Q: After 20 years in the same job, I recently had to look for work when our family moved to a different city. Finding a position in my field took several months, but I was finally hired five weeks ago. The problem is that I’m already having serious thoughts about quitting.
I dread going to the office every day, because I feel totally out of my comfort zone. The work is very different from what I did before, and I’m beginning to doubt my abilities. I was recently terrified when a serious problem occurred, even though my manager assured me that it wasn’t my fault.
Although I feel an obligation to fulfill my commitment here, I sometimes wonder if perhaps I should be totally honest with my boss and tell her that I need to leave. On the other hand, there are very few positions available in my field, and it took me a long time to find this one. I’m not sure what to do, because I just don’t like this job.
A:
Before making any rash decisions, allow yourself a little more time to adjust. Given that you have spent the past twenty years in a familiar, comfortable environment, your anxiety about this position is hardly surprising.
The switch to a new organization inevitably brings differences in culture, management style, and job expectations. People who frequently change companies learn that this period of discomfort is both predictable and short-lived. For you, however, it undoubtedly feels as though you have been taken from a nice, warm bed and dumped into a tub of ice water.
Since you appear to have an understanding manager, talk with her about your concerns. Explain the reasons for your fears, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and ask her to help you create a development plan. You were obviously hired because your boss had faith in your abilities, so perhaps she can transmit some of that confidence to you.
Q:
My wife works in a production department where only a few employees have permission to work overtime. Everyone else must leave at the end of the shift. The people who receive these extra hours seem to have close ties with the supervisor. Does my wife have any recourse in this situation?
A:
Instead of jumping to conclusions, your wife needs to verify her assumptions. Although these decisions may appear to be driven by favoritism, they might actually be based on personal requests. Many people despise working overtime, so managers sometimes assign extra hours only to those who have expressed an interest.
To check this out, your wife should simply ask to be added to the overtime list.
If the supervisor denies or ignores this request, then she and other concerned employees may want to ask human resources for a clarification of the company’s overtime policy. If no such policy exists, it would seem quite reasonable to suggest that one be created.
