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My work situation has brought me to a crossroads of a difficult decision. The problem is either choice I make is uncomfortable and stressful. And if I don't make a decision quickly, there could be even more fallout.
So my situation is that I'm in a toxic work environment with an abusive boss. A year ago, my IT job role changed. I was more of a data analyst and suddenly they told me there would be no need for that anymore after 10 years of service. I was given the job of general IT support including network administration. The transition has been difficult as I know very little about servers and networks and they offered zero training. My new supervisor quickly ran out of patience and would blow up angrily at me over even minor mistakes. He trashed me on my PE and then a few weeks ago, I got my first write up for basically an error that was equivalent to typing an address wrong. All my friends and family have urged me to get the hell out of there. The stress has been so enormous that it is affecting my health giving me frequent panic attacks with chest pains and on going gout.
I finally worked up the courage to have a private meeting with the head of HR. He agreed that I was in a bad situation and offered to have a talk with my managers. But the more intriguing option was discussing if I could be a good fit for some openings in our customer support dept. The biggest drawback would be that I would have to take a 10% salary cut, but it would get me away from the awful boss back into a role that I know I'm good at doing it. He encouraged me to apply, but said I would have to be treated the same as every other applicant.
So I had my in house interview the other day which was pretty awkward since even just applying and showing that I was willing to take a salary cut demonstrated openly how unhappy I was under this boss. After the interview, another major drawback to switching jobs emerged. They really emphasized the need to be reliable and have good attendance because the phones had to always be manned. They gave me the impression that any leave requests would have to be made well in advance and function within everyone else's schedule. One perk in my current job is they are very flexible with leave time. I can even ask for time off within the same day. But my concern with this new job is that this would make it very difficult for me to schedule a job interview somewhere else for a better salary, even more difficult to get a job in another state since I really hate living in Arkansas. While the position would be a short term solution, I could end up getting stuck in that role and possibly flushing down the toliet my 20 year IT career. The longer I did customer support, the harder it would be to explain on my resume that I am a IT worker.
I have to make up my mind soon since they could offer me the job at any time. Should I just stick in the toxic environment and keep on applying and interviewing or take a role that I would enjoy more, but with less pay and risk of throwing away the ability to advance in IT? If I stay in the toxic environment, it's really only a matter of time that I get a second write-up unless I can be 100% perfect all the time which is extremely stressful and unrealistic.
A difficult decision. I was in IT for 36 years as a software developer and understand the pressures that you are under. Perhaps you should choose the less stressful job. Stress plays havoc on a person's health. And you may get forced out of the job with your bad manager. Good luck with whatever you decide.
That really is a tough choice but at least you seem to have thought this out. The implication that scheduling leave time would be difficult in the new position would be the deal breaker for me. The last thing you want to do is get stuck in another position and have a hard time interviewing for other positions. Then again, in the new position you'd presumably be under less stress and therefore have a long time frame to look for a new job, since you probably wouldn't be fired. The uncertain part is how difficult it would be to schedule leave time. It's a tough choice but IMHO, I'd stay at your current position and look for a new job like your life depended on it. If the worst happens and you do get fired, hopefully you have some savings and can file for unemployment (not sure if you can). I know what it's like to have financial obligations and feel it's only a matter of time before you're fired. Thankfully my last job like that I found a new job before anything happened. Your situation sounds really stressful, I wish you the best.
Stay in the current position and get fired. How is Arkansas when it comes to paying unemployment claims? Do they usually side with the employer? Find that out. Also stop stressing over the current role and just prepare to get fired mentally. Do your 8 hours clock out and don't worry about mistakes. This ship has already sailed and you can't salvage it. Due to a material change in work you should have contacted the labor department in your state to evaluate what your options are (now you know for the future) and that your job description changed to something you were unqualified for and received no training on. That is important documentation to combat a UE claim rebuttal from the employer. You could have also taken Medical Leave due to your chest pains and panic attacks and use that time to interview. Contact a local labor/employment attorney they may be able to give you some general advice or advise on which approach to use.
You have talked to HR who are not on your side so that is another strike against you whether you realize it or not.
If you must stay can you talk with current support folks and find out the reality of getting time off? It might not be as bad as you think.
Unfortunately I agree with this.
I totally understand how the OP feels and the pressure he is under, but confiding in HR about issues with a boss is never a good thing. In my experiences, what that does is actually make one a target, since HR is never your friend. Even though they may seem sympathetic, HR may in fact tell all to the nasty supervisor, and make things worse.
Also, an internal position is never a guarantee. I have had several interviews for internal positions, and on paper everything was a great fit, my experience, work ethic, personality, etc., yet I never got an offer.
I say all this not to necessarily be a downer to the OP, but let him know possible outcomes of his situation.
Now, IF the internal position is offered, then take it and don't stop with the job search. If not, then obviously do what you can to keep searching for another opportunity. It's never a good thing when you get written up and the actions of this supervisor are classic examples of what employers do when they want to fire someone.
I think the best outcome is a new position, at a new company, along with a raise.
I say, if you can stomach the 10%, which is hopefully temporary, then take the internal transfer. The situation with your current boss is untenable and he seems to have it out for you, so you might not last much longer in your current position anyway.
As for flexibility to take leave for an interview...I mean give them as much notice as possible, but when it comes down to brass tacks you have to look out for yourself and get to those interviews. Try to schedule phone interviews on a lunch break or when you're not working. Since this is customer phone support, you probably have some regular 9-5 openings that you aren't working, right? Try to schedule interviews on those days.
But it is you as you say are not experienced in your job, had no training, and have problems doing the job. In other words the company thought you were qualified for the new job, and as you say you knew you were not qualified.
1: You are working at a job, you are not qualified to handle without a lot of training, and there is no one to train you. The reason you are on this job, is your former job has been automated out of existence which is happening to people all over the country. They had to find a job you may be able to handle probably thinking you could handle it. In many companies they would just have fired you when they eliminated the position.
2: Your supervisor, needs a job done by someone that is qualified to do the job, and is as frustrated as you are, because you are unable to do the job satisfactorily. He has reached the point of having you improve immediately (the write up was the first step to get this message to you) or needs to replace you with someone that can do the job without the problems you have. Things cannot go on the way they have been going. It is not his fault that they gave you this job rather than fire you. So don't blame the supervisor for this problem. It is not his fault they moved you to this job that you were not qualified to handle.
You are at a crossroad. You have three choices to make a decision from.
1: Take the job you know you can handle, even though it pays 10% less. You know it will not allow you freedoms you have now, as to time off to search for another job. This will take you out of the terrible pressure you are under now. Remember your manager is also under heavy pressure to get the job done, and as you say you are having serious problems doing it. You should not be working at this job, by your own admission. Your manager is not really a bad guy in situations like this, just someone frustrated like you are, by your not being qualified to do the job.
2: Resign in a way you can draw unemployment, and start a serious job search.
3: Do nothing and you are going to be let go, as you are not capable of doing the job.
It is your decision. No one on this thread, will know enough to make that decision for you.
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