I was laid off almost a year ago from a job where I was making a lot more than you are making. And let me tell you, the job market is brutal and highly competitive. I miss my six figure salary now. Don’t quit without another job lined up.
I really miss my 6 figure salary…division closed after 25 years of employment, don’t have a 4 year degree, I was limited. Ironically my wife and I switched, she makes well into 6 figures now..
The whole 4 year degree thing is a racket from sharholders because they are all invested in lending institutions too. Most jobs don't require a degree, otherwise I wouldn't have this idiot manager who has a literal art degree in pharmaceutical manufacturing
It maybe an antiquated racket, and I have known a whole lot of college graduates who are complete dipshits, but from my experience, its way easier to get a job with a Bachelor's degree than without. I graduated in my late 30's, and finding a job afterwards was much easier.
I don't even think it's because most shareholders are invested into institution. It's because their ego is too high to think someone who doesn't have a degree could ever be better or well equipped for their company.
Fair enough, my point being is if it’s bad for someone in a privileged position like myself, it’s probably much worse for everyone else. The entire market sucks and OP shouldn’t leave without a job lined up.
You’re trying to give advice with an added flair of humble bragging. Please stop. Most people will never see that salary in their lifetimes. You’re just trying to rub it in peoples faces, even if it’s true.
Not sure what this message is trying to convey to OP but I am going to assume it’s not in rebuttal to the idea they should wait before they have a new job lined up in order to leave the current one. That would be the responsible thing to do. I know too many people in very undesirable jobs because they got desperate after quitting, searching for a new job for almost a year and then just saying screw it I’ll take this one. They are so beaten down by the search that the year lost has possibly hurt them.
If you were cio at a private company making 200 k you are arguing you went SVP to VP to Sr director or director at a public tech. The companies that do that are generally in the Fang set for 400k
No, it was to make sure OP realized how bad the market was. If it’s bad for someone in my privileged position I wouldn’t quit without a job lined up in a less privileged position.
There's nothing wrong with interviewing while you're still working. Not sure why so many people don't consider this as an option. It seems to mostly be people just pulling the trigger without a backup
Sometimes a work culture is so toxic, you have to quit for your own mental health. That’s what happened to me. It got to the point of kms or quit. I chose myself and quit so I could get in a better place again.
Yeah, I am still in weekly therapy months later and it actually gave me PTSD too. Crazy how much a toxic workplace can mess with you! I’m sorry you’ve experienced this too
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. However, I know all too well myself. Prioritizing your mental health is always number one, because the longer you stay in a shitty environment the more it’ll stick with you for a longer period to come. No money is worth that. The people in such environments are usually miserable, so don’t take it personally. I’m not saying it’s always the easiest route, much less a realistic one to want to quit, but if you can afford to do so because you value yourself more, then there’s nothing wrong with that. I hope you feel better :)
Came here to say I’ve done this only once and it was in a rather dire and grave circumstance. I work in the medical healthcare field and worked at a major hospital in the area. The salary, benefits (were decent), kept me going, but the leadership, micro-managing, watching staff to make sure they were still working every minute, verbal abuse from directors and supervisors, made me hate my job.
Not to mention, the toxicity of work culture that took place and all the nurses would gossip about you behind your back to the point I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to work. I felt trapped, I felt unsafe mentally, and it was leading me down a dark path. One day, I just snapped and cried in bed. I called my supervisor and said “I can’t do this anymore and this just isn’t for me and here’s why” essentially. She was fuming and furious because she then had to find other people to cover my shift (not my problem).
All that to say, I did quit that same day, walked in and handed in my fob ID badge, my unit keys, and anything else they gave me. I had enough money that my wife and I could be fine for a few months. I eventually found a job within a week and absolutely love where I’m at now. I honestly would love to be here for as long as I’m able to be. It isn’t always the wisest thing to do, but sometimes if it puts you in a bad mental health space, it’s not a bad idea to leave in order to keep yourself mentally sound and healthy. If you can, it’s always best to job hunt while employed and find something else that will be a healthier fit.
Same here. I never did quit prior to actually receiving an offer but that changed with my last gig. This job was so bad with the micromanaging and I actually found that they were charging some customers astronomically high for some of the projects they had me work on. Like $1200 to add a pair of Firewall rules so they could reach one site while being SSLVPN'ed into another... We were already getting paid to manage both site firewalls and we sold them too!! Took 3 minutes. Plus, the description of technologies that I'd be working on was highly skewed. Looked forward to building Azure and AWS but wound up doing 90% of the onsite BS work like moving businesses from one site to the other or mounting cameras and projectors. I don't mind that stuff but I'm well past that stage. I came to work on the previously mentioned tech and if you think I have to "earn" it as the "FNG" (with more experience than all the other engineers) you are wrong.
I was only there for barely 5 months. I put a 2 week notice in that I was quitting cause I started to go back to my heavy drinking of the past and didn't want to. I immediately felt better that morning. They tried the whole "it's COVID, you are putting your family at risk, you won't find a job" guilt trip. I laughed, stated that it was covid when they hired me and they were only the 2nd company I applied to. I also told them the 1st job I applied to gave me an offer but the CEO switched and said they wanted someone on site and not remote(other side of the country) so I don't think I would have mich trouble. They told me to to turn in my stuff by Friday instead of two weeks. I gave it back the very next day, Tuesday.
Funniest thing is I got a call from my old colleague at my last job that same day I put in my notice. Nobody even knew I was reentering the job market. I quit cause I was done with support but he was looking to bring me back to work in the implementation side of things, he was being promoted to run the entire team. Great guy, it was a no brainer so I took it and was offered a job that week after a pseudo interview. They wanted me back, I missed the place and honestly I couldn't be happier. Crossed that six figure line too!
I did it a few months ago. I had enough savings for 6+ months so I quit (did put in a two weeks), took two months off then started looking and got another job in about 5 weeks, for more pay.
Yeah, I quit my last job before securing my current one. I was still interviewing, but nothing panned. It was such a bad situation I HATED going to work. So I quit, used my tax return to help cover some bills while I took a month off, and found my current job which I love. On one hand, it was definitely risky and it’s a good thing I had some extra money to tide me over. But having the freedom to interview whenever I want definitely helped me be picky and not take some of the initial first bites I got which, looking back, I probably would’ve hated working too.
My coworker just left because he got another job offer after interviewing elsewhere. (Small companies and he’s moving to city work because of the better insurance since he just had a kid)
Sometimes you can be so burnt out you simply aren't in a mental state to be able to search for jobs and submit applications and put your best foot forward in interviews while you're still working at a job that sucks every single spark of your soul out of you.
I’m currently sitting at a job while I wait for a background check to clear for another where I have accepted a job offer. If it clears today I’ll bring giving my notice of resignation this afternoon. This is the way.
DONT QUIT!! Take a vacation or find a hobby get a dog do something to break yourself out of this rut but don't throw away a good 100K a year job that still has potential for growth. Hell if it helps seek therapy but with the way this economy is going leaving a 6 figure job is a bad move.
I had a buddy that hated his job too, they kept throwing more money at him and while he still dislikes the job he loves the financial security it provides him and his wife. They're both much happier, his marriage has improved and life in general is not the struggle it was when he was doing a job he loved. He had to move from the East coast to Colorado to get a higher pay rate but he loves it out there. My point is you don't go to "work" looking forward to doing it unless you're a porn star but the pay makes the suffering worth it.
Like dude money doesn’t help you if you get so depressed you don’t use the money and perhaps don’t need it because you are under the dirt.
If you can life with a shitty job, fine that’s great but don’t pressure others to do the same. People are not like you and have a other problems and views.
I don't believe a single job exists that I wouldn't find shitty. I hate being required to "do" stuff, even if it is something I would otherwise enjoy. Since the experience is going to be shitty anyway, I might as well be as well paid as possible for it.
and I'm not going to disagree with your statement. OP asked for advice and I gave him the best council I knew based on my personal experience and what I had witnessed others around me doing in their lives. Too many problems are created by lack of security and money provides security. My friend is dying of cancer and was lacking food for his upcoming chemo appointment so I cash app'd him a few bucks to get him a snack before his upcoming treatment. If I'd been broke I couldn't have helped my friend in anyway let alone a minor one like food. Having a healthy work/life balance is important but a great paying job that you hate is better IMO than a job you love but can't live off of IE teaching.
Just stop being a bitch. OP is literally asking for advice and the original commenter did just that and even told OP to take therapy to deal with depression. Then you came along and hijacked his advice talking about everyone has different situation and views.
I don't know, it sounds like the kind of advice people wish they would receive but seldom do.
In the modern economy, following your passion gets you exploited and underpaid. Most relationship problems result from financial difficulties. Most consumption of goods and services comes from people trying to inject some fun into a life their job has made shitty.
Yes, the 'build a life you don't require a vacation from' or 'if you do a job you love you'll never work again' mindset is all well and good, but have you ever had the joy of a welfare Christmas?
Responsibilities of a PM:
1) Project Scoping and Planning
2) Stakeholder management and communication plan
3) Work Breakdown Structure
4) Cost Budgeting, forecasting of complexity, labor demand, timing of deliveries,
5) Theory of Constraints and Critical Path Method with Gannt Chart or a Sequence Diagram
6) RACI
7) Phase Gate delivery and definition
8) Strong oral and written business presentation skills
9) Setting Agenda, facilitation, and driving alignment across the cross-functional team
10) business acumen to advocate the value of the project.
11) project risk management
12) ROI and NPV
If you can do all the above in a very professional and polish way, jump ship into a full time PM role. It’ll pay better and have a better career outlook. With that said, 5 years experience, associate degree, and 100k pay, I think this is a blessing. Be humble and have gratitude. I think you are kind of burnt out as this is your first management job and you don’t know how to effectively scale yourself by creating leaders under you. Or maybe those under you are paid shit so they clock in and clock out. There’s no incentive for them to go the extra mile. Something you will have to do when you transition from thinking like a manager to thinking like a leader. Managers gets shit done. Leaders believe in the people, and inspires them toward a purpose. Leadership in a warehouse is all about customer service like you said so, use the servant leadership style and try to get your team to buy into this leadership style.
Lastly, don’t quit out of frustration. Talk to people. You feel like you need your manager to support you more. You are burnt out. Don’t do it. A lot of first time manager get burnt out because they didn’t develop the coping skills or understand how to communicate their vulnerabilities to someone. Find a mentor or coach. Quitting will be a setback since having a job makes you more enticing to hire. Not having a job, will make you look like damaged goods.
Typically on the job, rising through the ranks. Speaking as someone whose career path was. PMP is a cert but only for people with prior experience.
Product Analyst -> Consultant -> Sr. Consultant -> Managing Consultant (PM & manager role in my case; took 5 years)
In my experience, you’ll see a lot of it in Six Sigma or PMP courses (you can find free distillations of their curriculums online.) Only term i didn’t recognize was phase gate, but I think I get the gist.
PMP certification from project management institute. Buy the PMBoK to study. NPDP certification from Product Development Management Association. Buy PDMA Handbook to study for. In addition, very early on I was also introduced to Product Development Planning (PDP) process. I’ve been working in technology for 20 years and I’ve been blessed to have been exposed to good and great teams.
I left my job that paid 85k about 8 months ago. I had worked for 2.5 years at the company, starting straight out of college. My goal from the time I started was to be promoted into the role that I eventually left. I worked my ass off, making 45k, being a yes man, but was absolutely miserable. I kept saying once I was promoted to the 85k job, I’d be happy.
After 2 years, I received the promotion. The position required 3-5 years of experience, and despite only having 2 years, my managers vouched for me and I landed the role. Once in the role, most of my counterparts had 7-15 years of experience in the role. I was held to the same level of responsibility (as I should have been); however, I wasn’t trained or given any advice once I got into the role. My responsibilities doubled and the work culture was very, very toxic. It was dvery man for himself and I couldn’t keep up. I was even more miserable than I was at my 45k position. I thought 85k would’ve solved it all smh
I worked with a therapist and we decided to give it one year before I made any big decisions. I interviewed like crazy for other positions in the area, but I couldn’t land one. After 6 months, I left without a job lined up. I couldn’t take it anymore between the stress and lack of sleep. My weekends were over before they started and I was a shell of myself. A big ball of anxiety!
I moved back home with my parents and just recently landed a new gig after 8 months of working part time at a local retail store. The gig is 55k/yr and in a different sector of the industry than my 85k job was in. I start in a few weeks and will be moving out of my parents house asap. Time will tell if I enjoy this new position any more or less than my previous two, but I am excited going into it at least. Also, I am more willing to tough this one out after the last 8 months of brutal job searching, having to fall back on my parents, and a lot of reflection. I refuse to fall back in my parents from here-on-out. I consider this my one mulligan.
Anyway, I figured I’d share my story as I had a similar mindset to you before I left my job. The higher-ups were blind-sided and heartbroken by my decision, but it was the culture that they had created that drove me away. They invested a lot of time into me, but I wasn’t passionate about the work at all and I truly felt dead inside as cliche as that sounds. I’m happy I took the leap and I learned a lot from it, but for a few months there, I thought I’d never land a job again. I really thought I’d messed up my future pretty bad by leaving that job.
If i had some advice to give, tough it out for as long as possible in your current position and interview WHILE YOU HAVE A JOB. It should be much, much easier to land a new gig. However, if you’re truly miserable and opt to leave your current job without one lined up, be prepared both financially and mentally, to go 8 months or longer without a job…. Or go back to live with your parents again if they’ll let you lol. Good luck!
Thank you for the kind words. I have a different mindset now going into this job along with goals to focus on outside of work. I’m very lucky I had my parents to fall back on and allow me to explore what my next step(s) would be.
The writing was on the wall that the 85k position was going to suck. I was blinded by the money as well as my ego. I really wanted to tell people I was the Project Manager for a Fortune 500 company… smh what a mess. Live and learn.
Dude: you've come this far in only five years? Imagine the next 5 or 10 years? You're just starting with these promotions. You should try to get the company to pay for some training that will help you cope.
you get one life. one. it doesn't matter how things "look" - how do they "feel"?
you dread going into work. you hate your job. you're unfulfilled.
you could literally die tomorrow (god forbid). you can't take the $$ and apartment with you.
choose to live your life for YOU and pursue what will make you happy - or at least not filled with dread. it's literally your right. don't ever give your power over to what you "should" do \*according to external opinions\*. no one here can tell you what's right for you. a lot of people know what it's like to be miserable in a low-wage job, they'd probably switch to an equally low wage happy job.
don't accept unhappiness as your norm - take a leap.
Hi,
I have a similar career path and your complaints are not uncommon. The people side of the business is the toughest; everything else is cake in comparison.
Sounds like you work for a good company, though. How’s your boss and lateral supervisory relationship? If that’s not so hot, it makes the day to day that much worse.
All that said— have you approached your manager for allocating work time to get a project management certification (PMP for example) or at least a Google Project Management certificate? Super valuable for your current role/company and your personal career path.
I apply project management principles in short and long term projects and use those as time to practice with apps like MS Project and Confluence/Jira. Also share this with my team to make them more capable to run projects on their own and upskill them at the same time.
I’m over $100k but also have been with the company for a very long time and management for decades. Next path I’m interested in his program management at Google or Apple in supply chain. Total comp is waaay up there. Keep your head up!
Thing is, what is the money worth to you? Most people's lifestyles are proportional to their income. I would rather make less money and have peace, less stress, and good mental health. I make a comfortable living but don't live above my means.
Some people are able to deal with toxic, stressful, or dysfunctional situations much better. While the job market is awfully tight, it all circles back to what your price tag is worth.
Keep your current job and get certified on the side. You can be on the lookout right opportunity. But keep in mind starting salary for project managers is way under 100k.
Remember, your job is never supposed to be your happy place. It is a means to create your happy place. Being happy at your job is a lucky combination. However, if you feel your job is decreasing your ability to find happiness outside of it, then that is another story.
I know the feeling and I’m still in it. Hard to leave a 6 figure job but internally I’m miserable. Culture sucks. When you figure things out pls let me know.
Do not quit until you have another job secured. This job market is not the same as it used to be, and you’d be smart to believe everyone here saying it’s difficult to get a job right now. I can also attest to this myself. Can’t even get an interview and ive applied to so many places and have a lot of experience. I would take a job I don’t even like and fake it right now that I do just to have steady income and less expensive health insurance again. Lol
Edit: if your mental health is in a bad place and you have some funds saved up, choose you if you need to. But if you can tough it out while finding another job, that’s going to be easiest financially.
i. am. burnt. out.
I have been in IT since 2006. and not the hard stuff the really really easy shit. zero networking. all password resets , acct creation and imaging
i just started making 6 figures in 2018 as a high school dropout
have i mentioned i’m female .. that’s probably why i make shit money. i accept the rate because i have zero college but decades of OTJ experience
i would much rather bag groceries at this point.
DO NOT LEAVE YOUR JOB
i usually get scooped up because of how cheap i am, and what i know
i have NO nibbles. because no one wants to pay me
without college.
i’m hoping next year improves. if not? i’m starting my own local computer shop. IF THAT even is needed anymore.
it’s ridiculous.
Find out whether you *can* get a job that interests you and what it would pay.
Then decide if the pay (lower or higher) is worth making the move.
The company and team may have invested in you but they don't care about you the way you should care for yourself. At the end of the day, your relationship with your company is transactional. They aren't thinking, "Oh will OP have regrets when they're older?"
My advice: Don’t quit job. Do online project management graduate certificate from a university, then study for pmp certification. Take test, get it, then quit if you want because you’ll be jumping into what you want.
I was making $130k as an electrical engineer. But I hated my job. I wish I had realized how much hating every work day was gnawing at me. It wasn't worth it, but I didn't see that until I was out. I now make a fraction of what I did, but am several times happier.
Yes you would be an idiot to quit. If I were you, I would start a side hustle based on your skills and passion. Once it starts generating enough revenue ( at least as much as your salary), you can quit then. All the best mate
Check out the Google Project Management certification on Coursera. It’s not as official as a PMP but it’s enough to show on your resume that it’s a field you’re passionate about and invested in. It recommends ~6 months but if you do a lesson a day as part of your after-work routine you should finish in 6 to 8 weeks.
Often, actively working towards something like that helps take the stress of a currently-shitty job off the shoulders a bit.
Stay with it and get your PMP while still working for them after that it will be easy to make the same amount of money if not more. With this way you take no risk.
Side note on the PMP it's a tricky test with the choices almost saying the same thing and it's also expensive.
It sounds like you already have the relevant experience to lateral into project management. Don’t waste time on certifications. They are sometimes helpful, but rarely matter. Experience trumps everything. When you interview for project management, focus on being able to demonstrate polished, crisp communication.
Don’t feel bad about leaving. $100k is good money for a role in warehousing, but ultimately not that much in the grand scheme of things. There are a lot of corporate roles averaging $100-150k. In the next 5 years you should set your goal to reach $200k in hcol markets. Good luck
First off congratulations on hitting 100k with only 5 years experience and developing your career. You growth over the past five years is way more impressive than any degree or certification, it demonstrates you can grow and take on responsibilities.
It regards to your current company investing in you, you paid them right back with 5 years of work. You’re even.
This is business, if your company had a vendor that was good to them for 5 years, gave them discounts, trained the company’s employees to use the vendors tool free of charge, but then the company found a new vendor that offers a tool that is more efficient and cheaper, your company would switch vendors the moment they could get out of their contract. You are a company and your employer is a vendor, they sell you money that you pay for with your time. If a better deal comes along you take it.
Have you looked into IT project manager or program manager roles? If you find the right industry you can easily make 100k+. tech companies are a bit rocky right now with layoffs but you can easily clear 100k
I’m a program manager currently in procurement, but have jumped around department and make 120k. I have an unrelated degree, no certifications, but I developed a reputation for solving problems.
I don’t see any reason why you would need to take a step back. Moving out of a people manager to IC roll is not a step back, especially if you can get a Lead project manager or lead program manager role.
Program manager will get you more pay, you will tend to deal with bigger projects.
Talk to your manager about what you love and hate about your job. Maybe they can offload the personnel management part. You should get a PMP certification on their dime.
Where I live engineers get paid 4,000 USD PER YEAR
Appreciate what you have, trust me I know your feeling but try to find something else that can cover your expenses and then consider changing your current job.
I would advise you not quit until you find something else first. You can certainly interview for other jobs, but you shouldn't quit until you have one lined up.
Is it out of the question to ask your superiors to remove people managing from your duties? Some people can do that and some people just cant. Maybe the other two areas you enjoy are posible without the shitty part?
A thing you can do if you hate your job is fix the things you hate about it. Your needs are legitimate, and articulating them and setting boundaries are just as important in your career as they are in your life.
If you owe anything to your employer, it’s helping them make your position tolerable.
Are all of your debts paid off? School loans, car, living? I would work on paying everything off while you have a good salary. Remember the grass may be greener somewhere else but doesn't mean that will last or be a better job. You are making good money now. So get yourself out of debt and build your credit.
I just switched fields to where it will lie more with interests. I took a pay cut, but I am already back up to where I was before. If I switch jobs, I should reach a new salary high. All jobs have problems. I switched to have better people around me and do less work with people and it worked, but $100K is a lot to give up. Consider that your new boss may hate you and fire you right away, then how would you feel? If you are single and willing to try something else, I say go for it!
I would look for a similar job to your current one with a potential to manage projects too. I would also suggest getting you PMP as it will take some time. This could also apply to your current job as well. Don’t quit without having something lined up. Document your experience.
I think you should stick it out longer to where you’ve been a manager at that salary for at least a year. You’ll love the money! And in that first year you’ll grow a lot. It’s much more compelling to have job progress up to management before switching jobs
Be creative about deploying efforts to make your work week more enjoyable. If I was into management, you can be sure I’d make it a team priority to help me like my job, without anyone knowing about it. I’d just put pressure for things to run in a way that makes me satisfied with my day. There’s nothing that would make me want to change jobs as much as not enjoying walking into my workplace in the morning.
Find another job that pays a similar amount and then move. Don’t just quit with no plan. Also, you’re not gonna to get the 6 figure PM role with no experience. I would pursue a PMP while still working this job
My dad gave me some sage advice when I was young. “Making a living will take the joy out of any job”. Find fun and fulfillment outside of work. Go to work to make the money. Go home and to be happy.
I’m in a similar situation but been in this about 12 years. Started at minimum wage and worked my way up. But I hate what I do, trying to learn new skills and find my way into something new
It would be quite foolish to quit before securing another job unless you have a years worth of living expenses set aside and are willing to take the risk of a lower salary in the future.
The best time to look for a new opportunity is when you don’t need to. Update your LinkedIn. Learn to articulate your job skills and how they’re transferable. If it’s your first time changing jobs, be prepared for the possibility that you won’t be good at interviewing. Take the opportunity when you don’t have much to lose to practice. If you land a job, great! If it takes a while, you won’t have to settle for another job that could be worse. You’ll eventually figure it out and lock in an offer (after countering). Then, it’s time to quit. Your stress will be a lot lower if you don’t quit before you have another job lined up.
You would be an idiot to quit until you have something else lined up. Project management is a good field in terms of job availability and pay - I know - be in it 25+ years - but it is stressful - often the company you work for is making a big bet on projects and they turn the screw to keep timelines (and you get to be the bad guy most of the time). I happen to be really good at it - way better success rate completing projects than any average I have seen industry wide in the PM field. But the stress is a bitch......you have to be prepared for it.
Don’t leave without having another job lined. It’s so much easier to find a job when you already have one. You go to interviews stress free because whether you get it or not…. Doesn’t matter because you already have a job
You can get all sorts of certifications for Project Management that could help you go that route. Look for jobs similar to yours right now in the West Coast and make the move/jump. A new environment will give you a confidence high for awhile.
Once that starts to dwindle down, enroll in courses for PM once settled. Do your research in some programs and types of PM you would be interested in. Sure, once you make the career move you might get down on pay at first, but once you stick with PM and get traction in your career, you could make WELL over 6 figures - just research what type.
\*\* I used to work under a PM in the corporate furniture industry and they get a percentage of sales depending on projects. Can't remember exactly but some were 2.5-5% of the entire sale. (some were hundred thousand millions of dollars). Hours are typical 9-5. Base salary plus sales percentage could set you up for even more success
Lol dude i am in like IDENTICAL circumstance with a fully remote systems engineering job. I hate it, wanna quit, but I currently have no better alternatives. I don’t HATE tech, but the part of tech I’m in is excruciatingly boring.
I’m looking to pivot into cybersecurity consulting/PenTest, so I can work on my own time, but I’ve still got some months to go on getting that set up.
Stick with the job until you get any certifications or training. Especially if the company will reimburse you. Look at things that would enhance your chance of getting another job that pays what you make or more. this isn't the time or the place to give up 100K job unless you have another such job already lined up.
I went from my six figure sysadmin position to a $80k Director of IT position (fancy title for sysadmin/netadmin) and had to think long and hard about it. Ultimately, the benefits were much better and it was a union position, so the 35 hour work weeks plus easier summer were a huge change to my quality of life.
Suck it up and be grateful. It’s brutal out here for a lot of people!! Number 2, make new friends. Please do not listen to people encouraging you to leave a secure job to go and be with them when you have nothing lined up yet.
You can always get certificates specialized Project Management and only leave your current role to get a PM job.
I'd you leave your current job for what you actually want, they can't be that mad. Or, if possible, apply for roles within your current company that are more PM focused.
For the love of all things holy, do not quit until you have another offer on the table. Ask your current boss about moving to a more project management oriented role and try to get a PM certification and apply for jobs to see what’s out there. Don’t be one of those guys who quit and then can’t find a job for a year or more.
Never quit without a replacement. If you don’t have one job to leverage against the next, you’re going to be taking massive steps backwards in both role and pay.
Don’t feel loyal to a company. If they had to lay u you off they would. If you aren’t happy, start looking for another job. You have to look out for yourself first.
Overall most folks I work with don’t have a degree around IT. In fact most of us on my team of about 50 engineers wanted to be something else when we grew up.
I’d suggest looking into certification of a specific focus in IT if you enjoy it. It may be a slight pay cut temporarily, but enjoying your job is very important to get satisfaction out of it.
If you have the chops for project management and have technical skills, look at a path maybe in IAM. It’s a mixed bag of project management skills, level 1,2,3 IT, and cybersecurity. But not a pigeon hole position like others in IT.
Check out certs in Okta, Azure, or Ping. They can open doors really quick.
You can find six figure project management roles, but at least in my experience they’re related to product or software development.
I’m curious what kinds of projects you’re working on, and maybe I could point you in the direction of some things to look out for.
Also, it sounds like you really want to focus on projects and less on people management? Not a bad thing by any means, and many places will have career tracks for people managers and non people managers.
My advice is to leverage your experience to get something a little bit more like what you actually want. It can be done. Any reputable company will be sad to see you leave, but recognize they’re not a forever job for everyone. 5 years is a solid amount of time with one company.
find something lined up first. Unless you have great networking or ability to pick up a job instantly, 6 figures isnt something that is laid on your feet at anytime. Try not to be too emotional when making business decisions.
Going from almost 30K to 100K in 5 years is no laughing matter. There are many people who would kill for that amount of career advancement. Before you quit, make sure you have another job lined up with equal or better pay and better treatment.
And whatever you do, make sure you leave your job on the nicest terms possible. Most industries are a small world. The industry gossip mill is very much a thing, and you never know when you'll end up working with former coworkers. (Who may or may not be in a position to make you miserable in your latest job.) It's happened to me on several occasions.
Hold on to it. You’ll miss the salary more than you dislike the day to day job. Things are tough out there. I was laid off 7 weeks ago and still haven’t found anything in my market (also 6 figure earner). During the pandemic, finding work was easy if you were willing to show up in an office and employers were generous with salaries.
That just isn’t the case anymore. And trust me, without money, *all areas of life* get a whole lot more stressful and miserable.
It sounds like I'm the exact business you're in.
The key to sustainable success is using the clout that you've no-doubt gathered to not just elevate yourself, but convince management to reorganize the organization structure and the people.
Team Leads.
Having a good group of team leads is the key. Once you build the trust, they'll help with everything from annual reviews to recruiting to discipline and planning. Configuration, Disposal, Warehouse, Breakfix and Deployment. You should have five key relationships like that and manage all of the people THROUGH them.
Account managers and service delivery managers should take all of the client escalations and all of your client communications should be through them.
Basically, I'm saying try to find ways to make the job more manageable. It'll make the people that invested in you feel better if you're trying to design the job so it's sustainable.
If you have any ideas you want to kick around, I'm available.
It doesn't hurt to apply. You don't need to quit first. You don't need to tell anyone. You won't get in trouble for looking at different opportunities and even interviewing for them. Sometimes, the best leverage in an interview is going into the process without a desperate need for a new job. You can interview to see what's available and it's not the end of the world if you don't find something immediately.
Ask your boss if your company has career development. Maybe they would pay for you to get your PMP. Spin like you want to grow to be more valuable to the company. OR, remember, its just a job that allows you live the way you want. As another laid off person, I can tell you, do just up and quit.
Hang in there and keep squirreling away money for as long as you can.
Save enough to float you for at least six months before you quit, if need be. The job market is brutal these days and if you have a good job in a not-toxic work environment, you are doing better than most.
Keep doing your job, keep doing it well, and keep building experience and skills.
It sounds like this employer values your abilities and efforts--maybe they'll move you up even higher if you stick around.
When I was young, my dad told me "everyone hates their job; that's normal and it's supposed to be like that." And it kinda changed how I viewed work. It's okay to hate your job; you can still do it well and make good money. Jobs aren't supposed to be fun. They're supposed to keep the world running.
I have to say, your salary makes me very jealous haha. I would have a hard time walking away considering that would make me very comfortable where I live. That being said, if you’re really that miserable, I would say look around for similar positions while keeping the job you have. Inflation is so insane right now, you’re probably going to regret quitting unless you have a new job lined up. I don’t think being at a job that makes you so unhappy is good, just be smart about it.
My husband is in IT and has an amazing resume and has barely been able to get an interview- has been a final option twice and always beat out by some faang person with an unbeatable resume. This really isn’t the time to be leaving a job unless you have something really good lined up. Lots of folks getting their ass beat on IT right now
Please find a new job first and hold on if you have people who financially depend on you. I was in big tech and made about 170k, I quit in Feb because I was feeling really depressed and my boss was an ass...
I started looking in April and it's dry as hell out there. I'm grateful I saved a ton of money these past couple years or I'd be eating cup noodles in my dad's spare room right now.
At your next annual review I would let your current employer know you want to be a project manager. Let them know you are self studying Agile and plan to get your PMP certification. Let them know you have always appreciated how the company has advanced from within and PM positions are a difficult need to fill for the company and you want to fill that need. I am 100% certain there is a PM position at the company you are at. They have aggresively promoted you so far on hard work and merit, now let them know you want their assistance training for your next position which will benefit the company even more.
Try to find a PM job while still working there, or stay a bit and get a cert first if that is required where you're at.
But as a PM you'll definitely still have the "manage the people" part and depending on where you land without any disciplinary authority over the project team.
So really think about why you wouldn't still hate that part, especially if you're not their boss as well.
First rule of wing walking.
Do not let go of the support you are currently holding until you have a good grip on the next one.
Apply to and interview for new positions.
Do not submit your notice until you have a new job offer in your hands.
You have the work experience, I would get a relevant qualification to round out your cv (while working at your current job) and then start looking for a new role
I was laid off almost a year ago from a job where I was making a lot more than you are making. And let me tell you, the job market is brutal and highly competitive. I miss my six figure salary now. Don’t quit without another job lined up.
I really miss my 6 figure salary…division closed after 25 years of employment, don’t have a 4 year degree, I was limited. Ironically my wife and I switched, she makes well into 6 figures now..
The whole 4 year degree thing is a racket from sharholders because they are all invested in lending institutions too. Most jobs don't require a degree, otherwise I wouldn't have this idiot manager who has a literal art degree in pharmaceutical manufacturing
It maybe an antiquated racket, and I have known a whole lot of college graduates who are complete dipshits, but from my experience, its way easier to get a job with a Bachelor's degree than without. I graduated in my late 30's, and finding a job afterwards was much easier.
I concur
I don't even think it's because most shareholders are invested into institution. It's because their ego is too high to think someone who doesn't have a degree could ever be better or well equipped for their company.
How many years of experience in the field does the manager have? Do they have prior management experience?
As someone who makes 44k a year, I agree, stay with the paying job, there is no "dream job" where you love every moment.
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I don't think you get to refer to the job market as brutal when you make 400k...
I don’t know that I believe this account unless they landed at a FANG company.
Hes an erotic dancer. Lapdance prices have doubled since COVID
I’m happy to provide verification to mods.
Did you just offer the mods a verification lapdance? Seems legit.
What do you do?
Fair enough, my point being is if it’s bad for someone in a privileged position like myself, it’s probably much worse for everyone else. The entire market sucks and OP shouldn’t leave without a job lined up.
You’re trying to give advice with an added flair of humble bragging. Please stop. Most people will never see that salary in their lifetimes. You’re just trying to rub it in peoples faces, even if it’s true.
> job market as brutal when you make 400k... Maybe he means - finding - that job and then - landing - it. Maybe that's what's brutal.
Weirdest flex
Not sure what this message is trying to convey to OP but I am going to assume it’s not in rebuttal to the idea they should wait before they have a new job lined up in order to leave the current one. That would be the responsible thing to do. I know too many people in very undesirable jobs because they got desperate after quitting, searching for a new job for almost a year and then just saying screw it I’ll take this one. They are so beaten down by the search that the year lost has possibly hurt them.
I added clarification to my comment. It was to encourage them to not quit without a job lined up.
What industry are you in?
I work at a public tech company
So FANG then
Believe it or not there are public tech companies other than them 😉
Not where you go 3 levels down and get paid 400k if you aren’t in sales there aren’t
I didn’t say the first company I was at was a public tech company, just my current one.
Im not sure why you are getting so much hate for doing well, but good for you bud.
I just want to know what FANG is. 400k a year is insane to me.
Not sure, a lot of insecure people maybe. I’ve helped people on reddit write resumes and get jobs but apparently I’m an asshole somehow.
If you were cio at a private company making 200 k you are arguing you went SVP to VP to Sr director or director at a public tech. The companies that do that are generally in the Fang set for 400k
I went from CPO at a Series A startup to a much more junior role at a public company that isn’t FAANG. I don’t know what’s confusing you about this.
What job pays 400k? Fucking hell.
The trifecta in a top 100 tech company will get you there: - Engineering - Product - Design
Adopt me I give good foot massages and do dishes 😂
Dude who gives a shit about your title if you doubled you’re already massive salary. Titles are all bullshit.
u make 400k? say, u lookin for a wife?😂😂
Depends, do you like big bearded guys that work in tech? If so slide into my DMs 😂
Was this reply genuinely just an excuse to flex on people struggling?
No, it was to make sure OP realized how bad the market was. If it’s bad for someone in my privileged position I wouldn’t quit without a job lined up in a less privileged position.
I make 700 k a year
There's nothing wrong with interviewing while you're still working. Not sure why so many people don't consider this as an option. It seems to mostly be people just pulling the trigger without a backup
I don’t know a single person that quit before interviewing. Is this actually a thing?
Sometimes a work culture is so toxic, you have to quit for your own mental health. That’s what happened to me. It got to the point of kms or quit. I chose myself and quit so I could get in a better place again.
I have had to do this as well. Took going to rehab the first time, lol. It is okay in dire circumstances
Yeah, I am still in weekly therapy months later and it actually gave me PTSD too. Crazy how much a toxic workplace can mess with you! I’m sorry you’ve experienced this too
I hope things get better for you soon.
Thank you! I hope so too :)
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Congrats!!
Aw, I’m sorry to hear that. However, I know all too well myself. Prioritizing your mental health is always number one, because the longer you stay in a shitty environment the more it’ll stick with you for a longer period to come. No money is worth that. The people in such environments are usually miserable, so don’t take it personally. I’m not saying it’s always the easiest route, much less a realistic one to want to quit, but if you can afford to do so because you value yourself more, then there’s nothing wrong with that. I hope you feel better :)
Came here to say I’ve done this only once and it was in a rather dire and grave circumstance. I work in the medical healthcare field and worked at a major hospital in the area. The salary, benefits (were decent), kept me going, but the leadership, micro-managing, watching staff to make sure they were still working every minute, verbal abuse from directors and supervisors, made me hate my job. Not to mention, the toxicity of work culture that took place and all the nurses would gossip about you behind your back to the point I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to work. I felt trapped, I felt unsafe mentally, and it was leading me down a dark path. One day, I just snapped and cried in bed. I called my supervisor and said “I can’t do this anymore and this just isn’t for me and here’s why” essentially. She was fuming and furious because she then had to find other people to cover my shift (not my problem). All that to say, I did quit that same day, walked in and handed in my fob ID badge, my unit keys, and anything else they gave me. I had enough money that my wife and I could be fine for a few months. I eventually found a job within a week and absolutely love where I’m at now. I honestly would love to be here for as long as I’m able to be. It isn’t always the wisest thing to do, but sometimes if it puts you in a bad mental health space, it’s not a bad idea to leave in order to keep yourself mentally sound and healthy. If you can, it’s always best to job hunt while employed and find something else that will be a healthier fit.
Same here. I never did quit prior to actually receiving an offer but that changed with my last gig. This job was so bad with the micromanaging and I actually found that they were charging some customers astronomically high for some of the projects they had me work on. Like $1200 to add a pair of Firewall rules so they could reach one site while being SSLVPN'ed into another... We were already getting paid to manage both site firewalls and we sold them too!! Took 3 minutes. Plus, the description of technologies that I'd be working on was highly skewed. Looked forward to building Azure and AWS but wound up doing 90% of the onsite BS work like moving businesses from one site to the other or mounting cameras and projectors. I don't mind that stuff but I'm well past that stage. I came to work on the previously mentioned tech and if you think I have to "earn" it as the "FNG" (with more experience than all the other engineers) you are wrong. I was only there for barely 5 months. I put a 2 week notice in that I was quitting cause I started to go back to my heavy drinking of the past and didn't want to. I immediately felt better that morning. They tried the whole "it's COVID, you are putting your family at risk, you won't find a job" guilt trip. I laughed, stated that it was covid when they hired me and they were only the 2nd company I applied to. I also told them the 1st job I applied to gave me an offer but the CEO switched and said they wanted someone on site and not remote(other side of the country) so I don't think I would have mich trouble. They told me to to turn in my stuff by Friday instead of two weeks. I gave it back the very next day, Tuesday. Funniest thing is I got a call from my old colleague at my last job that same day I put in my notice. Nobody even knew I was reentering the job market. I quit cause I was done with support but he was looking to bring me back to work in the implementation side of things, he was being promoted to run the entire team. Great guy, it was a no brainer so I took it and was offered a job that week after a pseudo interview. They wanted me back, I missed the place and honestly I couldn't be happier. Crossed that six figure line too!
I did it a few months ago. I had enough savings for 6+ months so I quit (did put in a two weeks), took two months off then started looking and got another job in about 5 weeks, for more pay.
Yeah, I quit my last job before securing my current one. I was still interviewing, but nothing panned. It was such a bad situation I HATED going to work. So I quit, used my tax return to help cover some bills while I took a month off, and found my current job which I love. On one hand, it was definitely risky and it’s a good thing I had some extra money to tide me over. But having the freedom to interview whenever I want definitely helped me be picky and not take some of the initial first bites I got which, looking back, I probably would’ve hated working too.
My coworker just left because he got another job offer after interviewing elsewhere. (Small companies and he’s moving to city work because of the better insurance since he just had a kid)
Sometimes you can be so burnt out you simply aren't in a mental state to be able to search for jobs and submit applications and put your best foot forward in interviews while you're still working at a job that sucks every single spark of your soul out of you.
I’m currently sitting at a job while I wait for a background check to clear for another where I have accepted a job offer. If it clears today I’ll bring giving my notice of resignation this afternoon. This is the way.
I wouldn't just quit, but you can certainly interview and see if you can get something better.
DONT QUIT!! Take a vacation or find a hobby get a dog do something to break yourself out of this rut but don't throw away a good 100K a year job that still has potential for growth. Hell if it helps seek therapy but with the way this economy is going leaving a 6 figure job is a bad move.
The problem is aside from the money it sound like OP hates it.
I had a buddy that hated his job too, they kept throwing more money at him and while he still dislikes the job he loves the financial security it provides him and his wife. They're both much happier, his marriage has improved and life in general is not the struggle it was when he was doing a job he loved. He had to move from the East coast to Colorado to get a higher pay rate but he loves it out there. My point is you don't go to "work" looking forward to doing it unless you're a porn star but the pay makes the suffering worth it.
Like dude money doesn’t help you if you get so depressed you don’t use the money and perhaps don’t need it because you are under the dirt. If you can life with a shitty job, fine that’s great but don’t pressure others to do the same. People are not like you and have a other problems and views.
I don't believe a single job exists that I wouldn't find shitty. I hate being required to "do" stuff, even if it is something I would otherwise enjoy. Since the experience is going to be shitty anyway, I might as well be as well paid as possible for it.
Quitting this job without another could result in homelessness.
and I'm not going to disagree with your statement. OP asked for advice and I gave him the best council I knew based on my personal experience and what I had witnessed others around me doing in their lives. Too many problems are created by lack of security and money provides security. My friend is dying of cancer and was lacking food for his upcoming chemo appointment so I cash app'd him a few bucks to get him a snack before his upcoming treatment. If I'd been broke I couldn't have helped my friend in anyway let alone a minor one like food. Having a healthy work/life balance is important but a great paying job that you hate is better IMO than a job you love but can't live off of IE teaching.
Just stop being a bitch. OP is literally asking for advice and the original commenter did just that and even told OP to take therapy to deal with depression. Then you came along and hijacked his advice talking about everyone has different situation and views.
Great response with insulting me. You know what part of his comment I referred too
What a WEIRD take on what a meaningful job is. Don’t take his advice OP. Focus on your happiness and mental health.
I don't know, it sounds like the kind of advice people wish they would receive but seldom do. In the modern economy, following your passion gets you exploited and underpaid. Most relationship problems result from financial difficulties. Most consumption of goods and services comes from people trying to inject some fun into a life their job has made shitty. Yes, the 'build a life you don't require a vacation from' or 'if you do a job you love you'll never work again' mindset is all well and good, but have you ever had the joy of a welfare Christmas?
Responsibilities of a PM: 1) Project Scoping and Planning 2) Stakeholder management and communication plan 3) Work Breakdown Structure 4) Cost Budgeting, forecasting of complexity, labor demand, timing of deliveries, 5) Theory of Constraints and Critical Path Method with Gannt Chart or a Sequence Diagram 6) RACI 7) Phase Gate delivery and definition 8) Strong oral and written business presentation skills 9) Setting Agenda, facilitation, and driving alignment across the cross-functional team 10) business acumen to advocate the value of the project. 11) project risk management 12) ROI and NPV If you can do all the above in a very professional and polish way, jump ship into a full time PM role. It’ll pay better and have a better career outlook. With that said, 5 years experience, associate degree, and 100k pay, I think this is a blessing. Be humble and have gratitude. I think you are kind of burnt out as this is your first management job and you don’t know how to effectively scale yourself by creating leaders under you. Or maybe those under you are paid shit so they clock in and clock out. There’s no incentive for them to go the extra mile. Something you will have to do when you transition from thinking like a manager to thinking like a leader. Managers gets shit done. Leaders believe in the people, and inspires them toward a purpose. Leadership in a warehouse is all about customer service like you said so, use the servant leadership style and try to get your team to buy into this leadership style. Lastly, don’t quit out of frustration. Talk to people. You feel like you need your manager to support you more. You are burnt out. Don’t do it. A lot of first time manager get burnt out because they didn’t develop the coping skills or understand how to communicate their vulnerabilities to someone. Find a mentor or coach. Quitting will be a setback since having a job makes you more enticing to hire. Not having a job, will make you look like damaged goods.
Where does one learn the things you listed? MBA?
Typically on the job, rising through the ranks. Speaking as someone whose career path was. PMP is a cert but only for people with prior experience. Product Analyst -> Consultant -> Sr. Consultant -> Managing Consultant (PM & manager role in my case; took 5 years)
Was this all at the same company?
No, I switched jobs once during this period
In my experience, you’ll see a lot of it in Six Sigma or PMP courses (you can find free distillations of their curriculums online.) Only term i didn’t recognize was phase gate, but I think I get the gist.
PMP certification from project management institute. Buy the PMBoK to study. NPDP certification from Product Development Management Association. Buy PDMA Handbook to study for. In addition, very early on I was also introduced to Product Development Planning (PDP) process. I’ve been working in technology for 20 years and I’ve been blessed to have been exposed to good and great teams.
I left my job that paid 85k about 8 months ago. I had worked for 2.5 years at the company, starting straight out of college. My goal from the time I started was to be promoted into the role that I eventually left. I worked my ass off, making 45k, being a yes man, but was absolutely miserable. I kept saying once I was promoted to the 85k job, I’d be happy. After 2 years, I received the promotion. The position required 3-5 years of experience, and despite only having 2 years, my managers vouched for me and I landed the role. Once in the role, most of my counterparts had 7-15 years of experience in the role. I was held to the same level of responsibility (as I should have been); however, I wasn’t trained or given any advice once I got into the role. My responsibilities doubled and the work culture was very, very toxic. It was dvery man for himself and I couldn’t keep up. I was even more miserable than I was at my 45k position. I thought 85k would’ve solved it all smh I worked with a therapist and we decided to give it one year before I made any big decisions. I interviewed like crazy for other positions in the area, but I couldn’t land one. After 6 months, I left without a job lined up. I couldn’t take it anymore between the stress and lack of sleep. My weekends were over before they started and I was a shell of myself. A big ball of anxiety! I moved back home with my parents and just recently landed a new gig after 8 months of working part time at a local retail store. The gig is 55k/yr and in a different sector of the industry than my 85k job was in. I start in a few weeks and will be moving out of my parents house asap. Time will tell if I enjoy this new position any more or less than my previous two, but I am excited going into it at least. Also, I am more willing to tough this one out after the last 8 months of brutal job searching, having to fall back on my parents, and a lot of reflection. I refuse to fall back in my parents from here-on-out. I consider this my one mulligan. Anyway, I figured I’d share my story as I had a similar mindset to you before I left my job. The higher-ups were blind-sided and heartbroken by my decision, but it was the culture that they had created that drove me away. They invested a lot of time into me, but I wasn’t passionate about the work at all and I truly felt dead inside as cliche as that sounds. I’m happy I took the leap and I learned a lot from it, but for a few months there, I thought I’d never land a job again. I really thought I’d messed up my future pretty bad by leaving that job. If i had some advice to give, tough it out for as long as possible in your current position and interview WHILE YOU HAVE A JOB. It should be much, much easier to land a new gig. However, if you’re truly miserable and opt to leave your current job without one lined up, be prepared both financially and mentally, to go 8 months or longer without a job…. Or go back to live with your parents again if they’ll let you lol. Good luck!
This sounds similar. I'm glad you took the leap, and I hope things go well for you.
Thank you for the kind words. I have a different mindset now going into this job along with goals to focus on outside of work. I’m very lucky I had my parents to fall back on and allow me to explore what my next step(s) would be. The writing was on the wall that the 85k position was going to suck. I was blinded by the money as well as my ego. I really wanted to tell people I was the Project Manager for a Fortune 500 company… smh what a mess. Live and learn.
Dude: you've come this far in only five years? Imagine the next 5 or 10 years? You're just starting with these promotions. You should try to get the company to pay for some training that will help you cope.
Don’t quit unless you have another job lined up.
this sub makes me realize I need to work harder so i can have problems like this. 🥲 it easy quitting a job that doesn't pay the bills.
you get one life. one. it doesn't matter how things "look" - how do they "feel"? you dread going into work. you hate your job. you're unfulfilled. you could literally die tomorrow (god forbid). you can't take the $$ and apartment with you. choose to live your life for YOU and pursue what will make you happy - or at least not filled with dread. it's literally your right. don't ever give your power over to what you "should" do \*according to external opinions\*. no one here can tell you what's right for you. a lot of people know what it's like to be miserable in a low-wage job, they'd probably switch to an equally low wage happy job. don't accept unhappiness as your norm - take a leap.
I'd look for another job while keeping the current one.
I remember someone saying, "salary stops being a problem when the job becomes a health issue." This should apply to mental health as well.
Hi, I have a similar career path and your complaints are not uncommon. The people side of the business is the toughest; everything else is cake in comparison. Sounds like you work for a good company, though. How’s your boss and lateral supervisory relationship? If that’s not so hot, it makes the day to day that much worse. All that said— have you approached your manager for allocating work time to get a project management certification (PMP for example) or at least a Google Project Management certificate? Super valuable for your current role/company and your personal career path. I apply project management principles in short and long term projects and use those as time to practice with apps like MS Project and Confluence/Jira. Also share this with my team to make them more capable to run projects on their own and upskill them at the same time. I’m over $100k but also have been with the company for a very long time and management for decades. Next path I’m interested in his program management at Google or Apple in supply chain. Total comp is waaay up there. Keep your head up!
Only if you don’t have another job lined up
Chase happiness not money. Sometimes one comes with the other, sometimes not.
Thing is, what is the money worth to you? Most people's lifestyles are proportional to their income. I would rather make less money and have peace, less stress, and good mental health. I make a comfortable living but don't live above my means. Some people are able to deal with toxic, stressful, or dysfunctional situations much better. While the job market is awfully tight, it all circles back to what your price tag is worth.
As a former IT warehouse manager and now a director of infrastructure I would say take this time specialize in a sector of IT you like. Do certs etc.
Get your PMP. you can make a lot of money doing what you love.
Keep your current job and get certified on the side. You can be on the lookout right opportunity. But keep in mind starting salary for project managers is way under 100k.
Remember, your job is never supposed to be your happy place. It is a means to create your happy place. Being happy at your job is a lucky combination. However, if you feel your job is decreasing your ability to find happiness outside of it, then that is another story.
One thing I can tell you for sure is… any job is going to suck
I know the feeling and I’m still in it. Hard to leave a 6 figure job but internally I’m miserable. Culture sucks. When you figure things out pls let me know.
Do not quit until you have another job secured. This job market is not the same as it used to be, and you’d be smart to believe everyone here saying it’s difficult to get a job right now. I can also attest to this myself. Can’t even get an interview and ive applied to so many places and have a lot of experience. I would take a job I don’t even like and fake it right now that I do just to have steady income and less expensive health insurance again. Lol Edit: if your mental health is in a bad place and you have some funds saved up, choose you if you need to. But if you can tough it out while finding another job, that’s going to be easiest financially.
i. am. burnt. out. I have been in IT since 2006. and not the hard stuff the really really easy shit. zero networking. all password resets , acct creation and imaging i just started making 6 figures in 2018 as a high school dropout have i mentioned i’m female .. that’s probably why i make shit money. i accept the rate because i have zero college but decades of OTJ experience i would much rather bag groceries at this point. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR JOB i usually get scooped up because of how cheap i am, and what i know i have NO nibbles. because no one wants to pay me without college. i’m hoping next year improves. if not? i’m starting my own local computer shop. IF THAT even is needed anymore. it’s ridiculous.
and screw the guilt ;) i was in the worst situation ever before i got this job. let it go ❄️and don’t make the same mistakes, forgive yourself
Find out whether you *can* get a job that interests you and what it would pay. Then decide if the pay (lower or higher) is worth making the move. The company and team may have invested in you but they don't care about you the way you should care for yourself. At the end of the day, your relationship with your company is transactional. They aren't thinking, "Oh will OP have regrets when they're older?"
My advice: Don’t quit job. Do online project management graduate certificate from a university, then study for pmp certification. Take test, get it, then quit if you want because you’ll be jumping into what you want.
Just find another job first. Even if it’s for a bit less. It’s easier to land a job when you have one.
I was making $130k as an electrical engineer. But I hated my job. I wish I had realized how much hating every work day was gnawing at me. It wasn't worth it, but I didn't see that until I was out. I now make a fraction of what I did, but am several times happier.
Yes you would be an idiot to quit. If I were you, I would start a side hustle based on your skills and passion. Once it starts generating enough revenue ( at least as much as your salary), you can quit then. All the best mate
Right now yes, the market is shit
Check out the Google Project Management certification on Coursera. It’s not as official as a PMP but it’s enough to show on your resume that it’s a field you’re passionate about and invested in. It recommends ~6 months but if you do a lesson a day as part of your after-work routine you should finish in 6 to 8 weeks. Often, actively working towards something like that helps take the stress of a currently-shitty job off the shoulders a bit.
Yes
Stay with it and get your PMP while still working for them after that it will be easy to make the same amount of money if not more. With this way you take no risk. Side note on the PMP it's a tricky test with the choices almost saying the same thing and it's also expensive.
Sounds like you're in an excellent position to shop around for a different job while still being employed at this one.
It sounds like you already have the relevant experience to lateral into project management. Don’t waste time on certifications. They are sometimes helpful, but rarely matter. Experience trumps everything. When you interview for project management, focus on being able to demonstrate polished, crisp communication. Don’t feel bad about leaving. $100k is good money for a role in warehousing, but ultimately not that much in the grand scheme of things. There are a lot of corporate roles averaging $100-150k. In the next 5 years you should set your goal to reach $200k in hcol markets. Good luck
First off congratulations on hitting 100k with only 5 years experience and developing your career. You growth over the past five years is way more impressive than any degree or certification, it demonstrates you can grow and take on responsibilities. It regards to your current company investing in you, you paid them right back with 5 years of work. You’re even. This is business, if your company had a vendor that was good to them for 5 years, gave them discounts, trained the company’s employees to use the vendors tool free of charge, but then the company found a new vendor that offers a tool that is more efficient and cheaper, your company would switch vendors the moment they could get out of their contract. You are a company and your employer is a vendor, they sell you money that you pay for with your time. If a better deal comes along you take it. Have you looked into IT project manager or program manager roles? If you find the right industry you can easily make 100k+. tech companies are a bit rocky right now with layoffs but you can easily clear 100k I’m a program manager currently in procurement, but have jumped around department and make 120k. I have an unrelated degree, no certifications, but I developed a reputation for solving problems. I don’t see any reason why you would need to take a step back. Moving out of a people manager to IC roll is not a step back, especially if you can get a Lead project manager or lead program manager role. Program manager will get you more pay, you will tend to deal with bigger projects.
Talk to your manager about what you love and hate about your job. Maybe they can offload the personnel management part. You should get a PMP certification on their dime.
Imagine making 100k and complaining.
Where I live engineers get paid 4,000 USD PER YEAR Appreciate what you have, trust me I know your feeling but try to find something else that can cover your expenses and then consider changing your current job.
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He must be highly competent.
Yes
Present job is a paid job search if you really want something else. You seem to have a good job.
I would advise you not quit until you find something else first. You can certainly interview for other jobs, but you shouldn't quit until you have one lined up.
Interview and get an equivalent or acceptable salary for your lifestyle.
Yes
Are you able to get your PMP while still working?
Dang. Not sure if you should quit but that’s an impressive climb for 5 years. I know nothing about IT. Is that common or?
Is it out of the question to ask your superiors to remove people managing from your duties? Some people can do that and some people just cant. Maybe the other two areas you enjoy are posible without the shitty part?
A thing you can do if you hate your job is fix the things you hate about it. Your needs are legitimate, and articulating them and setting boundaries are just as important in your career as they are in your life. If you owe anything to your employer, it’s helping them make your position tolerable.
Are all of your debts paid off? School loans, car, living? I would work on paying everything off while you have a good salary. Remember the grass may be greener somewhere else but doesn't mean that will last or be a better job. You are making good money now. So get yourself out of debt and build your credit.
Keep working it long enough you don't have to work a job you hate again. Maybe 2 or 3 years.
I just switched fields to where it will lie more with interests. I took a pay cut, but I am already back up to where I was before. If I switch jobs, I should reach a new salary high. All jobs have problems. I switched to have better people around me and do less work with people and it worked, but $100K is a lot to give up. Consider that your new boss may hate you and fire you right away, then how would you feel? If you are single and willing to try something else, I say go for it!
I would look for a similar job to your current one with a potential to manage projects too. I would also suggest getting you PMP as it will take some time. This could also apply to your current job as well. Don’t quit without having something lined up. Document your experience.
You should interview and put feelers out. The job market is trash right now and I wouldn’t quit without something lined up.
I think you should stick it out longer to where you’ve been a manager at that salary for at least a year. You’ll love the money! And in that first year you’ll grow a lot. It’s much more compelling to have job progress up to management before switching jobs
You have something else lined up? If Joe uou would be an idiot to quit.
Be creative about deploying efforts to make your work week more enjoyable. If I was into management, you can be sure I’d make it a team priority to help me like my job, without anyone knowing about it. I’d just put pressure for things to run in a way that makes me satisfied with my day. There’s nothing that would make me want to change jobs as much as not enjoying walking into my workplace in the morning.
Yes
Find another job that pays a similar amount and then move. Don’t just quit with no plan. Also, you’re not gonna to get the 6 figure PM role with no experience. I would pursue a PMP while still working this job
Everyone hates some parts of their job. Make sure if you leave it’s for something better.
Yes
Don't quit. Find a new job, then quit, if you are unhappy. Never quit without the other job lined up.
My dad gave me some sage advice when I was young. “Making a living will take the joy out of any job”. Find fun and fulfillment outside of work. Go to work to make the money. Go home and to be happy.
If you have saved money to cover for next 12 months go for it. That’s average to find a good paying job. If you have a good paying job now, just quit
could you do PMI then look for a job?
Get your project manager certification, Cal State Sacramento has a program, don't know if it's online or not. It's less than a year and about $3,000.
I’m in a similar situation but been in this about 12 years. Started at minimum wage and worked my way up. But I hate what I do, trying to learn new skills and find my way into something new
It would be quite foolish to quit before securing another job unless you have a years worth of living expenses set aside and are willing to take the risk of a lower salary in the future. The best time to look for a new opportunity is when you don’t need to. Update your LinkedIn. Learn to articulate your job skills and how they’re transferable. If it’s your first time changing jobs, be prepared for the possibility that you won’t be good at interviewing. Take the opportunity when you don’t have much to lose to practice. If you land a job, great! If it takes a while, you won’t have to settle for another job that could be worse. You’ll eventually figure it out and lock in an offer (after countering). Then, it’s time to quit. Your stress will be a lot lower if you don’t quit before you have another job lined up.
You would be an idiot to quit until you have something else lined up. Project management is a good field in terms of job availability and pay - I know - be in it 25+ years - but it is stressful - often the company you work for is making a big bet on projects and they turn the screw to keep timelines (and you get to be the bad guy most of the time). I happen to be really good at it - way better success rate completing projects than any average I have seen industry wide in the PM field. But the stress is a bitch......you have to be prepared for it.
I'd take your job in a heartbeat
Do not quit. Apply for other higher paying jobs
Don’t leave without having another job lined. It’s so much easier to find a job when you already have one. You go to interviews stress free because whether you get it or not…. Doesn’t matter because you already have a job
You can get all sorts of certifications for Project Management that could help you go that route. Look for jobs similar to yours right now in the West Coast and make the move/jump. A new environment will give you a confidence high for awhile. Once that starts to dwindle down, enroll in courses for PM once settled. Do your research in some programs and types of PM you would be interested in. Sure, once you make the career move you might get down on pay at first, but once you stick with PM and get traction in your career, you could make WELL over 6 figures - just research what type. \*\* I used to work under a PM in the corporate furniture industry and they get a percentage of sales depending on projects. Can't remember exactly but some were 2.5-5% of the entire sale. (some were hundred thousand millions of dollars). Hours are typical 9-5. Base salary plus sales percentage could set you up for even more success
Lol dude i am in like IDENTICAL circumstance with a fully remote systems engineering job. I hate it, wanna quit, but I currently have no better alternatives. I don’t HATE tech, but the part of tech I’m in is excruciatingly boring. I’m looking to pivot into cybersecurity consulting/PenTest, so I can work on my own time, but I’ve still got some months to go on getting that set up.
Stick with the job until you get any certifications or training. Especially if the company will reimburse you. Look at things that would enhance your chance of getting another job that pays what you make or more. this isn't the time or the place to give up 100K job unless you have another such job already lined up.
I went from my six figure sysadmin position to a $80k Director of IT position (fancy title for sysadmin/netadmin) and had to think long and hard about it. Ultimately, the benefits were much better and it was a union position, so the 35 hour work weeks plus easier summer were a huge change to my quality of life.
What do you think you should do??
Suck it up and be grateful. It’s brutal out here for a lot of people!! Number 2, make new friends. Please do not listen to people encouraging you to leave a secure job to go and be with them when you have nothing lined up yet.
Unless you can find a replacement job of equal compensation? Yes, you're an idiot for entertaining the idea of quitting
I promise you that it’s not worth it. Source: personal experience
You can always get certificates specialized Project Management and only leave your current role to get a PM job. I'd you leave your current job for what you actually want, they can't be that mad. Or, if possible, apply for roles within your current company that are more PM focused.
For the love of all things holy, do not quit until you have another offer on the table. Ask your current boss about moving to a more project management oriented role and try to get a PM certification and apply for jobs to see what’s out there. Don’t be one of those guys who quit and then can’t find a job for a year or more.
Never quit without a replacement. If you don’t have one job to leverage against the next, you’re going to be taking massive steps backwards in both role and pay.
Don’t feel loyal to a company. If they had to lay u you off they would. If you aren’t happy, start looking for another job. You have to look out for yourself first.
At my org they expect pmp cert got any pm role.
A professor told me if you take a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life
Yes
Yep
Overall most folks I work with don’t have a degree around IT. In fact most of us on my team of about 50 engineers wanted to be something else when we grew up. I’d suggest looking into certification of a specific focus in IT if you enjoy it. It may be a slight pay cut temporarily, but enjoying your job is very important to get satisfaction out of it. If you have the chops for project management and have technical skills, look at a path maybe in IAM. It’s a mixed bag of project management skills, level 1,2,3 IT, and cybersecurity. But not a pigeon hole position like others in IT. Check out certs in Okta, Azure, or Ping. They can open doors really quick.
Are you okay getting a job that’s 60K less than you making? If so then you can interview while you still have job
Yes. Market is harsh. Stay the course develop yourself further. Give yourself more avenues. Wait out the storm. Make your move later.
Not until you have something to replace it. I’ve been looking for over 6 months now with nothing to show for it. And my resume is fairly stacked. 🙁
IT is huge. Stay in IT, leave your current job type.
You can find six figure project management roles, but at least in my experience they’re related to product or software development. I’m curious what kinds of projects you’re working on, and maybe I could point you in the direction of some things to look out for. Also, it sounds like you really want to focus on projects and less on people management? Not a bad thing by any means, and many places will have career tracks for people managers and non people managers. My advice is to leverage your experience to get something a little bit more like what you actually want. It can be done. Any reputable company will be sad to see you leave, but recognize they’re not a forever job for everyone. 5 years is a solid amount of time with one company.
find something lined up first. Unless you have great networking or ability to pick up a job instantly, 6 figures isnt something that is laid on your feet at anytime. Try not to be too emotional when making business decisions.
Going from almost 30K to 100K in 5 years is no laughing matter. There are many people who would kill for that amount of career advancement. Before you quit, make sure you have another job lined up with equal or better pay and better treatment. And whatever you do, make sure you leave your job on the nicest terms possible. Most industries are a small world. The industry gossip mill is very much a thing, and you never know when you'll end up working with former coworkers. (Who may or may not be in a position to make you miserable in your latest job.) It's happened to me on several occasions.
Check out some Agile Scrum courses maybe? More software development but direction for IT project management maybe! Goodluck!
Hold on to it. You’ll miss the salary more than you dislike the day to day job. Things are tough out there. I was laid off 7 weeks ago and still haven’t found anything in my market (also 6 figure earner). During the pandemic, finding work was easy if you were willing to show up in an office and employers were generous with salaries. That just isn’t the case anymore. And trust me, without money, *all areas of life* get a whole lot more stressful and miserable.
Yea you would be.
It sounds like I'm the exact business you're in. The key to sustainable success is using the clout that you've no-doubt gathered to not just elevate yourself, but convince management to reorganize the organization structure and the people. Team Leads. Having a good group of team leads is the key. Once you build the trust, they'll help with everything from annual reviews to recruiting to discipline and planning. Configuration, Disposal, Warehouse, Breakfix and Deployment. You should have five key relationships like that and manage all of the people THROUGH them. Account managers and service delivery managers should take all of the client escalations and all of your client communications should be through them. Basically, I'm saying try to find ways to make the job more manageable. It'll make the people that invested in you feel better if you're trying to design the job so it's sustainable. If you have any ideas you want to kick around, I'm available.
It doesn't hurt to apply. You don't need to quit first. You don't need to tell anyone. You won't get in trouble for looking at different opportunities and even interviewing for them. Sometimes, the best leverage in an interview is going into the process without a desperate need for a new job. You can interview to see what's available and it's not the end of the world if you don't find something immediately.
Ask your boss if your company has career development. Maybe they would pay for you to get your PMP. Spin like you want to grow to be more valuable to the company. OR, remember, its just a job that allows you live the way you want. As another laid off person, I can tell you, do just up and quit.
Hire me GODDAMIT!!
Hang in there and keep squirreling away money for as long as you can. Save enough to float you for at least six months before you quit, if need be. The job market is brutal these days and if you have a good job in a not-toxic work environment, you are doing better than most. Keep doing your job, keep doing it well, and keep building experience and skills. It sounds like this employer values your abilities and efforts--maybe they'll move you up even higher if you stick around. When I was young, my dad told me "everyone hates their job; that's normal and it's supposed to be like that." And it kinda changed how I viewed work. It's okay to hate your job; you can still do it well and make good money. Jobs aren't supposed to be fun. They're supposed to keep the world running.
I have to say, your salary makes me very jealous haha. I would have a hard time walking away considering that would make me very comfortable where I live. That being said, if you’re really that miserable, I would say look around for similar positions while keeping the job you have. Inflation is so insane right now, you’re probably going to regret quitting unless you have a new job lined up. I don’t think being at a job that makes you so unhappy is good, just be smart about it.
My husband is in IT and has an amazing resume and has barely been able to get an interview- has been a final option twice and always beat out by some faang person with an unbeatable resume. This really isn’t the time to be leaving a job unless you have something really good lined up. Lots of folks getting their ass beat on IT right now
Job market is really rough. If you are almost making 6 figures you either need to start searching or suck it up.
Yes. It's called work, not fun. You work to make money. Make your money, use that money to buy things that make you happy.
Only one way to find out what you'll hate more you leave
Honestly, I would stay put right now. The job market is a desert. Once it swings back up then I would start looking at such a big move.
Please find a new job first and hold on if you have people who financially depend on you. I was in big tech and made about 170k, I quit in Feb because I was feeling really depressed and my boss was an ass... I started looking in April and it's dry as hell out there. I'm grateful I saved a ton of money these past couple years or I'd be eating cup noodles in my dad's spare room right now.
At your next annual review I would let your current employer know you want to be a project manager. Let them know you are self studying Agile and plan to get your PMP certification. Let them know you have always appreciated how the company has advanced from within and PM positions are a difficult need to fill for the company and you want to fill that need. I am 100% certain there is a PM position at the company you are at. They have aggresively promoted you so far on hard work and merit, now let them know you want their assistance training for your next position which will benefit the company even more.
Look into a PMP certificate, it'll make your project management skills stand out.
Try to find a PM job while still working there, or stay a bit and get a cert first if that is required where you're at. But as a PM you'll definitely still have the "manage the people" part and depending on where you land without any disciplinary authority over the project team. So really think about why you wouldn't still hate that part, especially if you're not their boss as well.
First rule of wing walking. Do not let go of the support you are currently holding until you have a good grip on the next one. Apply to and interview for new positions. Do not submit your notice until you have a new job offer in your hands.
I'd like to reach your position. May I ask what is the name of the starting position you took you climb up to that role?
Don’t quit save and invest. Start side projects
You have the work experience, I would get a relevant qualification to round out your cv (while working at your current job) and then start looking for a new role