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This would be stupid, right? (Long)
Most of you probably know I'm miserable in my current job - mostly because of the culture here, moreso than the actual work (which is also incredibly frustrating at times, but sometimes interesting). I'm so burned out and ready to run screaming from the building most days. I've pretty much tapped out as far as I'll ever go compensation or responsibility-wise. However, I've been here long enough that I make more than most other jobs in this area for which I'd be qualified. The job market here is shiiiiitty.
So my dilemma is, do I look for some lame admin/office/whatever job that pays about 20% less and supplement with a part time job if necessary? I just don't know how much longer I can stay here and be a happy person outside of work. Obviously you guys can't just vote and decide it for me, but I kind of need to talk it out, you know?
It would be really, really tough to make it on less than I earn now, but I could do it if I had to. My car will be paid off in a few months so that's one less bill and would offset the pay cut somewhat. I could work weekends and still see Mr. Bang and the little dude some, but I'm not sure how committed I am to working 6-7 days a week. And doing that would make it even harder to save money or ever "get ahead". BUT, it would get me out of this rut and get me in a mindset of being able and willing to change, and perhaps that in itself would help open new opportunities. And I wouldn't dread waking up every morning.
But it would be stupid to take what amounts to a huge step backwards and out of my field of experience, right? What I have here is not a career BUT it is good experience in a field that isn't going away and I have been hoping that my 5+ years here would at least look good on a resume. I just don't know anymore.
Relocating isn't an option so I have got to find a solution that involves my local area ... there are definitely days I wish we could all just pack up and move to greener economic pastures (if they even exist these days) but somehow I don't think the little dude's mom would be too impressed with that!
The idea of going back to school for some kind of medical certification has appealed to me in the past - but I don't want to accrue student loan debt and not be 100% sure I'll find a job. I really should have just gone to nursing school instead of pursuing my "fun" English degree. 
If I don't reply right away it's because I'm at yoga, or fondling my new present, but I'll be around later and tomorrow. These are really first world problems, I know, but thoughts are super appreciated. 
Re: This would be stupid, right? (Long)
Are you actively looking? Do you know what bare bones minimum you would take? Does that minimum include health insurance deductions? If you were to go elsewhere and start at a lower pay, there's always the chance of advancement in the future.
When I left my last job, I figured we could afford about a 15% cut on my gross, because the health insurance was so much less. I didn't end up taking a cut, but would gladly would have to get out of that hell hole.
Hi hi!
Job market here is very horrible. Have you looked at easternmainehelpwanted.com ? Or perhaps there is a comparable one for closer to you (go to regionalhelpwanted.com to look for it). They usually have a lot more than monster or craigslist.
I don't know what I would do in your situation. It took me a year to find the job I'm at now and I worked at a convenience store in the meantime. Damn near killed my soul.
I'd start looking very aggressively and applying. It at least gives you some light at the end of the tunnel.
Ok, didn't read the rest of the responses, but I just have to say the following to you, hoping it might somehow help. Your job is where you ultimately spend the majority of your adult life. Therefore, (at least to me) it is SOOO worth it to find something that pays less, but will keep you in a more positive mindframe.
Cutting your budget and adjusting to do w/ just the "must haves" (@ least for a bit) is completely worth it for your overall personal adjustment/ happiness. By no means, am I saying turn in your resignation tomorrow- that's it! BUT, I really think you should talk to your husband, work the numbers (I can almost guarantee you will be surprised @ the areas you can bare-bones it & hardly even notice), & see what's required from your income to make the necessities happen. Then re-adjust your (and your H's) entire spending habit mindset & figure out exactly what you need to pull in.
It is so completely, utterly worth it to take a less paying job where you'll be happy (or at least comfortable & not UNhappy) than to bring in that paycheck and live in unhappiness for 30/ misery 10-25 hrs. a week. Just my perspective.
GL Interro.
sorry, but yeah, i think it would be kinda stupid. i think you should keep looking for another job while you are there. i get how sucky it is to be at a job you hate, i hate my job too. do you think you would really be happier if you had two jobs, working 6-7 days a week, possibly making less money and seeing mr bang and little dude less? if you truly feel like you could, then go for it.
also, are you sure you would be able to find two more jobs? in this job market, people are fighting over jobs at wal-mart. make sure you have those two jobs if/when you decide to quit.
you're right, you've been there for 5 years and eventually it will pay off because it does look good on your resume, just hang in there.
i'm not saying money is everything and your emotional health doesn't matter, but it just doesn't seem like things would be much better if you left because you would be working two jobs and that's tough.
what does mr bang think?
Hey, lurker poking in here. This caught my attention because I also have a "fun" degree and a job I'm not thrilled with. I wanted to go back for a nursing degree but thought it would take too much time. When I found out about a couple of bachelor's degree to RN programs in the area I knew I had found my solution. It has taken me a couple years of slowly completing prerequisite courses while working full time, but I'm starting nursing school at a local community college in June.
The program I'm in will take 10 months to complete and at the end I'll have an ADN and be eligible to sit for the NCLEX. There's a really good bachelor's degree to BSN program in my area too. As I understand it lots of schools are starting similar degree pathways to help prepare more RN's to help meet the nursing shortage. Maybe a program like that would be a good fit for you, too. Just throwing that out there.
well, there's a difference between 'this job doesn't work for me right now' and 'soul sucking'.
Where are you at in the continum for those?
Is thee some sort of training/education (hint, community college :_P) you can do in the interim, at night, etc?
I should clarify - the bolded is what I'm doing! I'm not talking about quitting without another job lined up, just about the possibility of accepting a lower-paying job in order to get out of here.
I think this job is causing me so much anxiety that it's affecting how productive I am outside of work. I get home and just feel drained and totally paralyzed to do anything around the house. Last night I bawled the whole way home from yoga after talking with a couple of my teacher friends about this whole mess.
Mr. Bang is supportive but right now we aren't living together and even if we were, he's only 18 months into his startup. They've grown 500% since he came on board but he is only taking a modest draw to cover his and the little dude's living expenses at this point so he couldn't really pick up much slack to alleviate my financial burden.
For now I'm going to at least keep actively looking for something comparable. I got into this field out of necessity, it's not something I would ever want to do if I had the option, but I desperately needed a job, and I've advanced enough that it's hard to leave but it's hard to stay. Blech.
Ughhh I hate this situation. I totally understand how draining it is to work at a job you hate.
Have you thought about trying to find a part-time job now, while you're still looking for a new full-time job? You could set aside your earnings so that you have a cushion if and when you do switch jobs, and if you have to take a pay cut, you'll have some money saved. The other good thing about taking a part-time job now is that you'll probably get exposure to people you otherwise wouldn't have met - and then, you never know what sort of opportunities might come up. Just a thought.
If "doesn't work for me" is a 1 and "soul sucking" is a 10 I'm at about an 8.5 and have been for at least two years. I have cried about work every night for almost a month - when I'm stressed it often gets expressed in frustrated crying vs. yelling or anger. It's making me lose faith in myself as a capable employee, because the culture is just so demeaning and demoralizing. There are good people here but overall it is a culture of fear.
If I found a program I wanted to pursue, I could probably fit community college or a certification into my schedule - nights/weekends/etc. Paying for it would be tough, but I'd make it work for the right thing, I'm just not sure what that thing is!
And, I think getting a part time job now is probably the way to go ... get started putting away a little cushion so I can make it if I do end up taking a pay cut. That way I'll also get a feel for whether I could sustain that kind of schedule, before it becomes a necessity.
And maybe Mr. Bang's company will hit on their next big thing and he'll suddenly be back at his old salary level from his previous job, in which case I wouldn't need to worry as much.
oh man, this sounds terrible. i'm sorry, i didn't realize it was at this point and has been for so long
disregard my advice to basically suck it up!
i agree with looking for a part time job right now and seeing where that leads. maybe that part time job will help build your confidence back up and that will do wonders for you.
No worries Calle - a job is a job in this economy, to some extent - I just don't know how much longer I can take that approach, you know? But yeah ... I'm thinking a part timer will be step 1. See where it leads and get a cushion in place!
I'm sorry.
When looking at PT places, keep in mind that we all prefer to hire full timers from good part-timers.
And...some places offer good bennies to part-timers. Finding those places can mean that sometimes 2 PT jobs = 1 FT job. (I know they're impossibly difficult to find)
I had a similar situation to yours as far as being completely miserable at work. I was having physical issues and went to the doctor and she said, "All of these things can be caused by stress. Are you under stress?" And a lightbulb went on. I started actively looking for a new job. The job I went to was about the same in pay, but involved a relocation and my DH did not have a job lined up, so overall it was a huge paycut. I would have done just about anything to get out of that situation. You have to think about your physical and mental health and sort of do a pro and con. Pro: get away from a job you hate. Con: spend less time with loved ones if you have to get a second job. Which of those is a worse situation? I feel your pain and I hope you are able to work through the question and find a new and wonderful job.
The bolded is a big problem, and if you hate it that much leaving makes sense - BUT only if you are going to be in a better place. If you leave to go to a less pay, admin type job PLUS a part time job, plus trying to fit in family time - does that really leave you in a better spot? It doesn't sound like it will, I think you'll be as stressed and tired, and gone even more.
I would keep looking while you are there, and look into some basic certifications or programs that aren't uber expensive that would get you a job in a field you are more interested in.
MIL was able to get into nursing by finding a job that would pay for her CNA and will pay for classes towards her LPN while she works if she wants. It was a good way out of her job rut.
Personally, I was in a soul sucking job that used my grad degree last year and things were looking bleak re. finding a job I really liked. For me having a plan and a timeline for the plan helped me tread water through the suck job and luckily a job I loved opened up. I guess my question is, are you not finding anything you like that pays enough or are there a few jobs in your field that pay enough but you aren't getting interviews or aren't getting hired. The job market does suck but sometimes you have to be creative about finding strategies for job hunting. Have you been networking outside your current company? Have you sat down to do interviewing coaching? Had a professional read over your resume? Are you doing anything outside the current job to expand your skill set? Professional training classes, conferences, anything? I personally knew that if I left my field I wasn't getting back in, so I stuck it out, networked like crazy, took any continuing ed classes I could get my hands on that would make me a better candidate, and kept continually re-working my resume. Now that I have a job I like with better hours, I did take a second job even though we don't NEED the money just because it has helped. Why not get the second job now to build up a cushion in case you get to a point where you can't be there anymore?
I wouldn't leave your current job yet, I'd take a step back and re-strategize and give that a month or two.