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Who struggles with their job?
So I took a new position right after the wedding. It was kind of a forced decision as my last place wasn't great, but I had tons of good friends. I wasn't necessarily mentally ready to leave. The new position came up, and it was a good opportunity and in today's design market, who knew when I'd get another chance at a decent job.
I'm struggling though. They use a different 3d software that I am clueless at. I've gotten trained but use it so sporadically up until now that it's hard to work in and I'm not getting any better. I miss my friends and the fun we used to have at work. The people here are nice, but just not all that fun. It's heads down work all day. That coupled with my complete lack of skills with the new software, has me dreading getting up each day. I know that it will get better with time but already working 10-12 hour days, I just don't have much left in me for trying to learn on my own. I'm not planning on leaving since there are a lot of reasons to stay (better pay, senior position, boss is a friend, want the healthare to TTC)
Anyone else struggling with their job? What have you done to make it better?Stick it out? Leave? Pray that I get pregnant and on bedrest so I don't have to be here? (not really the bedrest thing, but you get the idea).
My Little Sweetheart
Re: Who struggles with their job?
My struggles are a little different than yours, but I struggle nonetheless. For me, it's a lot of high school drama. There are a couple people who are just downright mean for no reason other than they are miserable. I've been told that I have to watch my back because they're "keeping an eye on me" (whatever that means). It's all just a bunch of petty BS.
I also am not really too happy with my current commute (it's about a 30 mile trip one way). So, it's really hard for me to get it up to come to work some mornings, especially to come in and have to hear all the whispers of gossip around me in every direction.
Other than the above, I don't really mind what I do. It gets really boring at times, but I'm sure every job can be that way.
So far, I've dealt with it by putting on my headphones and fantasizing about quitting this job to either become a SAHM or to go back to school full time and be able to move into an entirely different field.
My advice to you would be to stick it out. I know you said you got trained before but weren't using the software all too often after that. Can you go back to whoever trained you and ask them for a refresher? Maybe have some specific questions about the software? I train people and I don't mind going back and showing someone certain things again. I actually would rather people come back to me and ask questions instead of just sitting at their desk struggling. In my line of work, if the person I trained messes something up, I have to fix it myself and then I have to answer for why they did what they did. So, it's better if that person were to come back and ask me questions, KWIM?
ETA: And keep your head up. Things will get better! Hopefully sooner rather than later
Suggestion about the software:
It's always the case with that kind of thing you need practice. Especially since your boss is a friend, maybe you can ask for a project where you'll use the software a lot but the deadline is far enough out that you're not in crisis mode. The first time I had to use Excel and PowerPoint, even though I'd had a class at school it was tough, but as I used them all the time I got used to them really quickly. I really think using the software more would make you happier both because you'd become better at it and because you'd feel you were taking action on the problem.
As far as a fun work environment, sometimes I think pleasant coworkers is more than enough. That could be so much worse. It might just take time for you to become more friendly with them. And I think if you could use the software, the people don't sound like a problem.
Thanks for the advice. I know the software thing will get better with practice. I was so good at CAD (computer aided drafting) and was kind of the in-house guru. Now I'm a big dummy. I can go back to the trainers and have a bit. It's just one of those software's until you do it and struggle thru trying to actually model a building and all it's component's it's just confusing to look at someone else doing it on a screen. My boss is even more clueless than I am with the software, so it goes to me. We area 3 person Interior Design team in about 60 others. I take great pride at doing a really good job, and this is unnerving I guess to struggle with my skill level. Sometimes I hate the industry for changing so much, but what can you do. I'd love to be drawing by hand, but that isn't the world we are in anymore. haha.
I shouldn't complain about the people. It could be so much worse with catty or immature gossipy people. My last place was full of people who yelled when things got rough. So I don't have that stress anymore.
Maybe I just wish I could do better and maybe I'm not really motivated enough to actually do it.
I feel your pain! I worked at a job I HATED for a little over a year. I felt overworked, and under trained, and like I was incapable of doing a good job... it was the most defeated I have felt in my whole life. On top of that, there were some serious management issues (they knew there was a huuuuge learning curve for new people coming in, but assigned equal workloads for new people and old people and did nothing to fix the learning curve, so the new people struggled terribly, and then the older people who finally got the hang of things had to pick up the slack, so it was a vicious cycle... this didn't just happen to me but several others.) So what did I do? I got the heck outta there. I had some pretty fantastic coworkers though... I ate lunch with the same two-four girls nearly every day, and also worked with my sister, which was so fun. I miss them like crazy.
So now, I'm at a job that has the potential to be so much better, work-wise. However, I still have a major learning curve here too... but my seniors seem much more understanding about it and more willing to help me out. I haven't really been here long enough to judge if it actually is better, but it really seems to be so. On the other hand, my coworkers are so different. I work really closely with two super-nice girls who are close to my age and life-stage, and I feel like we could be really good friends... but they're very heads-down and we hardly ever even chat, maybe just once a day for a couple minutes. So I really miss the people interaction from my old job, but I certainly don't miss the stress!
I guess I'm rambling, sorry... my point is that it's really a toss-up on whether you should stay or go. If you think that there is the potential to overcome the software issues you're having, then it sounds like you're in a pretty good place. If it's more of a pervasive issue, then maybe it's not worth the frustration you're going through. Either way, I think you should hang in there a while longer so you can make a good judgement.
Wow hopefully you'll get to use the software more often and get more comfortable with it. Sorry that you are struggling.
We decided that I would move to Fort Worth so I had to start over with a new job. I had to work my way into a nice cushy job back home, but I knew that starting over in a new city meant starting at the bottom again. I get paid quite a bit more here, but I have to work night shifts (7pm- 7am). I love my job (I work in NICU) and the people are nice, but the hours are kicking my tail. I have to switch my sleep schedule around between being awake at night when I work and being awake during the day during my stretch of days off (today is day #1 of switching to day mode for this stretch off.) I've said I'll stick with it for a year and then see what happens. I have my name on a list to switch to day shift, but it's a small unit where day shifts don't open very often at all.
Oh, Bella.. and everyone... haha... I hear you. I am struggling big time with my job. I've been an editor at a publication for a long time. Years. It's a great "career" job. I can write articles as I please, and I have so much autonomy with my channels. Not to mention fun coworkers. It used to be my perfect, dream job.
All I can figure is that I am burnt out. I am so, so unhappy lately. Not just a bad week, but more like a bad year. I feel no inspiration or interest. I feel tired and distracted and edgy.
Part of the issue is a sense of stagnation and being boxed in. The only opportunities to "grow" are not appealing to me. The publication is also religious, and at times I struggle with the reality that some in the company do not like my own faith, Catholicism.
And let's be brutally honest: My salary and benefits are not adequate or fair. I mean I make an entry level salary for a senior level job. I don't even want to get into it because the truth is, that reality makes me steaming hot.
We are planning my exit for 2012. I am so burnt out I've lost even the desire to fight for it. I am just craving change and a fresh start. The plan is for me to be a freelance writer/editor and licensed FAM instructor by 2012.
Wow, don't I sound depressing? Lol. Thanks for letting me vent!
ETA: I realized I need to clarify: My husband and I are planning my exit... my boss has no idea I want to leave.
My job struggle is that I do the work of two people all by myself, and I have no one who is trained to do any of it when I am away, so not only am I constantly weeks behind, but when I go away (like our upcoming, desperately-needed vaca!) I get even further behind. I feel stuck. I have been looking for a new job for months with no success. The only reason I haven't up and left is I make more than H and I have the job with all the insurances. And they are fabulous insurances. It doesn't make it any easier knowing that's the only reason I stay.
On Friday, my boss pulled me aside and told me he knew I was frustrated but he begged me to hold out a few more months, because we're opening a new practice, and he wants to take me to that practice with him. He laid out his "big plans" for me, which would include a pay raise and a jump up in position, that would put me next in line for the type of work I want to be doing. It made me feel pretty good, except the timeline on the new practice keeps getting pushed back, and by the time it opens, we may be ready to move out of state (which no one at work knows we're planning on). *sigh* I am hoping it opens this fall like he said, because it would give me several months to relax before we leave. Plus it would look great on my resume. We'll see. Hopefully I won't have a heart attack in my cubicle before then!
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jnc - I so relate to the bolded! No, staying for benefits does not make things any easier. Yes, you're thankful for the benefits but emotionally, it feels icky.
And in regards to projects getting pushed back... this happened to me last year. Sat me down with all the plans and then plans kept getting postponed... now, they are implementing those plans finally but little do they know that Hubby and I want me out by early 2012. So by the time I get a way over-due much-needed raise I'll be leaving. Ha!
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