To go ahead and quit my job... ??

[Donatello68]

I had been successfully self employed for 10 years. However, during my difficult divorce, I wound my business up for a couple of months to concentrate on the children/divorce/housemove etc. When I set up again, I took whatever clients I could and ended up with some real dodgy characters!

A full time job was advertised locally which seemed perfect and provided financial stability so, I took it. It is a horror story! The bloke that had the job before me worked there for 9 years and they worshipped the ground he walked on. He had left by the time I started so there was no hand over or notes. Everything had been set up his way and was hideously complicated. He didn’t even leave login passwords and there were absolutely no workings for anything!! I have tried my best, working 50 hour weeks but, even now, after 7months, all I get is ‘well when your predecessor was here....’.It is the most demoralising job that I have ever had!! I dread going to work.

I have been offered some more clients to set up on my own again...

I resigned on Friday verbally. The external agent who manages the site and has been pretty evil was more than happy to accept my resignation but, said that I had put it in writing, which I agreed. I have to work 3 months notice. His parting shot was ‘well, you have been fairly good at your job, I suppose!!’ If I wasn’t planning to leave beforehand, I would be after that conversation!!

I had to have a meeting with my immediate boss and the external agent. The external agent completely changed his tune and they said that they wanted me to stay and would change things to keep me??!!! They have asked me to keep my resignation a secret. I suspect that they contacted the bloke who had the job before me and he wouldn’t come back....The ball seems to be in my court. It is difficult as I feel that I have failed and what with the fairly recent divorce, mY self confidence is at an all time low...Shall I just resign?

Thanks very much, Cashmere. I am surprised how many people have been in the same situation. I did feel very alone! Good luck with your further career. I am definitely going to hand my written notice in on Monday. Onwards and upwards....

I have been in my current (office account type work) for 15 years. As the business grew it was bought out - several times - the office culture has changed - I think for the worse. Many of my earlier colleagues have left now for various reasons, but in the past year or 2 I have really noticed the huge level of overworked staff & increased tensions. When my own direct manager just kept yelling & sending shouty emails (in capitals) I took my concerns to her manager & to HR dept - & nothing changed. Note - I checked with others if it was me, my behaviour, work output etc - no issues noted by other people I work with or report to. Phew!! So, it would seem that a technically proficient person has been given teams to manage & cant cope with both. Another staff member has a wee group of clique (sp ?) friends in our area of the overall office who are quite exclusive (lunches out, little chats, pointy fingers, sarcastic comments - much like a playground). I decided earlier this year that I was leaving, & despite being very nervous about getting into the job hunt process again, have a new job - just advised on Thursday. Yay! Amazing how the manager of my manager is very keen for me to work out notice now(could have been made to go on the same day, as its a similar industry I'm leaving for) so I can finish the plate-loads ++ of work on my desk.
But I am so happy, there is no reason to feel like you do every day at work because of other people like those. A good friend said we all deserve to be uplifted by our work (to a degree, but enjoy basically) than to be downtrodden by it. Sorry for the essay, :)

That is really good news mehimthem!! Good luck with your new job. You certainly deserve to be happy. Your current workplace sounds awful.