Do I stick it out for 6 months or leave now?

[RingInTheNew]

I am sick of thinking about this so hope someone might be able to offer me some perspective!

Basically I was happily working as a freelancer until earlier this year when I took on a year-long contract in marketing. I thought the work would be more regular - 3 days per week rather than an intense rush of work that always threw up childcare issues. It is more regular, and from that point of view it is great. I love the people I work with too. I just don't like the project I'm working on. It is complex and dull, and my heart isn't in it. The client can be tricky and there is a lot of history around the project that means I always feel on the back foot - like I'm not fully informed. Working 3 days per week doesn't help as I always seem to be catching up on what I've missed when I'm not there (though I wouldn't want to work 5, and it's not an option with my childcare arrangements).

In any other job I would have resigned, BUT the person I am working with and who hired me for the job is a personal friend of mine and I feel like I would be letting her down massively if I left. It would be difficult for them to now recruit someone else to take over my role for the rest of the project.

What would you do?

It would be difficult for them to now recruit someone else to take over my role for the rest of the project

Could you be sued? I know she is a personal friend but if you balls up her business or make her look bad professionally things might get nasty.

I think there's a lot of things to consider:

• would this impact on your future marketability? Is the industry quite small? Could you get a repuation for being unreliable.

• if you stay, will your discontent/disinterest impact on the quality of your work? Again, would this impact on your future marketability?

• does your contact acually allow you to terminate it early or are there penalties in there?

My gut instinct would be to suck it up, make the most out of it and see out the last 6 months. Not necessarily out of any moral reasons but I would worry it would come back to bite me!

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, I am allowed to give three months' notice. And I am not particularly worried about any future impact on me and my job - I am reassessing whether I even work in this industry any more. But I think I will stay because of my loyalty to my friend and because it would actually only be three months I'd be cutting it short for after the three months notice period is through.

Thanks again

I'd say stick it out for as long as you need to to not balls things up, but at some stage let your friend know your longer term plans - that this isnt the role for you and that you are thinking of leaving the industry etc.

Did you know you would be working on this project when you accepted the job? Will you will be required to work on it for the rest of your contract if you stay? You've highlighted some positive things - regular, part-time work, nice people to work with. If ultimately your project(s) will change, I'd say it's definitely worth hanging on in there. Does your friend know how you feel about your work? Might she be able to suggest anything to improve your situation (or how you feel about it)?

I did know it would be just one project for the entire year, so I do feel like I've made my bed and must lie on it! I will definitely let my friend know that I'll be leaving at the end of the contract term. At least it's been a learning curve!

Thanks everyone

Have you talked to your friend about feeling on the back foot? Is there any way she could help with this?

Kernowgal no I haven't but I'm going to as I'll have a review soon. Thank you