stay on or get off

[Tom Campbell <klook -at- EUDORAMAIL -dot- COM>]

Jane, or Judy, or Joan, or whatever your name is <g> --

You said, "I'm wondering what the signs are to start looking for a new job,
barring catastrophe or blatant exploitation."

Well, if catastrophe and blatant exploitation bother you, you're in the
wrong profession, sister!

But seriously...
I've never left a job in less than six months, but if things were bad enough
and I could find a decent new gig, I sure would. Before I wised up (and when
the economy was worse), I stayed in some jobs way too long. I don't do that
anymore, but I also do my best to make the current situation work before
bailing.

I'd categorize warning signs like this:

DECEPTION
- job requirements, pay, or circumstances that don't match what I was
promised

DISREGARD
- after proving my worth during the agreed initial work period, requesting
and not getting a reasonable pay increase, despite being told I'm doing a
great job
- lack of respect for my role in the organization and/or on the project
- substandard equipment or work space
- (for agency contracts) agency personnel who treat me like a cash cow

DESPAIR
- unusually high turnover
- management that is obviously focused on increasing company stock price at
the expense of everything (and everyone) else
- extreme, sudden, and irrational shifts in direction (nevermind, strike
that one--that happens everywhere)

DEBAUCHERY
Just kidding. Depending on your viewpoint, that might be a reason to stay!

If the work is satisfying and I'm growing and contributing and getting
rewarded, I'll put up with a lot of inconvenience. However, if everything
isn't wonderful, here are some other factors that can tip the scales toward
leaving:
- one or more extremely difficult co-workers who seem like they're not going
to leave any time soon
- crappy lunch options
- worse than usual commute
- excessive bureaucracy, either from the agency or the client
- too much emphasis on politics, not enough on getting the work done

Also, take an honest look at the situation. Maybe it's not that the job is
"bad," but that you and the job just don't fit well. I left one position
when I realized the client really needed somebody less experienced and just
wasn't admitting it. It didn't make any sense for them to keep paying me a
fairly high rate to do stuff that was boring me, so I found something I
liked better, and they were better off when they got somebody who was a
better fit.

At various points in my life I've drawn up a list of pros and cons for a job
(and other situations as well) to help me decide which way to go. It may
even help to assign point values to categories. (Maybe good pay is +7
points, lack of opportunity to use my main skills is -10 points, cheap and
good cafeteria is +4 points, etc.) You may still have to invoke executive
privilege and cast the tie-breaking vote, but at least you'll have some
basis for evaluating.

If you don't like office politics, go the independent or contracting route.
You'll still run into politics from time to time, but you can keep it to a
minimum. I think of all the nasty things I encountered as a full-time
employee, I'm gladdest to be rid of politics.

---
Tom Campbell
-------------------------------------------------------
"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
--Frank Zappa
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