Valid Reasons To GoAm I the only here who is ambivelent about throwing themselves back in the fray? Let me explain. As I said in another thread I've been at my current job four years. So far, this has been my only job of major note. Besides the low pay, I feel that if I stay much longer I could very well stay forever, which to me anyway is not conducive to personal or professional growth. At the same time, I'm not unhappy. When I need time off I receive it. My health insurance is paid in full. I receive two weeks paid vacation a year. I have it good right? Reasons why I feel I must go: 1. Tired of being seen as the secretary. No offense to administrative assistants and office managers by trade, but it always disconcerts me when I read the job description and it calls for a high school education. It disconcerts me even more when they say, oh, that's so and so's secretary. Like, I'm not on their level or something. I graduated from college, and my job involves more than typing. Truth be told, I can't type a lick. This is my first job out of college. At the time I was quite fearful of not being capable of anything, and it was the first decent job offer I received. I had been searching for six months. Now that I've been here awhile I'm even more fearful that if I don't cut out now, I may lose my nerve and never want to try again. 2.My age. I'm not getting any younger. 3.Fear that if I stay around a couple more years and then try to branch out, prospective employers will wonder why I waited so long, and allowed myself to stagnate. Relates to #2. 4. Since there are only four of us, and I'm right under the owners there is no where else for me to go title wise. 5. Though I have received 3 raises in four years, I don't make enough to do the things I want to do for me. Buy a house. Save money for retirement. The ability to maintain a certain standard of living; nice clothing, a good hair cut etc. In fairness, they hire me every chance they get to perform outside jobs and they pay me for it. Still, it's not enough to make a significant dent in my way of life. Plus, it makes me feel like a gopher as opposed to the professional I am. Reasons why I am afraid to go or maybe not sure about going: 1. I don't hate my job. 2. I like the people I work for. 3. I am afraid of my employer's reaction should I receive a real job prospect. They' will be disappointed. They won't understand it. They will be hurt. No, I am not exaggerating. They don't take change well. 4. Besides the raises they've given me so far, I've never asked for a raise myself. The raises have been generous I think. Started at 22,000. Now make 29,500 I wonder though if the extra work is their way of paying me extra without actually giving me another permanent raise. Should I ask for a raise before striking out on a serious job hunt? Give them first dibbs. 5. Fear that I will hate the new job. 6. Fear that I will suck so badly at the new job that I will be fired and there I will be, You know that saying about burned bridges. These are my thoughts, what say you. You have a choice....you have always had a choice....to take a chance on something new or stagnate until you are in tears. If you stay where you are knowing that there is the possibility that you will be resentful of your life and the people who you are working with, don't you think the choice to take the chance to better yourself and your life is worth the risk. Your employers are attached to you and feel like you are family. But, because they may feel that you are like family, they cannot begrudge you that chance. If you haven't talked this over with them, they may feel that you are satisfied with your lot in life and think that you like being referred to as someone's secretary. Ask them if you can be called Administrative Assistant or even Assistant to the Vice President and President since you are right under the owners. If you are going to stay and you have spoken to your employers regarding the title thing (which honestly are just words) and they are okay with your feelings ask them if, instead of running errands for them that you don't feel should be in your job description, you can receive a raise. You made me laugh on reason number one: Every job requires a minimum high school education and diploma or GED. Except, of course for McDonalds, Burger King, Carl's Junior and any entry level cashiering job in a grocery store, department store or convenience store. (Did you know that places like CVS, Wal-Greens and Rite Aid prefer even entry level cashiers to have a dipoloma) And, truthfully, even those people with this minimum can't do what you do. Word processors and computers make it so much easier to not know how to type because as long as you know your home keys and where your grammar, spellcheck and thesaurous buttons are, you don't need to know. You can also install macros which will cut out your need to actually hit any keys associated with the actual word if you don't want to learn. And, now, they have this technology, which is a major waste of money, where a person can speak into a microphone attached to the computer and your words are automatically entered into the document with no need to type more than what it takes to set up the document. There is also a dictation machine which your boss can dictate his letter and then you take the tape, put it into another machine which is hooked up to the computer, push a button and the words on the tape are entered into the computer. It is so stupid. Sheer laziness, is what prompts people to use this system. But, I digress, the decision is ultimately yours. If you want to allow change to hold back your chances or if you want to make the choice to follow your heart and your head and take the chance on success in a different area. To clarify, they have never called me that (secretary), other people have referred to me that way. What I meant about the high school thing is personal to me. Growing up this was a job that I never thought I would do, so I just find it kind of ironic. Yes, I have definately made my choices. They instill their full trust in me. To the point that I have a key to their house. I house sit for them on the side. That's what makes it so difficult. | |
|
Career Tips
|