Thinking about leaving my job

[Anonymous]

I've been at my job for 10 years. I've outgrown it, and while there's other responsibilities I could take on that are more interesting, I don't think that if I stayed with my group I'd ever be able to move completely away from some of the projects I work on now that I'm tired of. I'm bored and I think it shows in my work, but I still get good reviews. Not sure what this says about my boss and his awareness of what I'm actually doing.

I make more where I am than I think I could get if I switched companies. I have a lot of vacation time where I am and a lot of freedom and flexibility. I like the people and the commute. I know that I'm lucky and have it good. But I know I'm in a rut and it's making me miserable. I've begun dreading Monday on Saturday morning, and I used to be excited to go to work.

My question is - should I discuss this with my boss? I'd like to give them an opportunity to make me happy and to do that I'd need to give them some time to make it happen. But I'm afraid if I say I'm unhappy and thinking about leaving, what can we do to make this better it will backfire and I'll essentially be forced out before I'm ready. The other alternative is to just start looking for a job and give them notice when I'm ready to leave.

I think what I really need is a kick in the pants to get me to leave. No matter how unhappy I am here there's comfort in the familiar.

[Anonymous]

Why don't you think you can move away from the projects that you are tired of? A good company will want to keep you engaged - intellectually and emotionally in your work. You've got it good, so far as pay, vacation and commute goes, why not just try to make a position for yourself that will work where you are?

Why don't you meet with your boss and present a proposal for the job that would make you happy within your company. In other words, create your dream position within your company and present the job description to your boss. If it brings value to the company and makes you happy, it should be a win-win. If your boss rejects it, then I would start looking. Since you have it so good in other aspects of your job, I'd try to make it work where you are. If your company is unwilling to accommodate your requests, then can move on. Its worth a shot and puts you in no worse position than you are in now. You don't need to threaten to leave the company when you talk to your boss, since that is rather an empty threat unless you have something in hand.

Alternatively, you can start your job search and once you have an offer, you can present that to your boss and explain that while you would prefer to stay with your current company, unless some changes are made you will simply take the offer from the other company. I personally would not take this approach as it is not courteous to the company that gives you the job offer and goes straight to an ultimatum with your boss without any previous conversation, but some people do this and it can be effective.

[Anonymous]

Start looking for a new job. Sounds like you've been at yours for a long time. Most organizations don't want to hear about your happiness...they just want you to work. Sorry to sound harsh, but that's how it is in most places. And, once you mention the possibility of leaving, many will write you off in their minds.

[Anonymous]

Don't just go and say you are unhappy. Ask to work on different projects. Suggests specifics changes in your duties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Start looking for a new job. Sounds like you've been at yours for a long time. Most organizations don't want to hear about your happiness...they just want you to work. Sorry to sound harsh, but that's how it is in most places. And, once you mention the possibility of leaving, many will write you off in their minds.

+1000

You are on your own. Organizations care about their stars - the other 90% of their employees are completely disposable. Take care of yourself and find a better job for you.

I give a big FU to the idea of "courtesy" to an organization. Clients, yes. The organization, no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why don't you think you can move away from the projects that you are tired of? A good company will want to keep you engaged - intellectually and emotionally in your work. You've got it good, so far as pay, vacation and commute goes, why not just try to make a position for yourself that will work where you are?

Why don't you meet with your boss and present a proposal for the job that would make you happy within your company. In other words, create your dream position within your company and present the job description to your boss. If it brings value to the company and makes you happy, it should be a win-win. If your boss rejects it, then I would start looking. Since you have it so good in other aspects of your job, I'd try to make it work where you are. If your company is unwilling to accommodate your requests, then can move on. Its worth a shot and puts you in no worse position than you are in now. You don't need to threaten to leave the company when you talk to your boss, since that is rather an empty threat unless you have something in hand.

Alternatively, you can start your job search and once you have an offer, you can present that to your boss and explain that while you would prefer to stay with your current company, unless some changes are made you will simply take the offer from the other company. I personally would not take this approach as it is not courteous to the company that gives you the job offer and goes straight to an ultimatum with your boss without any previous conversation, but some people do this and it can be effective.

We're small enough that if I were to move away from some of my current projects someone else would need to pick them up and I can't figure out who would do that. I could for sure take on more interesting work, but would always be spending 10ish hours a week on something I dread. It's worth a try though - I find it boring, but maybe there's someone else in my office that would see it as an exciting opportunity for themselves.

It's our annual review time, so I think I'll propose something and see what happens. If they promise but don't deliver then I think I'll start looking in the new year. I think I just needed to hear everything in this thread. Ruts are so boring but so hard to get out of.

[Anonymous]

OMG, this is me. I could have easily written this exact same thing, down to the amount of time I've been at my organization. I've actually held a few different positions, with different responsibilities, and I think I am just tapped out. And you're right ruts are SO hard to break out of.

I would say if you can identify a role that you think would make you happy and interested, present that to your boss. I agree that most places don't really care about your happiness, but if what you propose fills a need then you both benefit. That said, unless you want to stay where you are forever, I'd try to do something that will build skills and experience to help launch you to your next step outside the company.