Tank Slap - Motorcycle Forum

Plain and simply - I'm miserable at work.

Nothing exciting happens in my role and although I continually impress with my work nothing ever comes of it. It's frustrating.
Motivation is low. My want to go above and beyond is non-existent. My ability to get out of bed on a weekday morning is severally lacking.
There's a job opening within my area which I qualify for, yet when I enquired I was told no; I do the job already, they just don't want to pay me any more than they do currently.

Options:
Put up and shut up, they're paying me a wage.
Try (again) to have the discussion with my manager to see about career progression.
Apply elsewhere within the company (I'd have to pay a large premium to leave the company now and lose my progress towards the degree).

2 seems best.

if you're not happy it's going to tough to change that mindset, I've been there.

If you make it clear to your boss that you're not happy but you want to remain within the company then you're likely to get bonus points. It shows you want to improve and better yourself which in turn benefits the firm. If you can get something mapped out, even if it's long term, you'll find your mindset improves.

Simple (i know it's not). But i'd ultimately leave.

Find a new job, take your time get what you would like to do and excited to do, then leave.

There are plenty of good companies with good people. That sounds like it isn't a good place.

How long until you finish your degree?

Stick it out, they’re probably ambivalent about promotion as you’re tied to them financially until you’ve got the degree in your hand.
It’d be daft to flush that much work and cash away, rather hanging in there for another year or so (about the price of a new bike perhaps?).

@Kwacky - I guess your suggestion summed up is 2 & reassess then 3..? It's sort of what I was thinking of doing as yearly reviews are due in the next few months and this will only be the second one with my current manager. I just feel like I'm being held back and when I look at what's happened in the last year it isn't a lot. I was supposed to be getting training opportunities provided I achieve what I'm supposed to (which I have) but they don't seem to have appeared but then I haven't chased it either.. Hmm.

@Cookie - leaving the company isn't an option; I owe them thousands for my education. I can leave F.O.C in 4 years. This is why I'm looking elsewhere within the company. It really is a good company to work for but there are so many small teams that the dynamic is hugely different wherever you go. In that respect it's a bit of a lottery.

@Monty - about 15 months. Once I have the degree I can apply for all 'engineer' roles but for now I can always explain that I'm only a year from gaining the degree.. if they are happy with feedback from my manager and my work output then they'd possibly employ me as an Engineer currently.

.....My biggest leader in terms of increasing my enjoyment at work is the learning curve - the bigger the learning curve, the bigger the satisfaction. Is it a case of accepting the learning curve can't always be great and just getting on with it?

There is no learning curve. It's peaks and troughs. Even now I see newly qualified solicitors strutting about like they know it all, only for them to crash. The only questions is how long it takes for that crash to come about.

I've been doing this job for over 20 years and I'm still learning. I'm on a peak at the moment because I'm doing different work with my new boss.

EDIT: Don't rush the learning. Learn a little, practice it a lot, then learn some more.

Cav, other thing to consider is your unhappiness solely with your job? I know you have been dealing with an injury that’s held you back from exercising as you’d like and probably helped put you into a slump.

Your quest to learn is great, but ‘learning’ has many forms. It’s not just taking in new info. Knowledge sharing is like life, it’s a cycle. Learn, perfect, impart. Now by the time you start imparting knowledge you’d think you’d know all there is to know, but I’ve found that is not really the case. Part of my job offshore is a competency assessor, and without fail every assessment I do I pick up something new or increase my knowledge. Those assessments are done on an area I’ve worked in for 4 years. So in a round about way I’m saying maybe adjust your expectations on learning and find knowledge gain in a wider method/environment.

Also, before you go back to your manager; map out where you see yourself within the company in 5 yrs. Work out specifically how that will benefit the company and make sure before you ask for anything that is communicated clearly. Then express what you feel you need from the company to get there. It will come across better and rather than ‘me me me’ it will be conveyed as the help you need to better the company. It sounds like they have invested plenty into your development and your disappointment is purely a mis match in reality and expectations. If you can get a clear vision and agreement on expectations with your manager, the reality should match more closely.

2

Being miserable at work ruins your life move on ,young engineers are rare I can point you in the direction of a good agency or if you fancy a career in engineering sales I know a very good vacancy gojng
J can tell, you engineering sales is a brilliant career and you will never be out of work,it's exciting and rewarding
Pm me if you want more details i see my colleague today who has a role up for grabs

Ps just 're read your post do your degree first then move ,that's what everyone does in engineering

Thank you for all the input.. it's something I really need to take the time to consider fully. Maybe I am being hasty but I've been thinking like this more often than not over the last 12 months or more.

Some interesting views on what learning is though and I value them all.. I am always wanting to learn, and that includes learning how I can learn better or differently

Very late here and I can't really help anymore. But agreed with lots here do your degree first and talk with manager, just got to realise that I'm sure he's been there as well, it's prob taken him many years to get to his position and his level of experience. When you have done your degree then you can decide what you want to do. We've all been unhappy with our jobs things will always piss you off or grind you down sometimes at work, it's work it happens!

You are young, clearly very motivated and determined, you will do fine and sure you will try different things within your degrees criteria. Hang on in there, when your degree is done you can put your middle finger up to them (never actually do this just in case you go back to the same company for whatever reason lol) or you can change department. I'm fairly certain you are the type of bloke that will only go up but you have to take some load of crap if they own your arse paying your education!! Lol

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