Tsuyoiko
DON'T PANIC!
- 11 Mar 2005
- 3,136
- 165
I'm thinking of quitting my job, and was hoping not so much for advice, but for some insights from outsiders as to whether I've thought through all aspects of my situation.
I've worked as a database administrator for four-and-a-half years now. I got the job when my colleague was off sick, but they kept me on after he returned to work. At first, I loved the job. The campus is beautiful, my boss is pleasant and there was lots to learn. It's easy to see how the work I do impacts on the students' experience, and I got a lot of job satisfaction out of that.
Now, I'm extremely bored. There's nothing new to learn, and I have so little interest in the work that it's a real effort to keep my attention on it. Apart from just prior to the start of semester, when it's very busy, I often have very little to do.
In addition to this, I find my colleague extremely difficult. He struggles with the work and suffers very badly from stress. This manifests itself in his having a horrible attitude. He is rude to customers, mutters and drums his fingers, whinges and rants, and basically has a negative attitude to pretty much everything that happens. It's got to the point where I don't say anything to him beyond "hello" and "goodbye" as I don't want to get snapped at or lectured.
While my boss is a pleasant person, she doesn't deal with his behaviour at all, as I think she's afraid to upset him in case he gets sick again. I can fully understand her reticence.
Anyway, I think I would like to quit. My husband thinks that's what I should do. Finances aren't an issue, so it doesn't matter whether I look for another job or not.
However, there are two things that prevent me from just quitting. One is my colleague. I'm afraid that if I quit that will put more pressure on him, and I don't want to be responsible for his getting sick again. The second is the quality of service provided by the office. If I left, it would likely take several months to replace me, as the current financial crisis means that all jobs have to be approved by a committee before they can be advertised. This is likely to impact negatively on the students' experience, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for that.
On the other hand, I would really like some time off work. I'd like to devote some serious time to Japanese, I'd like to learn some Welsh and Russian, and also how to knit. When I start to think about these opportunities I feel guilty for being so selfish, which my husband says is crazy. He says it's perfectly OK to want some time for personal development. I also feel guilty about him being the only one working, although he assures me he's perfectly happy to do so.
What do you think? Am I a selfish pig who should suck it up? Or is it OK to put my own needs ahead of my job?
I've worked as a database administrator for four-and-a-half years now. I got the job when my colleague was off sick, but they kept me on after he returned to work. At first, I loved the job. The campus is beautiful, my boss is pleasant and there was lots to learn. It's easy to see how the work I do impacts on the students' experience, and I got a lot of job satisfaction out of that.
Now, I'm extremely bored. There's nothing new to learn, and I have so little interest in the work that it's a real effort to keep my attention on it. Apart from just prior to the start of semester, when it's very busy, I often have very little to do.
In addition to this, I find my colleague extremely difficult. He struggles with the work and suffers very badly from stress. This manifests itself in his having a horrible attitude. He is rude to customers, mutters and drums his fingers, whinges and rants, and basically has a negative attitude to pretty much everything that happens. It's got to the point where I don't say anything to him beyond "hello" and "goodbye" as I don't want to get snapped at or lectured.
While my boss is a pleasant person, she doesn't deal with his behaviour at all, as I think she's afraid to upset him in case he gets sick again. I can fully understand her reticence.
Anyway, I think I would like to quit. My husband thinks that's what I should do. Finances aren't an issue, so it doesn't matter whether I look for another job or not.
However, there are two things that prevent me from just quitting. One is my colleague. I'm afraid that if I quit that will put more pressure on him, and I don't want to be responsible for his getting sick again. The second is the quality of service provided by the office. If I left, it would likely take several months to replace me, as the current financial crisis means that all jobs have to be approved by a committee before they can be advertised. This is likely to impact negatively on the students' experience, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for that.
On the other hand, I would really like some time off work. I'd like to devote some serious time to Japanese, I'd like to learn some Welsh and Russian, and also how to knit. When I start to think about these opportunities I feel guilty for being so selfish, which my husband says is crazy. He says it's perfectly OK to want some time for personal development. I also feel guilty about him being the only one working, although he assures me he's perfectly happy to do so.
What do you think? Am I a selfish pig who should suck it up? Or is it OK to put my own needs ahead of my job?
