I hate my job! I will get that out of the way from the offset, it isn't that it doesn't pay well (when it pays), or that it is in an area I don't like. The issue is 4 fold; The distance - the company recently moved which makes it an 80 mile round trip The stress - We are a company which operates almost exclusively online dealing with some pretty advanced software and property feeds (think rightmove but with in house video production) - I am the only developer/IT Guy left! The pay situation - Cash flow is always bad, in the 13/14 months I have been there, there has only been about 3 months of stable on time pay. I have wages outstanding for this month (Septembers pay), and ~2k from last year. This also contributes to the stress in a huge way. The expectations/managment - They either think I am Superman or they simple do not understand the work which goes into these development tasks. So I would love to just up-sticks and leave today, obviously I cant today. I could find any old job to tide me over, as soon as I have that, leave. Then go on to find another web developer job when it comes around. But what would that look like on my CV, would I always have to be explaining the pay situation when I send out a CV so they don't just think I am a quitter who leaves a "career" as a Web Developer for a "job" in Asda when the going gets tough. Would a potential employer understand the situation and write it off as something I had to do, or would it go down as a black mark in my career. Note: I mean no offence to anyone who works in Asda, it is just that I have met some high and mighty people who work in IT and I can see them frowning upon this because I haven't sold my soul to IT and lost all my possessions and house just so I could write one more line of code. I honestly don't know what to do, I am working from home this week to try and take away some of the stress and distractions and get my head together. But I started early today and I have already had two pulling my hair out moments, even before 9am. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, or even better... anyone with a job going in the Peterborough area
Firstly, if your having issues with being paid for work you have completed it may be time to read over your contract and make a formal complaint to your boss. Secondly, your CV only has what you put on it. If you don't think working at ASDA is going to look go on your CV then don't put it in. If asked later on what you were doing for how ever long you were there, you can simply say studying, travelling or even working on personal projects. Thirdly, I have been fired from two jobs (both times I felt somewhat unfairly) but each time I have gotten a new job, explaining what happened to get me fired from my old one has always seemed to help my case. I would think explaining to a potential employer that you were not going to put up with repeated problems even when you giving a job everything shows some back bone rather than running away. Its all about how you present it and how you dealt with it at the time. Lastly, as some one who has been working in a kitchen all summer, ASDA looks quite appealing with its double time for unsociable hours...we don't even get anything for working Christmas day.
I don't think there's anything wrong with finding something else and leaving asap. Who knows, maybe you find a good IT to move straight into? Either way, I think it's far more sensible to work in a job that suits you, than to stay in a job which moved away from you, so it's now 40 miles each way, and also pays unreliably. Just these two points alone are more than enough reason to not stay on board, and what you've been putting up with for this long makes it obvious that you are definitely not a quitter. I think the last job you want, is one where the interviewer frowns at your history, thinking that employees should put up with that much BS.
A good tactic if you're worried about a gap in your CV is to either go travelling (go live in somewhere like Beunos Aires for a month, it's cheap!) or say you did if you have a family etc. This looks a lot better to possible employers, as it shows you can work independently and are resourceful. Have you considered becoming a contractor? If you polished your skills, and got onto a major account at a big name company you could make inroads reputation wise with key people in the company and this can usually secure your future for other jobs within that company.
Thanks for the input and going a long way to put my mind at ease guys. The reason I am getting really stressed is because my me and my girlfriend are buying a house at the minute so I feel like I am semi stuck at work until everything is sorted out. So I am probably stressing more than I need to. Quick question though, has anyone had any luck sending your CV out cold, i.e. to companies who aren't actively hiring but that you like the look of?
Buying a house complicates things no doubt. Do you have enough saved, or does your OH earn enough, to cover an unknown period of unemployment? Depending on what you're taking on even temping work can probably cover your basic financial needs. I've only read your post quickly, but it sounds like your company is pretty dependent on you but not showing it. If you feel you can afford to you should seriously consider making a stand. You could do this in two ways: a) Compile solid evidence that you are being exploited and then confront them with it. b) Slack off from your work commitments to spend time finding another source of income. If they try giving you **** for it you can point out that it's an inevitability of not being paid what's owed. There's two sides to every story. One man's non-quitter is another man's mug.
Just thought I would bump this to say that a week later I am still feeling the same. I have applied for a few jobs over the past few days. I sent my CV out cold to a company I would like to work for and got a really nice response, but unfortunately they didn't have any jobs. At least they liked my CV, which is promising for other applications. I am not 100% sure I want to continue in web development, or development of any kind. But I don't really know what else to do... throw some ideas at me Edit: Sorry Porkins' Wingman, I wasn't ignoring you, just glossed over your reply without even noticing it was there. Unfortunately my partner does not earn enough to cover us both for any significant period of time, though I am trying to get her to move up in the career ladder, for her own sake as well as ours financially. The problem is that they know they are taking the ****, everyone knows it. But everyone is sort of stuck there, waiting for their money.
Not so much this, but try and look in the less likely places. I found my newest job through a newsletter type thing. See if there are any local media groups, they tend to advertise in these for contractor/freelance type things. Also, network, LOADs. get your linked in up to spec, get following like minded folk on twitter - i used to be pretty negative about that sort of thing, but a designer friend of mine gave me a crash course in raising my profile, and nothing but positivity has come from it. With CVs i have found, if its good enough to get you a face to face meeting with someone, anything in there they are not happy with, or anything that needs explaining, they will give you the opportunity. With this last point, I wouldnt be too for just lieing and saying you went traveling, be honest, say what happened and explain why it was the best move for you, given personal circumstance etc. And if you had to work at ASDA for a while, tell them, shows you are keen to keep constant employment history, and also that you are willing to work hard for money in your bank, which can be nothing but i good think i would have thought.
I believe my friend, who is MD of his own company, is hiring an SEO / Web-dev junior, in the Orton Southgate industry park area. Dunno how the pay would compare but they're a very rapidly growing company so I can guarantee great prospects for you. Please PM me if you want me to see if the position is still open and I'll go prodding.
I've been presumptuous, the position is still open. I have sent you a PM with the job details, if its your cup of tea, good luck
I have just sent my CV + covering letter for that job, Zoon. Thank you for pointing it out to me, as I said in PM, I have just been looking for web developer only jobs and not started to consider related jobs yet, but this seems incredibly interesting. Fingers crossed for this, as well as a few others I have applied for.
