. That might be in order soon, although I'm a bit burnt out on therapy--I satirize our therapeutic culture a bit in my book, BTW. Thank God for material!

Salvia, thanks for recalling my previous post about how great I felt about one of my jobs(except for Hot Dog Boy). HDB and I are getting along swimmingly these days, now that I've learned the software that was the issue between us for a while. It's not a bad job, it's just that I feel jerked around because I was led to believe they wanted me for a full time position. Even after the manager said he only had part-time fill in work for me, I kept thinking, That's fine, I'll just wow them with how great I am, and they'll HAVE to hire me full time! Didn't work that way, but it's still possible something will open up--someone could die, etc. But the job is a good one as far as it goes -- best pay I've had per hour, and I'm on the air, and the listeners love me. But it's not enough money to keep body and soul together. If it were, I'd quit my data entry job in a second.

Thanks again, I've got lots of ideas to sort through now. And I'm already feeling much better! ^_^
posted by frosty_hut at 1:13 PM on April 9, 2008

delmoi -- my parents paid for a big chunk of my school and I paid for the rest, doing it as I went. So I've never had student loans, and am sort of uncomfortable with debt. But I suppose I could justify it for the sake of education.

Thanks for the suggestion!

Was also interested to hear from those who have good jobs without being covered in degrees. I would like to do it that way if I could...but I know I would enjoy rolling up my sleeves and learning all about art again. I kind of feel like I need to start from square one, having been away from it for so long.

pato pata, uou're right, a portfolio is going to be super important. I think class assignments will help jog my creativity for that purpose.

And Salvia, I appreciate your astute dissection of my psychology, it's utterly right on the money.
posted by frosty_hut at 1:19 PM on April 9, 2008

frosty_hut, thanks for tolerating my response and that I didn't answer your exact current question. And thanks for some of the background. "Thank god for material," I love it. :)

I'd build on what you're already good at -- it sounds like that could be an incredible asset. My guess -- not knowing much about this -- is that you could find a lot better-paying jobs as a sound engineer or doing production stuff than you could selling sketches or artwork (depending on how fast you are and what your market is). Are you sure you need a degree to become a Creative Director, or could you work your way up in advertising based on what you're already good at?

I agree with people that you might be able to avoid going back to school. But now it sounds like you want to. That makes me wonder, what do you really want: more money, work you enjoy more, more independence in your work environment, more free time, not to have to deal with people at your current job...? I'd try to get clear on that. My sense from your post is that you want an Official Position somewhere as a member of a team (or would you prefer to work alone?), and to receive decent pay. I'd suggest you go directly for getting that job, and see if you can find one. If you got a good full-time job, you'd be closer to what you want. School might be inspiring, but it would also mean cobbling together a bunch of part-time or contract jobs and being underpaid for another few years. A job that gave you a higher and more stable income might make it easier to either save up for school or go to school on the side.

Also, if you're talking about finishing your bachelors, this won't apply, but if you're talking about getting a masters, you could potentially have your tuition paid by being a teaching assistant on a topic you know well.
posted by salvia at 3:52 PM on April 9, 2008

Salvia, interesting points. I've become discouraged about continuing in radio, although you're right in general -- in a good environment and a brisk market, I've got more than enough experience to be a production director somewhere. My boss, for instance, is doing the same work I'm qualified to do and he makes about three times what I make. But the market is so very tight. I'm in market 25 (in the top quarter of markets ranked by size in the country), and yet it's incredibly difficult to stay employed in radio. And I'm working for the third largest media company, which is notoriously cheap. They've gutted stations all over the country. Case in point: they just got rid of one of our production directors. In a normal world, I might be considered next in line for that job. Problem is, they didn't just get rid of the guy, they got rid of the position itself. Now we've all got a third more work, and I'm still a part-time grunt. It's just frustrating.

I have about ten friends and former co-workers who used to be in radio, who were downsized or completely booted from their stations over the past two years. They'd probably each give an arm to be doing what I do, even as a part-timer. But I just can't keep doing this work for peanuts, prestige or no.

If I were really committed to radio, I'd be willing to move to another market to stay in it. And I just don't think I'm that committed. I'd rather do something related to art. And yes, I do want: more money (I made 15K last year), and just a little bit of prestige or respect from my co-workers. I can work on a team, but don't have to--I love working independently. But at this stage of life, I'm going to need a full-time job within the next two years, if I want to get my mortgage paid off before I'm eighty ^_^

Good point, a teaching assistant gig might help a lot. Thanks again for your insights, and thanks to everyone who responded...I really appreciate it.
posted by frosty_hut at 12:38 PM on April 10, 2008