Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with newjob

New job prob

showbiz_liz — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:42:14 -0800

I just took a new job, which starts in two weeks. Upon accepting the job, I asked for a day off on June 7th, which is the day before my friend's wedding (in which I'm sort of a bridesmaid). I'd already gotten that day off with my current employer. This was fine with the new job. Now, I've realized that to make it to the bachelorette party, I will have to leave early on May 17th too... on my third day of work. How and when do I bring this up? Can I, even? By 'sort of a bridesmaid,' I mean she isn't having bridesmaids, but I am helping out in various ways and have promised to help set things up for both the wedding and the bachelorette party.

The new job starts on May 15th, and it's in a very small nonprofit office. The friend getting married lives in a small and inaccessible-by-public-transit town in Virginia, and I'm in NYC. It'll be easy for me to get to the wedding because I'll be splitting a car with friends, but that's not an option for the bachelorette party- no one else from NYC is going, and I don't drive.

Therefore, the only possible way for me to get to Virginia on time for this party (which takes place on Saturday) is to take a Chinatown bus from NYC to Fredricksburg on Friday night. The Saturday bus would arrive too late. The bus I want to take leave at 5pm on Friday.

This will mean that I have to leave work an hour and a half early on Friday- my third day of work- in order to make it to the bus in time.

I'm really worried about this. I mean, if I ask and they say "no," I'll live, but I don't want to get off on the wrong foot with my new employers, especially since I did already ask for one vacation day.

Is there a good way to ask for this? Would it be better to do it by email now- risking them thinking that I'm the sort of person who constantly asks for days off? Would it be better to ask in person- even though it'd be three days before the requested time? What can I do here?

what kind of job is this?

round_four — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:53:17 -0800

Hi Everybody, I'm new here. I'm trying to identify my next steps in life and am looking high and low for options, ideas and answers. I'm still working, but have also taken on more than a couple volunteer roles to try out a different industries. I found MetaFilter a few months ago and tho I haven't posted much, I've been reading and I thought it would be a good idea to put it to you. I want to apologize in advance for any newbie mistakes. And say thanks in advance for taking a minute to read this. Here goes. Its hard to find what you want when you don't know what to call it. So, here's a brief description of what I'm looking for, maybe one of you will recognize it.

- something uber social. I'm great with people and I love being social. Not 'lets get a coffee' social, but let me interact with 100+ people a day kind of social. In person. Not behind a desk or on the phone. But, out and about. I have no problem in new or different social/ cultural/ status circles and can easily and happily navigate that water. I am particularly good at initiating relationships, establishing rapport, identifying key issues, assigning specialists or pairing individuals of complementary strengths.

- my brain sees big picture. I can do details, but keeping the full-project in mind, staying on task and operating within that structure is where I excel.

- I have an excellent mind for strategy. I can see obstacles or potential problems miles before other people. A super handy asset to my co-workers as we're always prepared and/ or a step ahead.

- I am competent with operations and have decent administrative skills.

- I am at my best when I'm working with a reliable team of people who all love their job. I'm thinking either a small company or a tight, autonomous group within a large corp.

- new and different keeps me sharp, so projects that last 3-8 mts would be ideal. I want to make something and then totally shift gears and move onto something else.

- I want to have a positive social impact. This is non-negotiable. There has to be purpose and meaning beyond making money (although making lots of money is also important).

- I thrive in environments that are ever-changing and where I am regularly tasked to learn something new.

Okay, so, what do you think? What job is that? In what kind of work would those skills be valued? I've been looking at sales jobs, recruiting, etc, but they're not quite it. Any suggestions?

Again, thank you for reading. Hope you have a good day.

Cost-effective strategies for moving from Hawaii to LA

lostburner — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:12:40 -0800

I'm trying to plan our move from Oahu back to Los Angeles. We have too much for airline baggage, but too little for a shipping container. We're selling all the furniture and big items, and planning to buy used replacements when we arrive. We're paring down our belongings as much as we can bear, but it's still not going to fit in airline baggage. I'm talking medium-value, medium-sized things like baking pans, shoes, small kitchen appliances, and books. What's the cheapest way to ship all this little stuff? I don't care how long it takes. Is there a shared container solution that would let me take advantage of the economy of shipping containers without having to rent an entire one? (Something like the UPack ReloCubes is way too expensive, at $4000 terminal-to-terminal, and too much space besides as we don't have furniture.)

Do the options really boil down to dragging a couple big boxes in to FedEx, UPS, or USPS? Is one significantly cheaper than the others?

Moving from a small office to a very, very big one. Tips?

the foreground — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:08:32 -0800

What should I know before starting my first job at a large, corporate company that I may not be prepared for coming from a tiny, flexible office environment? Following on some of my previous work related questions on here, I took some people's advice to pursue a higher paying position with a larger (and very corporate) company. I start next week. Hooray!

I'm very excited, but also want to make sure I get off on the right foot. I am used to working in a very small, very flexible environment for the past 4 years, where about 90% of my time was actually focused on getting tasks done directly. No bureaucracy, very few meetings, very direct ways to approach colleagues and clients, all quite self-directed. Office politics were non-existent.

I know from my interview process with the new company and my own research that a lot more of my day will be spent in meetings with various team members, and my actual work will need to get done in the mornings or possibly brought home with me at night. That is one big adjustment. What are some others I may not be thinking of?

I've read things on career sites about pros and cons of big companies vs. small, but I found most of the insights to be on the general and vague side.

Anything you wish you knew before joining a large company/office? Particularly on making a good start? Avoiding or navigating office politics? Not getting lost? Anything small or big you can think of would be helpful, the more specific the better. Thanks!

I basically cannot get down with the sickness.

woodvine — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 17:56:16 -0800

Help! I'm starting my new job tomorrow and I think I'm getting sick. YANMD. I'm in Boston. I fly to North Carolina tomorrow for training. I'll be there for two days. I'm all packed and ready to head for the airport tomorrow morning.

About six hours ago, I noticed a throat tickle. This has progressed into the little girl's plea from Chloraseptic commercials of old: "It hurts when I swallow!"

This is my first job out of college, and it's basically my dream job. I've already rescheduled my training days once due to delays in moving across the country. I'm really worried that if I reschedule again, especially at the last minute like this, I will look totally unreliable.

I haven't had strep throat since I was a kid, but this feels like what the beginnings of that felt like. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I had a flu shot a month ago, so this (hopefully) isn't the beginnings of that.

What do I do if I wake up tomorrow morning and can't talk? Will I be infecting everyone within radius if I go ahead and go? Is there anything I can do tonight or tomorrow before I get on the plane at 8 am to mitigate this? Am I overreacting to a little sore throat? (I'm not miserable or anything, but there's definitely a problem.)

I got a job! Help me be great at it!

hrj — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:08:08 -0800

After posting here several times about my job search and post-MBA malaise, I have been offered an Account Manager position. This wasn't what I wanted to do entirely, but I want to be great at it, so I can move into a position I would want in a year or so. How do I be awesome at my job? I talked about my career conundrums here, here, and here.

After a few interviews for the jobs I wanted that didn't go very far, I took some advice and am about to accept an offer as an Account Manager for a software company. The company is small, and at the moment I'll be reporting up to the COO, and he has indicated that as long as I'm good at my job, and can demonstrate aptitude the career paths can be non-traditional; in other words, I can write my own ticket and move into a position I'd want. So, I want to be awesome at the job so I can move into an operations role in a year or so.

My questions are thus:

-- How do I readjust to the working world? I've been in school for two years and unemployed for 7 months, and I'm not used to having to be up on schedule and my time management has suffered. (I have ADHD, and have been very successful at work and school, but causing much stress to myself and my marriage).

-- How do I make a good first impression? It has been 7 years since I started a new job, and I didn't do the best job of making friends. I've been told it is a social office and I'm new in town and don't have friends besides my husband (which has strained our marriage), so I want to fit in, without doing anything that would make me seem unprofessional or lazy.

-- How do I be an awesome account manager? I did well in my last CAM position, but I'm rusty, and I'm not sure what I did to be so successful. Are there any books or websites that I can look at to develop skills in the next few weeks before I start? When interviewing, it was stated that the team as it stands was not as proactive and strong as they would like, and they wanted the new person to lead by example. What behaviors will help me do this?

This probably could have been 3 different questions, so I appreciate any help to make it easier for me to succeed.

Thanks in advance!

Since the position of "Prince William's Wife" has been filled...

peacrow — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 07:41:42 -0800

I want a job where I can: research/gather information, organize and do basic, preliminary analysis on said information, write reports. But not a paralegal, not in academia, probably not in tech. What field with a decent employment outlook would allow me to utilize my strengths? [little long inside, sorry!] I looked into paralegal training; the local community college has a good program and they offered to waive all Gen Ed reqs for me (I am ABD in a social science). But the job prospects for paralegals are just as grim as the rest of the legal industry. I'm not out to make tons of money, but I'd like to have a living wage and health insurance. I've given up the idea of working in law.

I plan to stay ABD and can't stomach the idea of working for a university in any capacity. This may change in the future, but for right now, I can't return to my prison in the Ivory Tower.

Tech is out because I am not technologically inclined. It's a goddamn miracle I know how to download apps on my phone.

Other skills I have that are less important than the research/analysis/writing portion: love working in teams, but fine if my work is solitary. I cannot work from home or have 0 interaction with co-workers. I enjoy doing bookkeeping, financial justifications, making schedules, office management type things, but only have informal experience as a defacto office manager for a research lab. I was a contract archaeologist for several years and have analytical and writing experience outside of academia. Lots of experience working with state government offices/bureaucracy/red tape.

I've always been drawn to public arts, museums, but have no strong preference to work in that field more than any other field, like medical/financial/education, etc. I am willing to return to school for a few more years, to earn a certificate or AA/S.

What are some career tracks I should look in to to utilize the things I like/am good at?

Avoiding Being Perceived as a Job-Hopper

Rykey — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 09:17:00 -0800

Recently accepted job offer X because it gets my foot in the door in a city I love. Just discovered job posting Y in the same city for a much better job. Best way to explain myself to company Y in cover letter/resume/interview? So I accepted the job offer X. It's a good but not great job, but it's a step up career-wise and would put me in a position to climb the ladder within a few years, and I'll love living in my new city. I start in a week, and I'm in the process of getting ready to move. Great!

But now I see the posting at employer Y, in the same city. Much better job. Great job, in fact--it's what I'd love to do, right out of the box.

The jobs both overlap with my experience, but are not really in the same category. Kind of like if I were a new chef at a restaurant, now applying for a job hosting a TV show about cooking. They are both also places from which I could see myself potentially retiring. My resume history does show that I've moved up in expertise and responsibility throughout my career, putting in 2 to 4 years at every position I list-- the lone exception being my current job Z, which I've been at less than a year (the opportunity to get the job in my new city was just too good to pass up).

Here's what I'm trying to figure out:

1) To get past the pre-interview weeding, how do I address the fact with Y that I've recently relocated to their city for job X, but am willing to totally jump ship after having worked there only a few weeks? Do I not mention job X at all on my resume (but then how to explain the relocation?) or list it (to show that I was good enough to get that large-applicant-pool, somewhat hard-to-get position)? What about the cover letter?

2) If I get the interview, how do I convey that I'm not an opportunistic job-hopper who can't be trusted not to bail? That seriously, despite leaving job Z after less than a year and new job X being perfectly fine, I really really want this job instead, for the long haul?

Don't send me passive aggressive emails during a hurricane please. It is the last straw.

Anonymous — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:05:31 -0800

Requesting assistance with how to explain in interviews why I am leaving, how/who to ask for references, and maybe just a gauge on whether it really is toxic or not. Background (you can probably skim/skip unless you like toxic workplace stories):
The job I am currently in, while fantastic, has a huge problem with an owner who is verbally/in writing abusive and aggressive and demoralizing. He is also the main sales guy and deals with clients all the time. I’ve been here 10 months and at least once a month, I get to hear him yell at someone who works for us, in full hearing of everyone else who works here. He has yelled at my direct supervisor as if he were a naughty child in front of a HUGE client. He has yelled at my direct supervisor IN FRONT OF ME in such a way that I could not leave the room because the was blocking the only way out.

Most recently, he had a stern discussion with me (he didn’t actually yell at me) about how “some people are doomed to customer service and retail work” because they don’t see “the vision” etc. I took a half day on Weds to go the doctor in the morning and the owner apparently never asked my supervisor where I was, owner just assumed I was sauntering in late because I felt like it. Then waited two days to have the above conversation with me. (He was going on and on about the sacrifices people make to work here.) When he was done, I just said ok, i have work to do and went back to work. He didn’t ask me why I wasn’t there on Weds at all. I figured out half way through the conversation that’s what he meant and said “I was the doctor in OtherTown on Weds. I let Supervisor know.” I am not in the habit of taking off half days or full days to go the doctor or vacation or whatever. When I’m sick, I work from home.

This is a small office, 5 including the owner. I’ve talked to the guy who’s been here the longest about ways I can be more effective in communicating with the owner many time. His advice always involves walking on egg shells around the owner. He has said to me many times he doesn’t understand why the owner manhandles the people the business needs the most, my supervisor and me.

In the past few months, on top of overbooking us for projects like he has done since before I started (promising deadlines that are based on my supervisor and I each working 40 hours per week on a single project which NEVER happens because of customer support and well, double/triple booking projects), he has decided we needed a huge internal documentation project to use as a training guide for new customers.

All of us have tried very hard, but it’s hard to add yet another project to a list of projects that we already behind on. After a belligerent email to ALL of us (where he asked if he needed to follow us around like children or if we needed to come in on saturdays, when most of us spend a few hours each weekend working anyway) in which he was upset we weren’t working enough on this project, I asked for some guidance (in writing, cc’d my supervisor) on how much time I should be spending on client work vs this documentation project. He told me that it was my job to get it all done and to figure it out. My supervisor hasn’t been much help because he wants me to get client work done. Rock/hard place.

My supervisor and I have tried to have planning meetings about things but we are sooooo busy that we honestly don’t have time. My boss works 10-12 hours days all the time. I just can’t. I get burned out. I’ve done it at times to get a project out the door, but repeatedly - I just can’t. I do get my work email on my phone and on evenings and weekends, I promptly respond to any customer problems, even if it’s just an email to say I’ll look into as I soon as I get back to my computer that evening. (which i do because i care about my work and my clients.)

My supervisor has said several times since I started that he wants to spend more time with me to plan and go over projects, get me trained more, but he never has the time because HE is so behind. The owner forced us to stop working on client projects for a week while we worked on the documentation thing so then we were even further behind on the client work. (the owner didn't relay to this customers during his check-in calls with them, he just acted like everything was a-ok apparently.)

Yesterday the owner sent an email to my supervisor and me that he didn’t like the one thing I was doing on the documentation project and “But beyond that, this is a job requirement. If you aren't able to complete it, then I need to know that immediately and definitively so that I can make other arrangements.” I realize that sounds kinds sane, but trust me, it's not. (oh and i’m on the east coast so this was during a HURRICANE, thanks dude.) My supervisor hasn't been doing much on this documentation project either.

I don’t know what other arrangements means because we don’t have anyone else working here and can’t get anyone to work here because we have no benefits, no paid vacation days, no paid sick leave. You can take off when you need to, but it’s kind of understood you’ll just make it up. 40 hours a week is not considered the norm. More is.

So I took that as a veiled threat of being fired. My supervisor feels badly and says “i know we need to do something different, because this isn't working smoothly, and it isn't your fault. “ And again said he wants to spend more time with me to plan etc which is never going to happen. Because that is just another project he does not have time for. My supervisor and the other guy who's been here the longest says I am the first person to do what I do (and what my supervisor) does that didn't completely fuck it up all the time (other than my supervisor, obviously). So I don't need total hand-holding but I do need help on many complex things I have not encountered previously and that means more than 15 minutes here and there at random ass times between phone calls and client meetings.

This is has been the company culture since before I started working here. My supervisor and the other guy who’s been here for years say that’s why it’s hard to keep anyone. No one wants to put up with the owner’s bullshit. I spent a long time thinking it was me and have tried very hard to be a good employee. But I’m starting to think this is ridiculous in such a way that I want to leave.

I have a found a job I want to apply for that I would be a great fit for.

Questions:

Q0 - I know there's always another side to the story, but I hope I'm not overreacting here. Also, our former sales left to work elsewhere and says he keeps being asked by people in our industry in the town here "so...what's it like working with Owner?". and not in a good way.

Q1 - So, how do I address this in job interviews? I was laid off from my first real professional job so I don't know how this works. Gleaning form other questions on askme, I still have these questions...

- It wasn’t a fit for me as I am looking for room to grow. (How do I say that there just aren’t other positions? I mean my supervisor does EVERYTHING, meeting with clients, project work, billing, and support. I do all but billing but I’m learning that too.)
- I am looking for a company to stay with for a while. (My first job out of college was in 2008,I was laid off in 2010, went back to school for a year, and then got this job. It’s not a great history, but I’m not a job hopper.)
- I really like the business analyst aspect of my job and working for your company will give the me opportunity to focus on that, which is an area I’ve found I excel in. $OLDJOB gave me a lot of experience in meeting with a diverse group of clients and understanding and extracting their business needs. I don’t exactly have requirements documents or anything like that because that’s not part of how we work. So I don’t know what I could do except explain verbally what I’ve done. Which leads to...

Q2 - References - Can I ask a couple customers to be a reference for me? They would be able to say that I had helped them with nailing down their business needs and requirements and effectively communicating that into an application and how awesome I am etc. My direct supervisor knows I’ve been looking, he has too. He wouldn’t tell the owner I was looking on pain of death, he hates the owner. So my supervisor will give me a reference as will the former sales guy who was offered a job by one of our almost-clients.

BONUS: I am salaried. I get paid 1st and 15th thru direct deposit. If I get another job, how do I let this job know I do? When sales guy gave his two weeks, Owner threw a fit, told him not to come back and changed the password on his work email in like 5 seconds. I do not know how to prepare for this. I've been forwarding the emails I need and not keeping personal things on the computer. After this posting, I will be removing all the personal stuff from the chrome browser and using it in Incognito mode exclusively. I would like to finish up the two current projects I am working on, but it will definitely be at least two months til they are both complete. I just want to make sure I get paid.

throwawayjobquestion@gmail.com

Laid back to fall over

BadMiker — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 05:19:50 -0800

Starting a new job soon; unless I can manage my chronic motivation problems, it's all going to go wrong. Help me mefi's; what's wrong with me, what can I do? What do you do? Snowflake details:

Previous job was high pressure, constantly fascinating but ultimately had no progression. I spent a lot of time feeling like I was working hard but going nowhere. I spent a lot of time not feeling motivated to work hard. Although I felt justifiably unmotivated, I'm concerned that I was just finding an excuse for being chronically lazy.
Current job has been extremely unrewarding & uninspiring, but it's also been very undemanding. I havent been under pressure to do anything so I've more or less stagnated.
Now, I have a new role; high pressure, expected to deliver, no messing around. Also working largely on my own; so no team to help keep things on track.

I dont know what to do. I really dont know how to approach a challenge like this. Previously, when under pressure to delivery I have simply refused to engage; just ignored it to everyone's (and my) frustration. I'm terrified I'm going to do the same thing; flick any challenges the bird, alienate myself, fail to deliver and disappoint everyone.

Am I the only slacker with ambition? The only person whose potential is thwarted by laziness?

What can I do? What tactics, what silly methods, what basic things can I do to change this?!

How do I leave my firm and take my favorite clients?

Sheppagus — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 09:10:15 -0800

Lawyers making a move to a new firm, how do you handle approaching clients about coming with you? I'm especially interested in details from attorneys who have done this and clients who have gone with an attorney making a move, especially in the last three years. How do you inform clients of your pending move? How much notice is appropriate? Is this something best asked after the move is made so as to not upset the current firm? If so, how does one anticipate what the volume of business will be?

At what point does the current firm get notice of the departure and/or client departures?

Anything else I'm not thinking of related to this question will be very helpful.

I need a time machine

trillian — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 17:04:13 -0800

A little more than a month ago, I started a full-time telecommuting job that I thought was my dream job. When I took it, I was working part-time (and had been since my son was born two years ago). This is my first full-time job since becoming a mom. I now think I made a big mistake. Sorry if this is disjointed/disorganized. My mind is reeling.

So, the job itself is fine, but I realized I don't like working at home -- it's very lonely and it's hard to concentrate. (This is not a surprise -- I had already had problems concentrating at non-work-at-home jobs in the past.)

It also feels wrong and is upsetting to me that I don't see my son from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. (I know, I know, that's an unavoidable fact for many families.) It was a kind of sudden decision for me to work full time -- before I even had my son I had been planning to work part time after he was born, and stay that way through his childhood.

I liked my part-time job a lot, but of course it had its negatives and "issues," just like all jobs. They had been bugging me this spring, but it felt bittersweet leaving, and my boss was shocked that I left. But I was excited about my new job.

This morning was a turning point, though. A friend of mine said that she got an interview for my old job (so I learned it's still open) and I thought, "Wait a minute, that's MY job. Shit, why did I leave?!!" This friend currently works full time and has two kids, and I felt instantly jealous that she was going to be working part time and spending more time with her kids, AND maybe with MY job. (I was the first person to have the position, so that's partly why I feel that way.) My boss said today that she would "take me back any day," and I am so tempted to quit my current job and ask if she'd take me back for real.

I have been upset on and off all day about this and wishing I had a time machine so that I could go back in time and reverse this decision (which I truly agonized over at the time). I haven't talked to my husband yet -- I'm doing that after I write this.

Complications:
-I've only been working there a month + one week. I know I'll leave the organization in a lurch and they will be mad at me. However, if I stick it out for a year, I would probably not be able to get my old job back; this is my one chance to do that. Also, wouldn't it be better to quit now, because maybe they could offer the job to their second-choice candidate...? I hate making people mad, so quitting is kind of terrifying.
-I would go back to my old salary, which is much less than I'm making now. (I do get good raises every year.) I would just have to budget better than before, I guess.
-Since I work at home, I've already purchased a printer and other office supplies with my employer's money. I don't know what would happen with that if I quit now. I've signed up for benefits but health insurance doesn't start till Sept. 1.
-My son starts Montessori school in one month. I don't know if tuition we've already paid is refundable ($1,000) or if we'd have to pay even more money if we canceled.
-I bought (and got reimbursed for) a $500 plane ticket for a conference this fall. It's nonrefundable. (Crap.)

I'm so torn. Should I just stick it out for one year and then quit and try to find a part-time job here? There are very few communications jobs in my hometown, though, and I don't know if I could find something good. That's why I'm tempted to quit now so that I could (likely) get my old job back.

Or maybe I'm just over-emotional because I'm missing my son when I'm working and feeling guilty about not seeing him much.

Please help me make some sense of this situation. I'm just kinda going crazy today.

Pick up medical records on changing providers?

Admiral Haddock — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 11:39:49 -0800

I recently changed jobs--and health insurance providers. As a result I need to change dentists (and possibly GPs). I am in good health--should I bother collecting my dental/medical records and giving them to the new doctors? I am entitled to them under HIPAA, right? I don't there's anything I'm particularly concerned about getting continuity of care for--no chronic illnesses or whatever. But, in the case of the dental records, for instance, my X-rays would presumably be included, and that might show whether something is a cavity or a pit in the sealant I had on my molars. Would they be helpful to my next dentist (maybe)? Would my historical normal bloodwork be useful to a new GP--beyond me just saying, "I have had blood tests and the last guy said everything was normal"?

How is this done in this modern world--do they email you an archive, or do you pick up original x-rays etc.?

Any other pitfalls or best practices?

what new career can an ex artist get?

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:39:35 -0800

I followed my dream- now I want insurance. For the first time in my life I could work anywhere. I have no idea where to start. A few years ago, my art career was going so well that I was able to quit my administrative job at a large firm and for a few years had a reasonable amount of success freelancing. A combination of diminishing opportunity and life goals shifting has made me decide to look for opportunities elsewhere.
I’m in my early 30s and have been completely dedicated to my arts career for my entire adult life. I have worked in offices in different industries, in very low-stress positions and always passed on promotions in order to “keep focused” on my personal work. Now I can try to look for work anywhere. I have no idea where to start – and I have never thought I would have this kind of freedom- I’ve always envied people who didn’t have “a calling” since they were nine years old. I am excited to be able to dedicate my full attention on a new goal.
So…what kind of industries should I be looking at?
I am a type A person, have very good interpersonal skills (especially with new, large groups of people). Years of working with …difficult artist types have trained me to be particularly good at enforcing boundaries without losing empathy or patience. I don’t mind physical labor, I am proficient on Macs and PCs, and I can answer phones and run calendars well and without fear. I’ve been I’ve actually been toying around with trying to get a job at Con Ed or the MTA, if only for the joy of unions.
What I wouldn’t be interested in:
1. Sales
2. Some “other” form of art. I want something a little more stable and I can’t stand graphic design firms.
3. Anything freelance.
4. Anything that requires more schooling before I can begin (continuing education for advancement is fine)

What I would like to hear about
1. Industries where you can still work your way up.
2. Industries that are doing well in general (I’m tried of being on a sinking ship)
I’m not worried about artistic fulfillment- I don’t feel bad about downgrading my art to a fulfilling hobby- and I have always been able to find joy in whatever tasks I’ve been given. I’m in the New York City area if that helps.

Annon because I am still freelancing and have no wish to freak out my clients. I'll be finishing up all the contracts I have and don't need to worry them.

What is the best way find another full time (IT related) job that allows me to work from home?

remthewanderer — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 13:32:11 -0800

I work from home doing IT support/project management for a large non profit. I think it might be time for me to find another job. What is the best way find another full time (IT related) job that allows me to work from home? The terms "work from home" or "telecommute" are such loaded phrases. Try searching for either of these terms via google or a large job site and you will not get very legitimate answers.

Even on ask MeFi, searching for previous questions regarding work from home situations all seem to stem from scam job postings or the like. It has been a chore wading through all previous questions. I gathered some info but I need to know more.

I'm a professional with a decent amount of experience in the IT / data management / analytic world. Where can I go to find legitimate job offerings? At this point I would even be willing to consider contract employment.

I think I'm in a bad place, and I'm afraid to leave. Why?

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 04:56:26 -0800

I'm an depressed employee in what I think could be defined as a toxic work environment. Another opportunity is popping up elsewhere - why does it feel so hard to jump ship? So, this was me. I've become marginally better, but still am doing pretty poorly work output-wise. Also, I've had additional illnesses and health problems come up besides the aforementioned, and have had to take a lot of time off, so that's no help either.

Even in the midst of this depression I seemed to have impressed? charmed? a supervisor/boss in a different part of the org. during an casual meeting/interview, to the point that it looks like I will have an offer from them soon (in the same very large org., but in a very different branch). My friend works with this person sometimes, their offices are physically nearby, and my friend helped set up the chat. The boss seems like a good one. It's a promotion. Yay, right? But I'm still not sure, and I'm really stressed out. I just can't figure out why.

I am worried that I can't take on the increased responsibilities like being a supervisor to others.The new work would be more technical, and high profile. I'm worried about screwing up and being like I am now (always late to work, space cadet-like, etc., as per last askme post) in front of my friend and other people I respect. Commute is further out in the suburbs, and makes public transport more difficult, but it's not horrendous and I do have a car.

Hypothetically my current office is a somewhat better fit to my interests subject-wise, but overall is an unhappy work environment where 80% of office talk is complaining about the boss, and the boss is unpredictable and can be really mean to people. Current boss has chewed me out a few times, but I feel like current boss is TRYING to be nicer to me. We still barely ever talk though. This current boss is hard to meet with (always is busy), and I think scares me. From my current coworkers' stories this current boss also does not take resignations well. (doesn't want to acknowledge the departing person, the coworkers are afraid to have any sort of goodbye celebration/acknowledgement, that kind of thing.)

So... what the heck? I should be excited, but I'm sad and scared. I guess I'm sad to be moving after less than a year, and I feel like I've made very little impact and have been very unproductive in my current role. New office has suggested they could take me on in as little as a month, so this is all moving so fast.

I guess maybe there's some comfort in staying put and hiding in my office all day, barely completing anything, like I am now. But part of me thinks that if I really enjoyed/wanted to be a slacker, then I wouldn't be so upset all the time about being one.

I don't know if that's enough to go on -- and my last post that i linked to above says a bit more. But if you've ever been in this weird situation and have thoughts or insights to share about trying to figure out why I'm sad and scared and stressed, your input is appreciated. Thank you.

Prisoner of Work Getting Released

5845(f)(1)(D) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 09:10:50 -0800

Making a change from a job that has never been a great fit--long hours, high stress, high demands on availability--to something that should be a lot better. But I'm feeling burned out, scattered, underperforming, and foggy. What are your best tips for getting your head back on straight at work when you're leaving a job that wasn't good for you? How do I make a fresh start? I got a verbal offer I discussed in this thread, and now I'm just waiting for the written offer before handing in my notice. So, yay!

I've been at my current job for 7 years, and it's made me a bundle of nerves. I am a slave to my Blackberry and check it constantly. I'm always in apprehension of rush projects that will take over my day/night/weekend/life. Constant availability has made me jumpy. And, I have to say, the stress, and never relaxing, never making plans with friends, the caginess with my schedule, have made me a little weird and hermity. I feel really scattered, but that may just be because I'm long overdue for a vacation. People have been nice though; this is not a toxic workplace scenario, if that changes your answers.

I'll have 2-3 weeks between my last day at the old job and the first day at the new job. I'll get out of town and do something relaxing for the whole time.

How can I best reset my brain in that time? I want to skough off this bad experience to start fresh, open heart and mind, at the new place. I realize that new place will have its own unique challenges, but has great potential; I'm just looking for tips and hacks to be in the best mental shape on day 1.

Should I tell my boss I'm looking for a new job?

Anonymous — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:54:49 -0800

Should I tell my boss I am looking for a new job? I have been working the same job for four years. I do not care for the job and do not really have much opportunity to advance in the office. I am graduating with my masters this weekend (which my boss knows) but I have not made any suggestions that I am currently job-hunting.

Reason for not telling: while I do know that my boss will take the news of my jobs search graciously, I am worried that any redundancies that may go into effect (though the chances are slim) would go to me if I tell him that I am on my way out the door. I am a good performer, and I am not afraid of being laid off for any other reason (that is, I would be the last person to get the cut if it came down to it unless they thought I was on my way out already). It's very important that the transition between jobs is as seamless as possible. In other words, I will continue to work at this job until I find something better that pays the same - so the job search might take a while.

Reason for telling: I really like my boss, and I want to 1) use him as a reference as possible and 2) not burn any bridges. He's been tremendously supportive of my graduate school schedule, and a genuine pleasure to work for over the last four years. I want to do right by him, but I don't want to shoot myself (and by extension, my family) in the foot at the same time.

Other information: so far as training goes, there's an admin who has been sharing duties with other folks in my position and filling in while we our out sick. This employee would almost certainly take my position, so I am not worried about my boss spending too much time training someone to fill my shoes.

If you absolutely need more info, contact me at spamspamryan@gmail.com

Help me figure out my next job!

Anonymous — Wed, 30 May 2012 16:36:43 -0800

Help me figure out my next job! I am becoming unable to deny the fact that I really, really, really don't like my "awesome" job and I need to figure out what to do next. I was thinking that I would go on maternity leave and just not come back, but fertility issues are pushing that goal further and further away, and I'm not sure I can keep spinning my wheels for another year or longer.

I'm 31, I've been working in the professional world for nearly 10 years, I've been in this industry for seven years, and this job for one year. I have a manager title but I only manage interns (which is fine - I don't actually want to be a manager). My industry is being shaken in many ways, with changing technology and the economy, and while I love the industry itself, I am starting to despise the track I've taken within it: marketing. I hate marketing. I have tried to reason myself into liking this, or at least being okay with it, but it turns out that I really hate writing marketing copy, I hate advertising, I hate-hate-hate social media and I don't think I'm going to change my mind on these things after all.

I am also kind of over the whole repetitive 9-5 office job thing, too. I don't like that we devote so much of our lives to our jobs, and I'm fine with earning less money in order to have time to actually live. I hate the feeling that many "information revolution" jobs don't seem real. It's like I'm just pushing papers for no apparent reason. I'd like to do a job that seems to matter, or at least provides some tangible benefit to someone somewhere. For these reasons, switching tracks within my industry is kind of a moot point, so I'm looking for thoughts on what I should consider next. (Industry is purposefully left vague here, to see if there are other options I'm not considering within it and to keep the answers as broad as possible.)

Here are the qualities I would like to find in my next job:
Flexible schedule - or at least not 9-5 as the only option
More work with people, less with computers
Less sedentary and more active (not physically demanding, but ideally not sitting in the same chair in the same office for hundreds of days each year)
Some control of my own schedule (ie, not having to ask a manager to go on break)
I do not want to be my own boss - no freelancing, no starting my own business
Doesn't require a lot of additional education (I'm still paying off a master's degree in the field I'm considering leaving, so....)
A job that can be mentally left behind at the end of the day but still rewarding in the moment

My skills and experience
Writing
Organization
Capable of planning medium and large scale marketing campaigns and pulling things off seamlessly while developing an ulcer in the background
Friendly team player
I have a BA in communications and a masters in this specific industry, not very transferable

My interests
Reading
Board games
Cooking
Personal finance

I'm located in a large city in the midwest, and I'm not looking to relocate or travel. Hit me with your best, most outlandish, or most awesome job ideas! Throwaway email address colormyparachute@gmail.com if needed.

Time to change gears - from workaholic to worklife balance

latch24 — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:36:41 -0800

Currently I am working in a job that requires me to be your typical workaholic but I am soon moving onto a new position in an organisation that is very worklife balance oriented and I am concerned I will struggle with the transition. I am about to leave a job that has been mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting that only offered the bare bones salary and no benefits, at times 7 days a week, but was an environment were the actual work was very exciting and anytime I spoke about my job everyone would be - jealous! want! - into a job that has very set hours, paid overtime, great benefits but the actual content of work I will be responsible for will be a lot less exciting. My question is - are there others out there that have made this transition from high powered amazing work but no life outside of work into more sedate work but balanced life? Is there anything you wish you had known/done to make it easier? Any anecdotes you can share? How long did it take you to adjust to new routines and ways of working?

I know this may seem a strange question for some but I have found myself worrying about it fairly often so thought I would just ASK already.

What should I do if I need to quit before the end of my notice period?

wigsnatcher — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:53:08 -0800

UK employment law/HR filter: quitting a job before the end of a notice period Things have gone to hell at my current workplace (to sum it up: boss is slowly making plans to close shop and bungling up his client relations so badly that I wouldn't be surprised if we went out of business sooner rather than later); I have a new job in the pipeline.
My contract with my current employer states I must give four weeks notice, however a trusted colleague told me that the boss has "made life hell" for previous employees that have quit to work for rival businesses.
Now, things are already nearly unbearable and I know I am not going to be able to last the whole notice period if it gets worse. My question is, can I be sued if I walk out? What should I be doing now to protect myself? The business cannot function normally if I leave before I am replaced. It pains me to write this, but if it means I forfeit pay then fine. I'll live. But I don't want to go to court. Discussing this with my employer is not an option. I am not in a union. Help please?

Starting a new job and not everyone is thrilled about my hiring. Help.

Anonymous — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:12:38 -0800

I've been hired for a development position in an institution of higher ed. I've been told by my supervisor that a lot of staff and faculty are not very happy with my hiring. I start Monday. I need advice. Background: I've done some contract work for Institution X for a while, and I have now been hired full-time to work for them in a fundraising capacity. This is during a time when there is a state-wide hiring freeze for the university system, of which Institution X is a part, and the position I am taking was allowed to be filled because it is a 'revenue generating' position.

According to my supervisor and some other rumors I've heard from folks I know who work at Institution X, a lot of the faculty I'll be working with thinks that there are already too many people working in development and not enough money being generated, and my being hired is a waste of money and space and will put more undue bureaucracy on them.

I start Monday. The supervisor who hired me is going to be out all week, and I'll be flying solo meeting with all the faculty members I've been warned may feel somewhat hostile toward me. I'm looking for advice on how to approach this.

There will be no real way of assuaging anyone's fears until I am able to bring some money in, but that could take time - and fundraising is sometimes about more than just the numbers anyway. But in the meantime, do you have any tips on how to make the faculty and staff I'll be working with feel supported and be supportive? I want them to understand that I'm here not to make their lives hell but to help them find money and support for their projects, scholarships for their students, etc.

Any other general advice about working as a staff person in a university is also very welcome. I've never worked in higher ed, and outside of being pretty good with my profs as an undergrad, this is sort of new territory for me.

It's also worth noting that I will be working for the first three months at the main campus before moving to my permanent office in a satellite campus (where most of development is housed as it is in the state's major city and therefore close to funders, etc.). I do know that there is also some rural main campus v. big city satellite antagonism at Institution X.

Thanks you all much.

How do I find a job?

Maisie — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:00:23 -0800

I'm finally actively looking for a new job, but I don't have any idea how people do that these days. Help? After several years of being disenchanted with my employer (and now that some stock I was given as a bonus has finally vested), I'm finally looking for a new job. I've been at my current place of employment for 14 years and in the same position (database administrator) for the past 11. I was hired through on-campus recruiting, so there wasn't really any grown-up job searching at the time. In other words, this is the first time I'm looking for a real job without someone else doing all the work for me.

Here are my questions:

1. I know about sites like Dice, Monster, Indeed and CareerBuilder. Dice seems to be the only one of those sites specifically targeted toward IT people. Are there any sites equivalent to Dice in that respect?

2. In addition to looking at those sites, do people use recruiters? If so, how do I find a decent one?

3. I found one opening on Dice that I think is perfect for me and I went through the online application process. I feel like my application has gone into a black hole. What's the correct way to reach out to human resources at the company with the perfect job given that they didn't post a hiring manager's name and I'm sure they have a bajillion online applicants? I am planning to call to express my interest in the position, but I'm almost certainly going to end up on the phone with some low-level HR person who probably gets a hundred such phone calls a day. How do I make myself stand out?

4. What else do I need to know about finding openings and making connections with companies that have them?

I really feel at sea with all of this and I appreciate any help or suggestions or whatever you have to offer.

I would like to change my answer please.

floweredfish — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:38:02 -0800

Work Filter: Please help me diplomatically word an email recinding a job offer that I accepted. I'm sure I'm a horrible person for doing this.

My current job situation has grown quite ridiculous over the past several months which lead me to circulating ye olde resume. I went on a bunch of interviews and accepted a position at a small company working in an area that I'm a bit "meh" about. However, I accepted it because I really wanted out of my current situation and the people seemed nice enough. My start date is scheduled for Monday.

Meanwhile, I had a company that I've always wanted to work for call *me* out of the blue to ask me if I'd be interested in interviewing for a similar position with them. I jumped at the chance and was offered the job, which I'm still a little stunned over because they are very, very difficult to get in with. I guess I went on the interview figuring there was no harm since they're really tough to get one's foot in the door. The people at this company are amazing and I could really see myself fitting in well with the team. The company culture seems to better suit me. The list goes on and the prospect of working for them gets me EXCITED, which I haven't been about a job in a very long time. I negotiated a fair salary with them and accepted the position.

Now, I obviously have to tell the other company (the smaller one) that I'm no longer interested in working for them. The offer letter that I signed for them states that it is "at will" employment, so either of us could terminate at any time.

I don't believe in burning bridges and know that it's kind of a dick move on my part to rescind the offer, but I feel the other opportunity is a better personal business decision for me. What is the best way to communicate that I would like to politely decline my acceptance and no hard feelings?

Looking for resources about growing and managing an association's database

ladygypsy — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:19:02 -0800

As of Monday I'll be new to the field of Association Management. Can you share with me your favorite resources and best practices (I hate that phrase but it's the best I can come up with) on how to grow and wrangle a membership database? I'm switching gears in my work life - going from a newspaper where I've done online production-type work for 12 years to a trade association for a certain type of doctor. I'll be in the Membership department working closely with the database of members and non-members, and acting as a liason between the Database Admin in IT and the people in Marketing and Membership who need info from that database. I interviewed with many people and they all know of my lack-of-association-management background. The position is new, so I won't have the benefit of learning from my predecessor's notes.

I'm confident I can re-learn some of the database integrity practices I used here years ago and can learn to use their membership software (iMIS). But I'm looking for ideas, resources and case studies on how to grow the non-member portion of the database. Much of this will be on the job learning, but I would like some reading material to give me background so I don't start Monday as a completely blank slate. Google searches give me non-relevant associations to join, and opinions on how to grow email marketing opt-in lists. I found ASAE's Acronym blog shortly after I got the job and have it bookmarked.

So, Association Management AskMeFites, can you share with me your favorite resources for dealing with your database? I'll read blogs, read online articles, read books, join websites, follow Twitter hashtags -- you name it. Actually, any tips for thriving in this new-to-me field would be welcome since my new job jitters are quickly multiplying.