Unhappy with Job

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sejinro_IHB

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<p>I used to work for an accounting firm (Big 4) but then moved onto a government job (local government). What a change of pace! The main driver for switching was becaused I had surgery last year and needed to slow down a little bit due to the travel and long work hours. It's been about a year now and now I am strongly considering exiting this place. On the other hand, now that I have been here, I do see the benefits of government work (eg, pension, flex hours, retiree medical, etc). But still, I feel the emotional or psychological impact may outweigh these benefits. Thoughts? I am posing this question on this board as off-topic because I know there are some intelligent folks out there.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>
 
<p>Sorry for the confusion but the emotional and psychological impact (negatively) by working in government. It gets so frustrating here sometimes...very slow, lack of leaderhsip, no accountability, laziness, etc. I am afraid that this type of work environment will affect me personally and may spill over into other areas in my life like with my family, friends and other circles.</p>
 
my thoughts are, if you're unhappy, make yourself happy. There is that saying out there that you are in control of your own happiness and u can make it happen.
 
<p>My tenure at the accounting firm was mostly performing internal audit engagements for 1B+ companies. Now, with this government job, I am a project manager for IT-related projects. I also graduated with an MBA in June 2006 from UC Irvine. I am currently residing in an S&S home in Porter Ranch, CA.</p>
 
Sejinro,

As somebody who has consulted for government and non-government clients, I can tell you that working in non-profit/government environment requires a mental make over. The transition is not for everybody. Maybe you need to figure out what will make you happy and then hold yourself responsible for your decision every time your mind tries to look for the magic panacea.



Living in the urban jungles greatly diminishes our abilities to learn to be happy and to continue to keep happy due to ceaseless wants and too much rush for material things. So really before jumping anywhere else, you could consider what the new destination will entail and what it might mean for your work-life balance. Learning to be happy comes before any decision.
 
<p>sejinro - If you in accounting, you can slow down vs. Big 4 by working in private. I never went Big 4 due to pace, stress, and travel. Wanted to enjoy life more so I went straight to private and turned down my only Big 6 offer which was from Ernst. Probably making way less money than I could be today, but have had way more time for family and fun and still make a good enough living to afford Irvine...</p>

<p>Having worked in a Fortune 500 and some very small environments, I found that I personally prefer smaller. Things are much more instant, pace is good but not usually hectic. With such a squashed leadership pyramid, accountability is high and lower performers can't hide. I found the longer I stayed in the F500 environment, the more de-motivated I became professionally and that also seemed to bleed over to the personal side. Making the move to a smaller environment got me more engaged and I think that also has a positive effect on the personal side as well... </p>
 
<p>What about the benefits I might be losing? Such as retiree medical and a pension. Are these really worth it? Can these be supplemented through other means?</p>
 
<p>"My tenure at the accounting firm was mostly performing internal audit engagements for 1B+ companies. Now, with this government job, I am a project manager for IT-related projects. I also graduated with an MBA in June 2006 from UC Irvine. I am currently residing in an S&S home in Porter Ranch, CA."</p>

<p>If you want to stay in PM, get your PMP if you don't already have it... Everyone wants that cert now. We take a lot of requirements for project managers on the IT side (my firm is an IT staffing and consulting firm) from mostly private companies. Having dealt with IT management at the city and county level on Peoplesoft and JDE projects, I can imagine your pain a little. Overall, the caliber and competency of many on the government side I have dealt with has been considerably lower than their for-profit counterparts.</p>
 
<p>"What about the benefits I might be losing? Such as retiree medical and a pension. Are these really worth it? Can these be supplemented through other means?"</p>

<p>You'll probably make quite a bit more in private. Just increase your retirement savings to compensate for the differential... </p>

<p>Organizations that offer big retirement benefits have a higher concentration of weak performers just trying to keep their gigs long enough to retire. My former F500 employer had a great pension plan and a huge of amount of laggard employees just going through the motions to keep collecting their paycheck and pension contribution. </p>
 
<p>"They say it's easier to find a job if you already have one, so I'd suggest start looking for a new job now."</p>

<p>Especially true for PMs. Companies have been cutting back on projects for 2008, so PM needs have shrunk a bit. </p>
 
<p>If you decide to stay with the gov't job and are worried about your negativity spilling over and affecting your family life, I would recommend finding ways to inject positivity, personal growth, and balance in your life. Instead of placing 100% of your sense of self-worth in "what you do for a living", focus and bolster the other positive aspects of your life. Some ideas:</p>

<p>-Take up blogging (learn from IR :-)</p>

<p>-Take up Bikram Yoga or other form of regular regimented exercise (tai chi, jujitsu, etc.)</p>

<p>-Take piano/music lessons or learn a new instrument if already a musician</p>

<p>-Take flying lessons - become an amateur pilot</p>

<p>-Go back to school, get that Masters' or Ph.D. in your field of accounting or, if you are brave, take up study in an entirely new field of study (paleontology?)</p>

<p>Just my 2 cents...</p>
 
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>

<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">I’ll leave the career moves to the others out there. </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">As far as life goes, sometimes you need to shake things up and look for ways to inject value into your life. </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Go to the local Starbucks/ Panera Bread and grab a prime seat.</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Bring a book, open a laptop, or do whatever but scan the room for women to talk to. </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">As soon as one of them gives you the look</p>

<p class="MsoNormal">Boom! It’s on, move in and start talking. </p>

<p class="MsoNormal">98.5% of the women that hang out there will want to listen. </p>

Believe me, you’ll feel better about life and your purpose in no time.
 
<p>As a dirty slime contract for 5 years and a engineer for 15 years total, I say make yourself happy. Only you can and only you will feel the effects of what you do. Make yourself happy.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>This is why i have a 600hp sleeper car, i am a ballroom dance competitor and why I compete in shooting events. to keep myself happy, metally healthy and ready to take on whatever the world provides.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>-bix</p>
 
<p>I think it's all about how you spend your time. I figure we spend a third of our life sleeping/grooming, a third of it working, and a third of it playing/relaxing.</p>

<p>Thus, we spend half our waking hours working/studying and the other half playing/relaxing.</p>

<p>If you are not satified with your job, try to compensate by putting more effort into your leisure time.</p>

<p>Some people love their job, and relax during their free time. </p>

<p>Others hate their job, but make it up by having a blast on the weekends.</p>

<p>My point is, if you work much more than you play, you won't be happy.</p>

<p>But if you play much more than you work, you won't do so well.</p>

<p>Try to focus on what you can easily change first.</p>
 
I work for the federal government and I love it! I'm surrounded by mostly high-speed people and my manager is totally supportive. I used to work in public accounting many years back and this job blows that job away. That public accounting job had me being a desk jockey. I am now out of the office about half of the time and get to meet all sorts of people. I am very fortunate to have found this job. I will also be able to work from home in the next month and a half. That will save a bunch on the commute and give me even more flexibility in how to perform my duties. If you want something more, go up a level or two in government. You might just find something more challenging.
 
<p>The hub works for NASA as I posted. He'd probably be paid a bit more somewhere else, but working for the space program is a dream and a half. Everybody at NASA works like a slave. They are supposed to work only 40 hours, but work free overtime all the time.</p>

<p>The benefits are great. The vacation time is great, except he never takes all of it--donates it to people who have run out of sick leave. The one problem is they really don't have enough staff. Everybody I've met who works there and all the contractors too are very high powered.</p>

<p>The paperwork is increasing too much also. Unless he gets diluged with paperwork, he plans to work until 70.</p>

<p>He used to work for the hurricane center and that was lots of fun too.</p>

<p>Also, you might think of how a change of supervisor might make all the difference. My son's supervisor got fired, and a fabulous new one hired. He went from being very unhappy there to being happy. And the newbie has already promoted him.</p>
 
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