In 2024, we had 7 recruitment consultants start at my work, and all 7 consultants left by the end of 2024, and I am the last employee standing. Some stayed a few weeks, others a few months. I have taken over covering recruitment (even though its not my job) but I have been in this industry for many years and done the role myself before, so I am very familiar with all the terms and jargon etc. I have been asked to train a new recruit in full to do the full consultant job (as they've never done it before...) but I have come to establish that they have very poor IT skills, no industry knowledge and they keep emailing me questions every half hour asking for help - which is ok but rather excessive as I also have my own tasks to perform. This is to take the pressure off of the CEO (my boss), who keeps telling me to show her everything so she doesnt have to, so all the questions come to me. This new employee gets paid 8K more a year than me, and they asked me how to save and delete a Word document today, among other things.
At the beginning of this month, the CEO asked me why they think everyone quit last year, and asked me whether I have plans to quit and whether I'm happy. I didn't say anything but I knew why - the CEO and their management style. They have been putting work on me since starting; saying I'm helping the team out and pulling together, but I am now realising actually it's all for cheap labour and they're probably just keeping me as the work monkey. Although I asked for more money (not even the full consultant salary; just a little bit extra to take responsibility of all the desks and candidates that were left) they was very reluctant to consider this because I was the only one left and technically my job didn't exist now so it replaced that one, but said my job would only come back again if new consultants came on board. I got a tiny increase, but if I didn't ask I would not have got it, and they said the increase is only temporary until they recruit other consultants (who are inevitably going to leave), so no chance of me keeping or being awarded any pay increase anyway to even thank me for helping and staying loyal.
I am very much on the verge of quitting because, i have taken on a huge amount since starting - becoming HR, the "go to" IT person who will sort things out, covering all the recruitment when consultants leave, training all the new consultants, and none of this is in my job description. However I have been applying for jobs for a few months but no luck, so it's particularly tricky.
Very tempted to start a business myself as I have an idea doing something I would enjoy, and luckily I have some savings behind me and fortunate to have an understanding and supportive husband, as my mental health certainly has been in the toilet following my year with this company so far.
Does this sound reason enough to quit? It's just feeling very turbulent and toxic now and I think life's too short right?
Thanks