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Sigh. I don't even know where to begin. I graduated from college in 2012, and am a graphic designer. I finally snagged my first job after almost a year after searching constantly, on February of last year. I loved the job. Even though it was nonprofit, and it had room for more creative growth, I really did enjoy the job a lot and the work that I did. Unfortunately though, after just 5 months, the company couldn't afford to keep me, so I got laid off. It was a shock to me, but I suppose I should have seen it coming. It was my first job and first lay off experience! So of course I started to search for a new job as soon as possible, and within 3 WEEKS I had gotten a job offer from another company. My previous employers from the company told me that I should inform future employees that I left due to the stagnant. They also made really wonderful and strong references and were very supportive during my job hunt.
Anyways, so I had gotten a job offer from the next company, which seemed to be much more challenging and competitive, and demanding in the market, so I took it as I felt this would really help me grow. Now I am in the job and it been almost 6 months, and I really do not enjoy it. I love the design work, but the management is not good and I do not really like the environment either. It is high pressure and is challenging, but my boss is just always on my case and I always feel like I am falling short... even though I could potentially grow in this job, it is hard to do so due to the negative energy. There are days where I really do want to quit, but then I tell myself that I should really stick it out for at least a year and I do not want to seem like a job hopper or that I cannot handle the job. But honestly I feel very discouraged every day, and even though I have spoken to my boss, about this, as diplomatically as possible, I still do not feel completely content with the job. I also found out that I am actually the 4th one in this position in just 2 YEARS (There is only one designer under the director)! So it is definitely management too. I am not sure if I should stick it out or leave? What is the best advice? As I feel like I am very much capable of doing well, but the constant negative feedback and criticism and negative energy, makes me feel like I fall short constantly. I also do not feel appreciated. Every single day I feel like I make mistakes after mistakes. The boss can also be degrading/condescending at times. I know that the boss is trying to make peace with me and really is trying to improve her personality too as a boss (due to past instances), but I just don't feel the excitement of this job anymore. The work does have a creative outlet, but I as I said I always feel discouraged due to her negative feedback and underestimating the amount of time it really does take to do tasks..So therefore I am not enjoying this position. I always think and feel that I would be so much better off in another company or job. What is the best approach to this? I do feel like this job does have opportunities to help me grow and enhance, but it is the environment that might slow me down and my performance. I also know that previous people in this position only lasted for less than a year. (They all left voluntarily)
I do not want to leave just 6 months after...but is it okay to do that if things just continue to get worse? Then I fear that what if this puts me at risk of getting fired? Will it look bad on my resume and record if I did look for another job so soon? Even though my first job ended involuntarily?
there's a lot going on here..
1. What you are experiencing is normal. The more jobs you have the more you will find that there are more bad ones than good ones. Yours doesn't sound bad, just not quite good for you long term.
2. You were lucky to find something without still being employed, don't risk it next time by quitting without a job lined up.
3. you were also lucky to get a paying job out of school...have you done internships? if not you might want to backtrack, but especially if you quit or get laid off again.
4. you can make it another 6 months. you can start looking, just don't quit before you find something....this early in your career 6 months is ok, when you do start getting more experience you can say it was an internship or something of that nature if they question the length of time
there's a lot going on here..
1. What you are experiencing is normal. The more jobs you have the more you will find that there are more bad ones than good ones. Yours doesn't sound bad, just not quite good for you long term.
2. You were lucky to find something without still being employed, don't risk it next time by quitting without a job lined up.
3. you were also lucky to get a paying job out of school...have you done internships? if not you might want to backtrack, but especially if you quit or get laid off again.
4. you can make it another 6 months. you can start looking, just don't quit before you find something....this early in your career 6 months is ok, when you do start getting more experience you can say it was an internship or something of that nature if they question the length of time
Yeah I know that there are alot of bad ones out there with poor management. But honestly I also feel myself falling short a lot and not being able to properly defend myself if something goes wrong. Sometimes I really worry that what if I get sacked? What if I'm at the risk of getting sacked because perhaps I am not up to par the expectations of the company and the irrational management? So that is another reason why perhaps I should start looking for other options? Before it gets to the point where it will become involuntarily again?
I am very stumped about this. Any thoughts? Is it also best to just stick to it then for another year even though it could affect my productivity due to all of the enironment? And just try the best that I could do? Or should I look for other options now?
This is a good thread and a tough question. I faced some of this early in my career too.
If I were in your shoes (and I was) I would try as hard as possible to smooth things over with management and show them that you are willing to make a change and meet their expectations. Attitude is everything. Do not burn bridges. Perhaps if you use this attitude and work a little harder, you can do better there. Maybe hire a life coach to help you be more organized or responsible? But attitude is the most important.
Another thing you can try is to look for an easier job. It's not a knock. We are at different places at different times in our lives, and some jobs are a fit, and others aren't. You have to make sure the next one is a place where you can stay with some longevity though, because you'll now have three jobs within 2 years and that is horrible for a number of reasons.
Sometimes early in your career, you think a job really stinks. Then, after 10-20 years, you look back and realize it actually wasn't all that bad in comparison. When I was your age, I quit that job to go to another, and it was even worse. Those decisions set my career back some.
Sigh. I don't even know where to begin.
Anyways, so I had gotten a job offer from the next company, which seemed to be much more challenging and competitive, and demanding in the market, so I took it as I felt this would really help me grow. Now I am in the job and it been almost 6 months, and I really do not enjoy it. I love the design work, but the management is not good and I do not really like the environment either. It is high pressure and is challenging, but my boss is just always on my case and I always feel like I am falling short... even though I could potentially grow in this job, it is hard to do so due to the negative energy. There are days where I really do want to quit, but then I tell myself that I should really stick it out for at least a year and I do not want to seem like a job hopper or that I cannot handle the job. But honestly I feel very discouraged every day, and even though I have spoken to my boss, about this, as diplomatically as possible, I still do not feel completely content with the job. I also found out that I am actually the 4th one in this position in just 2 YEARS (There is only one designer under the director)! So it is definitely management too. I am not sure if I should stick it out or leave? What is the best advice? As I feel like I am very much capable of doing well, but the constant negative feedback and criticism and negative energy, makes me feel like I fall short constantly. I also do not feel appreciated. Every single day I feel like I make mistakes after mistakes. The boss can also be degrading/condescending at times. I know that the boss is trying to make peace with me and really is trying to improve her personality too as a boss (due to past instances), but I just don't feel the excitement of this job anymore. The work does have a creative outlet, but I as I said I always feel discouraged due to her negative feedback and underestimating the amount of time it really does take to do tasks..So therefore I am not enjoying this position. I always think and feel that I would be so much better off in another company or job. What is the best approach to this? I do feel like this job does have opportunities to help me grow and enhance, but it is the environment that might slow me down and my performance. I also know that previous people in this position only lasted for less than a year. (They all left voluntarily)
I do not want to leave just 6 months after...but is it okay to do that if things just continue to get worse? Then I fear that what if this puts me at risk of getting fired? Will it look bad on my resume and record if I did look for another job so soon? Even though my first job ended involuntarily?
Your manager sounds like mine, except for the fact that she is actually trying to get me out.
Some managers don't understand that constant criticism does not make for a good employee. It causes stress, makes the employee worried, which then causes the employee to make more mistakes, a vicious cycle.
My manager is a first timer, so I know she doesn't have experience managing people, but you'd think by now, she'd be familiar with the term constructive criticism.
Anyway, my advice to you is to start looking. You may already be at risk of being fired.
Your manager sounds like mine, except for the fact that she is actually trying to get me out.
Some managers don't understand that constant criticism does not make for a good employee. It causes stress, makes the employee worried, which then causes the employee to make more mistakes, a vicious cycle.
This is the way boot camps and military/police organizations work, though. They barrage you with negative feedbacks, and if you show any sign of distress they will amp up the negative feedbacks. This is how most people are weeded out of police organizations in the first year or so.
The problem is most people out there do not operate like this. They will not be more productive if they get hit with negative feedback after negative feedback. The barrage of negative feedback will cause the employee to start worrying about how the manager reacts instead of the job itself. Of course no one out there is a mind reader, so the employee's effort to guess what the manager wants will fail. This causes more distress on the employee, which causes less productivity. It is a vicious cycle indeed.
Quote:
My manager is a first timer, so I know she doesn't have experience managing people, but you'd think by now, she'd be familiar with the term constructive criticism.
Anyway, my advice to you is to start looking. You may already be at risk of being fired.
First time mangers are the worst. Not saying there aren't good ones out there. Just that some of them demand your respect instead of earning it.
Take my boss, for example. He is the most laid back manager I have ever had. When he assigns me a project or task, he does so and then leave me be. He buys the office lunch regularly, like weekly. And he jokes a lot in the office. And yet I have a great deal of respect for him. He is a great engineer and manager. He is always on top of things, including very tiny little details.
When I was in college I had a job at menards. My manager at the time was a first timer. Straight out of high school. He would do nothing but yell. Every night, everyone would hurry up and clean up the place so we all could leave. Even the store manager would do things like pushing the carts around or sweeping the floor. And yet this department manager (kid straight from high school) would yell and yell and yell directing people what to do. I never saw him lift a finger to help out with the end of the day cleaning. In other words, he was demanding our respect instead of earning it.
I wonder what they're teaching at those managing schools.
This is a good thread and a tough question. I faced some of this early in my career too.
If I were in your shoes (and I was) I would try as hard as possible to smooth things over with management and show them that you are willing to make a change and meet their expectations. Attitude is everything. Do not burn bridges. Perhaps if you use this attitude and work a little harder, you can do better there. Maybe hire a life coach to help you be more organized or responsible? But attitude is the most important.
Another thing you can try is to look for an easier job. It's not a knock. We are at different places at different times in our lives, and some jobs are a fit, and others aren't. You have to make sure the next one is a place where you can stay with some longevity though, because you'll now have three jobs within 2 years and that is horrible for a number of reasons.
Sometimes early in your career, you think a job really stinks. Then, after 10-20 years, you look back and realize it actually wasn't all that bad in comparison. When I was your age, I quit that job to go to another, and it was even worse. Those decisions set my career back some.
Just my 2 cents.
this is good advice.
I regard to being afraid of being fired.
you know, i can relate to you really well there and also early in my career i remember thinking "better I find something else before they fire me"
soemtimes this is anxiety and sometimes its just something you "know"
in either case, it really does not hurt to have your resume out there, its always ok to be "looking" but especially early in your career.
What I found, early and in particular to my field -- you need to find a place where you will have a mentor and/or someone above you who is in charge and you are not the one left holding the bag. You want someone who is responsible and looks to you for assistance, but you don't wan to be the only person taht can do the work.
find if you can, a good jr. role where you can learn from someone else who has more experience and is ultimatley the one who is also more responsible.
But make sure they are nice and have a good attitude about helping you. Don't just take something to take something...it could end up worse.
This is a good thread and a tough question. I faced some of this early in my career too.
If I were in your shoes (and I was) I would try as hard as possible to smooth things over with management and show them that you are willing to make a change and meet their expectations. Attitude is everything. Do not burn bridges. Perhaps if you use this attitude and work a little harder, you can do better there. Maybe hire a life coach to help you be more organized or responsible? But attitude is the most important.
Another thing you can try is to look for an easier job. It's not a knock. We are at different places at different times in our lives, and some jobs are a fit, and others aren't. You have to make sure the next one is a place where you can stay with some longevity though, because you'll now have three jobs within 2 years and that is horrible for a number of reasons.
Sometimes early in your career, you think a job really stinks. Then, after 10-20 years, you look back and realize it actually wasn't all that bad in comparison. When I was your age, I quit that job to go to another, and it was even worse. Those decisions set my career back some.
Just my 2 cents.
Wow thank you so much for your two cents. That really helped a lot. I really appreciate it!!!!
Honestly, the last thing I really want to do is to find another job. I really want to stick to this one for a year, but I am really scared that I will either, not be able to handle it anymore, or my boss won't be able to handle me anymore. Today she even told me that "I am not up to speed" as I should be. That really worried me. I know for a fact that I am doing the BEST I possibly can and am working really hard. It's funny because she still does speak about future projects with me and long term factors, but I guess I am not executing the results. I really am working to the best of my ability. A few weeks back I even took the initiative to speak with her that I want to fix things...we discussed but it didnt help much. I am not sure if this is primarily my issue or what?
Is it better for me to start looking now? I really enjoy the field that I am, but perhaps this job isn't the best fit for me? Will it look bad on a resume and at potential interviews that if I leave this job?? I am still really stumped!!!! I honestly do want to stay long term at a job as much as possible...this job just isn't it...
Though I did take up on a big upcoming project which will start shortly, I do hope that I can give it my all and perhaps this will help my current status now, or I can see where I stand after the project...
you know, i can relate to you really well there and also early in my career i remember thinking "better I find something else before they fire me"
soemtimes this is anxiety and sometimes its just something you "know"
in either case, it really does not hurt to have your resume out there, its always ok to be "looking" but especially early in your career.
What I found, early and in particular to my field -- you need to find a place where you will have a mentor and/or someone above you who is in charge and you are not the one left holding the bag. You want someone who is responsible and looks to you for assistance, but you don't wan to be the only person taht can do the work.
find if you can, a good jr. role where you can learn from someone else who has more experience and is ultimatley the one who is also more responsible.
But make sure they are nice and have a good attitude about helping you. Don't just take something to take something...it could end up worse.
Yes, to be honest now that I think about it, after I got laid off from my first job, I was just desperate to find something new within a month, because if I didnt find something within a month, I wouldnt have been able to afford to stay away longer and would have to move back home. So at that point I should have trusted my gut instinct when I took this job, that it might not be the one for me. But do you think that other companies would look down on the fact that I had two jobs in one year? Would it be tougher this time around to find something new compared to the last time? Because this job that I am currently in, it only took me 3 weeks to find it, and I had applied to several places and I got a lot of interviews and call ins...do you think that this time it would be tougher to go through with?
My manager is the design/marketing director and I work under her. But I honestly think that she could be better at managing, even though shes been doing it for 3 years now...but she has had 4 designers under her since she started managing...in just two years...so I just wonder about that...
I'm in the other camp, you don't like a job, look for a new one. 6 months is plenty of time, and who knows, it may take you 6 more months to find something really good, so why waste time being at a job you don't really like? I never understood the whole "it looks bad to have more than one job in a year" no it doesn't.... I feel like anyone who says that is from a different generation than ours.
If an employer asks why you are leaving you can just say you are looking for something more challenging, more in line with your skills, etc. When my current employer asked why I was leaving I just said "better opportunity and higher pay" and they were totally fine with that. Nodded their heads and moved on. Who can't relate to someone who wants better opportunity and more pay? BTW I was at that job for 6 weeks when I knew it wasn't the right fit for me, why should I waste my time being unhappy? Best decision I made, I don't regret it, not only am I now making more money than I ever have, I LOVE my job.
Doesn't hurt to look now, what if an amazing opportunity opens up? If you wait 6 more months you'll be at a time where the summer is over, hiring is slow, and will have to wait most likely till the next January when hiring picks up again.
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