Current Events > I want to look for a new job.

(+) Yeah! (+)

I've been at my current position for about six months. It only pays about $28,000 per year. I can't get approved for any apartments by myself and I've been priced out of my current place.

My job itself isn't too bad. I get to work entirely from home. However, the pay is inconsistent and there's constant disagreement between upper-management as to what we're supposed to do. If I turn in work that follows the guidelines I was trained with, one manager will accept it and another will reject it and tell me to do something that the first manager explicitly told me not to do. I have to call other companies as part of my job and I had an employee at one absolutely chew me out for calling him. Just got an email from my management this morning saying that we need to effectively double the amount of these calls when, from a practical standpoint, there's absolutely no need and it does nothing but waste our time/annoy the piss out of the people we're calling.

I can't stay here, but I don't know what to do. This job did not require a college degree, but I do have one. I'm also just afraid to even apply to other jobs in case they call my current job and then I get fired for that. Does anyone have any guidance on getting out of a job like this?

Oh wow... a lot of thoughts/questions!
1) Do you know if your organization is typical of others in the same field? In mine I know the purpose and structure of the organization counts for a LOT of the potential work stress
2) Even if you don't qualify for apartments, I think you might qualify for some other assistance... that seems really low...
3) What is your degree in, if you don't mind me asking? Some areas are really in need right now..
4) A lot of places won't immediately call your current job..most non entry level jobs only contact your current employer only when they are pretty sure they want to offer you a position and are verifying your references (in my experience anyways, though I've been in a position to hire people)
5) Do you want another WFH job?

You didn't say what you do or what your degree is in

Ruvan22 posted...

Oh wow... a lot of thoughts/questions!
1) Do you know if your organization is typical of others in the same field? In mine I know the purpose and structure of the organization counts for a LOT of the potential work stress
2) Even if you don't qualify for apartments, I think you might qualify for some other assistance... that seems really low...
3) What is your degree in, if you don't mind me asking? Some areas are really in need right now..
4) A lot of places won't immediately call your current job..most non entry level jobs only contact your current employer only when they are pretty sure they want to offer you a position and are verifying your references (in my experience anyways, though I've been in a position to hire people)
5) Do you want another WFH job?

1) No idea. I'd honestly want something in a different field as this pay structure is really unreliable. It's essentially production-based and I have to hunt down the work. Also, I don't think I can technically get another job in this field because I signed a non-compete clause.
2) I unfortunately don't. Most apartments around here don't accept section 8 (which has an extremely long waiting list) and I make too much as my wage is technically double the state minimum wage. I also don't qualify for food assistance or medicaid because I make too much. The limit is something like $15,000/year
3) Biology. Completely useless, I know. All the lab jobs are paying essentially the same amount for doing grunt work in labs or toiling in sewage.
4) That's reassuring.
5) Ideally, yes, as I actually don't have a car right now. That's the biggest issue.

RealityDose posted...

You didn't say what you do or what your degree is in

I'm a virtual insurance auditor. I basically just harass people into filling out forms to comply with insurance audits. There's absolutely no thought or nuance to it; I'm a glorified call center.

My degree was in Biology.

Also, I just got a call from an angry woman who wanted to know why her bill was so high. That shit isn't my fault. I just report the information they give for the audits.

Well what do you want to do with your life

1) Would you say you'd prefer a non production based job then? Something more fixed but stable? Having had both I've definitely come to want and appreciate the latter, especially as I got older
2) Any chance of reconnecting the career services department from your college? A friend in his late twenties did and they helped him both reassess what field he wanted to work in and how to start looking into it..
3) Beyond lab work, would you be interested in the field of biology in general?
4) Oh I thought you wanted to WFH so you could attend to Archie and Mereoleona at the same time :P

Your options will largely depend on what other fields of work you're willing to go into and what industries are in your area.

If you're set on staying Work From Home status, then you're really limiting your options.

RealityDose posted...

Well what do you want to do with your life

I don't know. I kinda just wanted to work a stable, 9-5 office job. Maybe make 50k/year. Live comfortably but not lavishly. All my life I was told, "Go to college, get a degree, and you'll be set for life." I even got one of those fancy "STEM" degrees and not something "useless" like English or History (they're not actually useless, but much harder to apply to post-college jobs), but I haven't been able to use it.

Ruvan22 posted...

1) Would you say you'd prefer a non production based job then? Something more fixed but stable? Having had both I've definitely come to want and appreciate the latter, especially as I got older
2) Any chance of reconnecting the career services department from your college? A friend in his late twenties did and they helped him both reassess what field he wanted to work in and how to start looking into it..
3) Beyond lab work, would you be interested in the field of biology in general?
4) Oh I thought you wanted to WFH so you could attend to Archie and Mereoleona at the same time :P

1) Definitely. I'm constantly stressed out about meeting production quotas even though I routinely exceed them. There are constant changes in what's acceptable. During training, I was given a very strict window and I've operated within that. Now I have other managers saying I need to extend that, even though my direct manager took me aside and said I needed to tighten it at one point. It's just the constant confusion between what the company wants that's making this suck so much.
2) I could try, but they were absolutely useless when I was in college. They would give advice to my friends in computer science to try applying for IT help desk jobs after graduation.
3) Not really. I honestly started to hate biology by the time I completed my degree, but I was so far in that I couldn't change. I did minor in computer information systems, so I have some practical skills like SQL, Java, and that sort of stuff. I'm very rusty at this point but I could pick it back up.
4) I mean, I would love to be able to make more money working from home, but if I could get a significant bump in pay, I'd go back to the office. Being able to be home with my animals is making this job tolerable.

Esrac posted...

Your options will largely depend on what other fields of work you're willing to go into and what industries are in your area.

If you're set on staying Work From Home status, then you're really limiting your options.

I'm willing to go into anything. The main employers around here are all military contractors, defense stuff, that sort of thing. I tried for years to break into that industry and, even with connections, I could never even get an interview because almost all of them want you to already have a security clearance. You can't get a security clearance unless your job sponsors you for one. You can't get a job unless you already have a security clearance and so on and so forth.

You are not looking in the right places for bio, there are companies that start off 60k+ in biomanufacturing and once you become a lead there's a good bump in pay.

Trumpo posted...

You are not looking in the right places for bio, there are companies that start off 60k+ in biomanufacturing and once you become a lead there's a good bump in pay.

From what I've seen, those jobs want you to have at minimum a master's and preferably a PhD.

Are you in the South?

What are you doing that's entirely from home?

Trumpo posted...

Are you in the South?

Yeah.

Intro2Logic posted...

What are you doing that's entirely from home?

Insurance auditing over the phone and email. My job could be done by an app written by a second-year CS student, but my main purpose is just harassing people into providing the information in the first place.

_Rinku_ posted...

I don't know. I kinda just wanted to work a stable, 9-5 office job. Maybe make 50k/year. Live comfortably but not lavishly. All my life I was told, "Go to college, get a degree, and you'll be set for life." I even got one of those fancy "STEM" degrees and not something "useless" like English or History (they're not actually useless, but much harder to apply to post-college jobs), but I haven't been able to use it.

1) Definitely. I'm constantly stressed out about meeting production quotas even though I routinely exceed them. There are constant changes in what's acceptable. During training, I was given a very strict window and I've operated within that. Now I have other managers saying I need to extend that, even though my direct manager took me aside and said I needed to tighten it at one point. It's just the constant confusion between what the company wants that's making this suck so much.
2) I could try, but they were absolutely useless when I was in college. They would give advice to my friends in computer science to try applying for IT help desk jobs after graduation.
3) Not really. I honestly started to hate biology by the time I completed my degree, but I was so far in that I couldn't change. I did minor in computer information systems, so I have some practical skills like SQL, Java, and that sort of stuff. I'm very rusty at this point but I could pick it back up.
4) I mean, I would love to be able to make more money working from home, but if I could get a significant bump in pay, I'd go back to the office. Being able to be home with my animals is making this job tolerable.

I'm willing to go into anything. The main employers around here are all military contractors, defense stuff, that sort of thing. I tried for years to break into that industry and, even with connections, I could never even get an interview because almost all of them want you to already have a security clearance. You can't get a security clearance unless your job sponsors you for one. You can't get a job unless you already have a security clearance and so on and so forth.

Well, generally, the easiest way to get a security clearance is to join the military in a position that requires a clearance.

If you're able, I'd suggest serving a 4 year term in the military. If you already have a degree, you could try commissioning as an officer, since they're much higher paid and have better amenities than enlisted members.

Esrac posted...

Well, generally, the easiest way to get a security clearance is to join the military in a position that requires a clearance.

If you're able, I'd suggest serving a 4 year term in the military. If you already have a degree, you could try commissioning as an officer, since they're much higher paid and have better amenities than enlisted members.

You know, I didn't think I would need to include the caveat that I wasn't willing to sign away four years of my life, leave everything behind, and be part of a force that I fundamentally disagree with, but... yeah. I'm not going to join the military just to have a chance at getting a job. That's stupid and this is genuinely stupid advice. Even with a degree, I would be enlisting as effectively a grunt. I'm not going to boot camp especially as it looks like we're gearing up for a war in the near future.

Still apply
You know how BrutaI became an IT Manager?
By applying and selling himself like his ex-gf sold herself for {REDACETD}

You sell, sell, sell.
You don't go no masters? Fuck that, you apply anyway and explain why you're a good fit. Contact recruiters.
Leverage your experience.

_Rinku_ posted...

You know, I didn't think I would need to include the caveat that I wasn't willing to sign away four years of my life, leave everything behind, and be part of a force that I fundamentally disagree with, but... yeah. I'm not going to join the military just to have a chance at getting a job. That's stupid and this is genuinely stupid advice. Even with a degree, I would be enlisting as effectively a grunt. I'm not going to boot camp especially as it looks like we're gearing up for a war in the near future.

Well, the military isn't for everyone. But you probably shouldn't say you're willing to "go into anything", if you actually aren't.

RealityDose posted...

Still apply
You know how BrutaI became an IT Manager?
By applying and selling himself like his ex-gf sold herself for {REDACETD}

You sell, sell, sell.
You don't go no masters? Fuck that, you apply anyway and explain why you're a good fit. Contact recruiters.
Leverage your experience.

I've tried that in the past and never got anything. I'm overqualified for the job I currently have, but I'll keep trying.

Esrac posted...

Well, the military isn't for everyone. But you probably shouldn't say you're willing to "go into anything", if you actually aren't.

I thought it would be obvious that "anything" didn't include literally risking my life, but I guess that kind of common sense isn't for everyone.

_Rinku_ posted...

I've tried that in the past and never got anything. I'm overqualified for the job I currently have, but I'll keep trying.

I thought it would be obvious that "anything" didn't include literally risking my life, but I guess that kind of common sense isn't for everyone.

I'd say you risk your life every time you leave the house, but you work from home. So, I guess you have a certain lane you want to stick to.

I dont know what you think the military is like, but aside from certain specific jobs in the service, I wouldn't consider it especially risky to your life. It would be one thing if you went into something like infantry, special forces, or EOD but a lot of military jobs are primarily desk work and support that don't actually involve combat. Like ITs, HMs, CTNs, ETs, etc.