Tuesday, December 07, 2010

7 Things: When to Quit

So, the joy of working in benefits is that fall is what we call our busy season. We used to have training sessions on how to warn your family not to expect to see you and generally try to not go crazy this time of year. (We still have extra stress relieving sessions this time of year.) I realize that benefits is not the only job that gets nutty this time of year. And let’s face it, piling shorter daylight hours and family and holiday stress plus flu season, people are often a tad touchier this time of year. So, I get it.
However, sometimes that job stress is really a sign that this is no longer the career for you. So, in honor of a certain football player, let’s looks at some signs that you have the wrong job or career.
1. You don’t want to show up at work. Let’s face it, it’s not uncommon to wish that your job called for you to be at a beach or mountain or even couch rather than wherever your job asks you to be on a given day. But if every single day, you would rather be somewhere else, it is time to figure out how to be somewhere else.
2. You want to make your own hours. Now certainly there are jobs where this is allowed. But if you do not work at such a job, let’s say you work at The Bagel Shop but you think that you should decide what days you show up and for how long and that no one else needs to know this in advance. Except that that doesn’t work when they need someone to open The Bagel Shop tomorrow morning.
3. You show up, but not in work mode. There was a series of workplace modules based on the fish market in Seattle and one of the rules was “Be There”. Simple but true, showing up is only part of the battle, you need to be in work mode. If you’re just going through the motions you are no use to anyone.
4. You only want to do part of your job. We all have parts of our jobs we love more than others. And you can try and see if you can mold your job to fit your favorite bits. But if, for example you are a typist who has decided that you don’t like vowels, well, gd lck wth tht.
5. You talk crap about work. Now sure, you want to vent to your buddies, go for it. Unless of course your buddies are reporters. Or you are communicating via video camera or radio talk show. If you talk trash about your employer in the press, don’t be surprised when your paycheck stops.
6. You don’t talk to your employer or coworkers. Seriously, no one said you had to be buddies with your boss or your co-workers. But you do have to be willing to talk to them. Just about work. But not speaking to them is not an option.
7. You think you are different. The reality is that all workplaces need rules. If you think the rules need changing, well, then feel free to try to change them. If you think the rules simply don’t apply to you because you are so freaking special, well, again, don’t be surprised to find your job has stopped.