Support NeoGAF

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Long story short (it won't be short)...i'm not where i should be at 36. My job is demanding as hell. This start-up hired me years ago as a front-end developer, yet i not only have to do my projects, i have to manage other projects (meaning i'm also a project manager with no pay raise somehow) and since this company has maintenance for over 100 websites i am left with the job of updating them...by myself...alone. (yeah) Of course we don't have 100 clients calling with updates every week. But if one website goes down, one e-commerce store has an issue, i have to sort it out. Some of you know the drill probably.

Not only is this too fucking stressful...my performance is suffering like hell. Every time i have to make a phone call, every time i have to go on a meeting my patience is basically non-existent. To the point i feel like even my co-workers voices annoy the hell out of me and it's not their fault. They are probably going through the same thing.

My sleep schedule is all over the place as well. Even if i sleep 8 hours a day i'm always fucking tired. Like i barely slept at all.

All of this would be worth it if my paycheck was decent...but it's terrible.

My days are all about having 10 tasks, managing to complete 5, only for me to have another 10 others at the end of the day. It's about zoom calls, whatsapp texts, emails. It's mostly about bureaucracy and running around clients and freelancers that are working on our projects. Yes, all projects are done by freelancers outside my startup and it's my job to be the bridge between client - freelancer for most of those projects.

I started as a front-end developer...and as you can see somehow I'm not even working as a front-end developer anymore. I actually wish i would get fired so that way i could get some time off and the state would pay me a few months to look for something cause the truth is, by the time each weekend hits, i'm too tired to even turn on my computer to even look for something else. I just want rest for a bit and look for something else. This also didn't happen overnight. It's not like someone came to me and said "so you're going to start doing this as well". It was all very calculated and it took years until i was basically not doing my job description anymore.

I'm also one step above stressing. Been there...but now i'm not even worried nor to i care about what happens to my job anymore. I'm just...whatever.

I'm not someone that complains, i just felt like writing this somewhere. Feel free to comment "just look for something else" like i don't know it is exactly that that i should do...but have you ever just wanted to take a break from everything and start again?

Anyway, as i'm always thinking about stuff, i do have a plan and this is the main reason why i'm writing this here. (sorry for the rant so far). I want to soft-reboot my career. I have worked remotely for a while (since 2016) and i am good at managing my work-life balance. I'm even okay at starting as a junior, QA Tester. That's actually my plan. Since i live in Portugal, starting as a junior at another country might not only be good for me (and less responsibility and stress for a while) it's also refreshing to do something else. I spoke with a friend about a certification that could help me get a job (Certified tester ISTQB i think) and then i'll start looking for remote jobs in other countries. My question is if you guys know of any company that accepts remote jobs like this and would allow me to work for them from Portugal.

Not even sure if restarting your career doing something else at 36 is feasible...all i know is i need something different and i do have a plan. So any advises would be welcome, no matter what. I actually am that rare person that likes to work. But i also like to be farely compensated.

 

[Big Baller]

Apply for an IT job in the government/military.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Why can't you apply for a job elsewhere? Shit work + shit pay and you are just taking it?

 

[ADiTAR]

Just look for something else. I get that it is scary, but rather scary than stress and feeling like shit.

Do a resume this weekend, and send it to 100 companies.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

 

[SpiceRacz]

If you’re not hitting 6 figures with that workload, then yea GTFO. Manage what you can for now. Get your resume out there and you will definitely find something else.

 

[jason10mm]

Have you actually said anything to the boss? Requested additional support? Initiated another hiring action? Asked for more money or you walk?

Start squeaking, I bet you will get some grease.

If they refuse, then cut bait and bail, see how long they last before they come back to you with a better offer (if you are actually the sole bit of glue holding everything together).

But if you are not prepared, mentally, physically, and/or financially, to walk away, then they gots you by the short and curlies.

Also, get checked out. Chronic fatigue could be due to underlying issues that need attention, don't just blame work stress.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Have you actually said anything to the boss? Requested additional support? Initiated another hiring action? Asked for more money or you walk?

Oh he knows and yes we have spoken about all that.

I may just give them my resignation letter next week and then i'll have to give them 2 months still.

That gives me 2 months to look for a job and if i don't get one by then i do have some savings that would allow me to live for a bit with no job.

Not the smartest thing to do but oh well.

 

[Trilobit]

Not even sure if restarting your career doing something else at 36 is feasible...all i know is i need something different and i do have a plan. So any advises would be welcome, no matter what. I actually am that rare person that likes to work. But i also like to be farely compensated.

What? You're 36 not 66. The way things are looking we'll probably be forced to work until we're at least 70 so restarting a career now, that will allow you to actually enjoy life, seems like a no-brainer to me. Plenty of people realize in their 30s or 40s that they don't like their career so they start something else.

 

[jason10mm]

Oh he knows and yes we have spoken about all that.

I may just give them my resignation letter next week and then i'll have to give them 2 months still.

That gives me 2 months to look for a job and if i don't get one by then i do have some savings that would allow me to live for a bit with no job.

Not the smartest thing to do but oh well.

2 MONTHS?!?!? Is that the law of the land in Portugal?

Your goal should be to GTFO ASAP, before they can react to replace you (and DEFINITELY stall on training your own replacement if they ask) because what you want is proper compensation, this isn't a friendly maneuver. The more dire straits you leave them in, the more likely they are to recognize your worth and throw you a few more sheckles. If they can replace you quickly for the same price then you overvalued yourself. But if you need them as a reference then you may have to play nice. DEf get a job before you punch out if you can.

 

[Valonquar]

If you have that sort of workload and haven't had a substantial raise in over 2 years, it's time to move. Loyalty will not do you any favors. Def look into local universities for job postings, there's some good pay for WAY less work out there that would still be rewarding and offer better growth.

 

[Trunx81]

Quit the job, open your own company. Migrate to a nicer country with less taxes. Work from home and go to the beach every now and then. Profit.

 

[diffusionx]

Restarting your career at 36 is indeed difficult, and not ideal. But what are you going to do, wait until you are younger? The time is now, and you have a plan.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

One possibility:
1. Hand in resignation letter immediately
2. Apply for other jobs you're qualified to do with better pay/perks/balance immediately
3. As a fall back take another more laid back job if you can't find sometihng on the development front straight away. This will ease the money pressure and allow you more time to find a better career.

 

[RagnarokIV]

When I had a job that was pissing me off I'd go to the toilets for a shit and while having one I'd pick my nose and wipe the boogers on the cubicle walls. Proper dirty tactics but it pissed them off big time and they could never work out who was doing it. Nobody wanted to clean it so that mess was there after I left.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

What? You're 36 not 66. The way things are looking we'll probably be forced to work until we're at least 70 so restarting a career now, that will allow you to actually enjoy life, seems like a no-brainer to me. Plenty of people realize in their 30s or 40s that they don't like their career so they start something else.

That's actually the incentive i need to read right now so thanks!

2 MONTHS?!?!? Is that the law of the land in Portugal?

Your goal should be to GTFO ASAP, before they can react to replace you (and DEFINITELY stall on training your own replacement if they ask) because what you want is proper compensation, this isn't a friendly maneuver. The more dire straits you leave them in, the more likely they are to recognize your worth and throw you a few more sheckles. If they can replace you quickly for the same price then you overvalued yourself. But if you need them as a reference then you may have to play nice. DEf get a job before you punch out if you can.

I have been working for this company for over 4 years, so yes i have to give them 2 months unless i make some sort of deal with them. It's possible to leave earlier for sure. It depends on how open they are to the idea.

Restarting your career at 36 is indeed difficult, and not ideal. But what are you going to do, wait until you are younger? The time is now, and you have a plan.

You're right as well. Th time really is now. Thanks

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

When I had a job that was pissing me off I'd go to the toilets for a shit and while having one I'd pick my nose and wipe the boogers on the cubicle walls. Proper dirty tactics but it pissed them off big time and they could never work out who was doing it. Nobody wanted to clean it so that mess was there after I left.

Hum...this does make me think that remote work is always better. Thanks for the story, lmao.

 

[ClanOfNone]

Hand in the resignation, no amount of money is worth being miserable over. You may even find that they offer you a big pay bump. Had a buddy in a similar situation that got a significant pay increase when he said he was gonna leave.
OR, they may tell you to pack your shit and go, never know till you try!

 

[ReBurn]

Unless you're getting equity in this startup and are going to cash in when they ultimately go public or sell out look for another job. No job is worth your physical or mental health and you may be investing a lot of your self in something that isn't investing in you.

 

[sono]

Sounds like the firm is relying on you to carry it. Ask for a raise or move on. IT is good now no need to change careers