LG John

Guys I need some advice on which direction to take my working life before I a) blow a cylinder or b) go broke, or meet some other form of financial doom!! I currently work in Local Government as a Planning Officer and its fair to say that my job has been getting me down for at least the last year. There is little in the way of a feeling of satisfaction and the abuse from the public/agents and workflow is constant. There is little in the way of rewards, financial or otherwise. I have been doing the same thing for nearly 4 years and was feeling deflated a few months ago. Following a conversation with my manager at that time we agreed to 'get back on track' and things were going ok for a while. That was until I was accused by the Internal Audit department of looking at **** at work (you may recall the thread in NSR). That was back in about April time and the case is still dragging on and the way I have been treated is pretty shocking (never had access to the evidence, etc). I'm pretty confident I have identified the source of the problem as hotlinked images to Scoobynet and feel in time I'll prove my innocence (and I am innocent!) then the book will be closed on that. Before anyone asks, when the muppets et al hotlink dodgy but ultimately work safe images to Scoobynet they very often come from sites that have **** content. Unfortunately because the Council server contacts that site to ask what the image looks like it appears in the logs like I've been looking at **** site. Even elementary level IT training should have spotted this but here we are 5 months later still arguing it.....I diverse.

The result of this somewhat unsatisfying job coupled with the continuous hassle from the I.A. department and that I've had internet perks taken away mean that I'm finding it very hard to concentrate and work and am becoming very stressed. I have had pretty much continuous mouth ulcers throughout 2004 and they only went away when I was on holiday for 3 weeks and able to relax. I get so uptight and stressed at work that I feel like I'm going to explode at times and I feel that all this is becoming very physically and mentally damaging. I recently went to the doctor and outlined all this to him so at least there is a record should I go 'pop'. He said to ‘keep an eye’ on things, that my blood pressure was a little high, that I wasn’t clinically depressed (phew!) and agreed with me that I didn’t want any drugs, etc.

The problem is that I feel trapped and don't know what to do. My degree is in Town Planning and I really want to stay in Edinburgh where there are not many non-local government planning jobs. I have a mortgage, etc to pay so I need regular income and following the destruction of the engine in my 406 and the £2k to buy a new 406 I don't even have back up cash to have the luxury of leaving my job safe that I'm good for a few months on my savings. What should I do??? If I leave I face real financial troubles very quickly. If I stay much longer I can't predict the effects it might have but driving the pug into a bridge strut at 150mph is starting to look more and more like an appealing option

Is there much hope of me getting a non-planning job that pays around the same £22-25k? I am an intelligent person with many transferable skills including computer literacy, good written skills (when I'm trying before you pick this post apart), a logical and analytical mind and a whole host of other stuff. I'm the sort of guy that if sat in a group of 5 other randoms and given a problem to solve will not necessarily come up with the solution (my mind isn't that creative) but rather the solution +1. That is to say I see the way to add the final shine to something to make it faster/safer/cheaper/whatever that's the way my brain works but it’s hardly a skill?! Does anyone have any ideas what I can do to get out of this trap? Please bear in mind saying, 'just go for it and quit your job' is unlikely to be constructive given I can't take such a big risk.

Cheers

Brendan Hughes

Private consultant (in-house or freelance) to building developers (or property lawyers) in Edinburgh advising on best way to succeed in their planning applications? I know you said non-planning, but... I did something not so different to this, it was a good step up.

The other way is to apply for some sort of internal transfer, but I'd say you'll usually have that accusation hanging over you, so you're starting from one rung below.

Sounds like you don't have the backup to make a clean break unless you find the right opening - and if you find the opening, it won't be us who can advise you whether or not to take it.

Good luck.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What about working for some of the larger developers as their planner, helping them get it right, or, as you say, put on the final shine?

BTW: from experience, the best way to actually go "pop" as you put it, is to stay as you are and do nothing......................:
Alcazar

fitzscoob

cant really offer you any advice on which jobs to look for one thing sticks out to me thought mate,

change your job, in 30 years time when you look back on your life do you want to think "****, all that crap i put up with and look where its got me", if your job is effecting your health then its time for a change. Nothing is worth losing your health over.

if you have any holiday left take a few days off and go to some agencies, some of your skills may be transferable in ways you may not have thought about.

either way good luck.

LG John

Seems like the agency thing might be an idea - a few others have suggested it to me. Has anyone else found a great job through an agency?

scoob_babe

Yes, it is possible, but I work in IT though. Have a damn good think about what you really want to do and speak to family / people who know you. They might come up with some ideas that you had never even thought of and that you'd be good at too. After all, you have nothing to lose at the moment apart from the ulcers Good luck!

milo

you definitely need a new job bro (no **** lol). it would be easy to say "get more interests out of work and just treat your job as a way to pay the bills", but the reality is you're probably at your job 7-8 hours a day, and as such u really want to enjoy it.

i was sort of in a similar position with a job i hated earlier this year. but i knew it was because i hated the company and the management.. i liked the job i was (supposed to be) doing. so i just changed companies. and now im happy with a more solid career path planned. it was also easy because i had all the right skills for the new job.

so u need to decide.. do you hate:
* the company you're at OR
* the job you do OR
* both of the above

if its just the company, be more active in your job search for the same kind of job elsewhere. you mention that there's not a lot of call for your line of work outside of local govt - but do you know that because you've tried actively looking and calling places, or is that an assumption based on a lack of openly advertised jobs? you might be surprised at what's out there when you get to know the right people.

if it's the job you hate, look for something better in an un-related field that interests you. you dont HAVE to take it, but apply for some. your 22-25k expectations are very realistic imo. newly qualified graduates in pretty much any new professional field (e.g. IT, Marketing, etc) should be getting around 18k, so there's no reason why you shouldn't hit 22-25 as you've got some proven work experience and it sounds like some transferrable skills.

what made u decide to take that degree in the first place btw?

another thing you could do is live with things how they are right now and start to put yourself together a second income. perhaps starting a business or something on the side. when/if that takes off, you could quit your day job - or if it partially takes off, you could switch to a lower paid job that u enjoy more, but still have that second income.

i dread to ask how your lifting is going... sounds like you're having a pretty ****ty time right now you could always try your hand at personal training as the sideline business if its going well... you can make quite a fair amount of money working the hours you want... plus you'll get laid a whole lot more (which it sounds like you need ;p ).

good luck!

ajm

That is exactly what I was thinking as I read SB's post! Is there not a market for this sort of thing?

SB, with your insider knowledge and presumably a nice fat business card book of contruction company contacts you should be ideally poised for such a move?

I am not a great fan of agencies and personally havn't had many good dealings with them in my line of work (IT). They shamelessly collect CV's with fake adverts, tell you the job is taken and then you see the exact same job advertised two weeks later!

I have always had much better success applying to jobs advertised direct rather than through agencies. I have had many meetings with employment agencies and (no disrespect to people who work there ) I have yet to meet a single person who could entertain a conversation about the sort of work they claimed to be an expert in at anything more than an embarrassingly rudimentry level! Maybe I have a talent for picking agency job adverts second only to picking the "wrong queue" at the supermarket?!

Brendan Hughes

Aaaaabsolutely...

philc

- also work in local government and our planning dept. has huge staff turnover - 100% every 3 years or so; so, I don't know what it is about town planning in local govt but you are not alone.

agree with the idea of taking your skills to the 'other side' - the developers / construction engineers / architects - who I would suggest would pay reasonable money to have access to your knowledge base about the strange processes of local government and how to unravel the bureaucratic processes.

- good luck

douglasb

Kenny - I have a friend who used to work for Edinburgh Planning Department (around 20 years ago). Similarly, he had a degree in Town Planning and was a member of the RTPI.

His first route out was lecturing at one of the Unis that teach Town Planning. He had around 6 years experience at this time plus the "year out" while studying.

He is now working for one of the very large Scottish Solicitors who act for construction companies, etc..

Maybe a few days off making phone calls to potential employers for informal chats about career prospects and what they'd be looking for would be an idea?

Good Luck.

LG John

Its funny but within the last 2 years I've greatly increased my out of work activities and have a good few interests. I figured this would 'solve' my problem and I'd always have something to look forward to a night but as you rightly say the working day it too long. I wake up and WILL the day to pass until its the evening time and I can play some poker, go to the gym or go to kuk sool. That's not a life

Moreover, a bad day at the office (frequent) can easily knock me enough that I don't go to kuk sool or the gym that night and as a result my routine over the last year has been very broken. You will recall my 'how to bench 100kgs by xmas' thread from this time last year. Well, the other night I went to the gym for the first time in ages and just about dropped 60 on myself! I get stuck in for a few months but slowly work drains me and I drop off for another few and so on! But all is well, I just got my lean mean fat reducing grilling machine so its chicken, chicken, chicken from here on in

I've actually had a few interviews in the last year but I feel that I'm probably coming accross as just another LG red-tape man - which I am! That is more out of habbit than choice though, given a few weeks to adapt I'd soon learn how to sell my right ball to gain planning permission for a development that is wholly wrong for the area!

I think a lot of the problem here is the vicious cycle of it all. I'm so entrenched at work that I feel rocking the boat to get out will be more stressful and I really do fear the change. On the other hand doing nothing will only make things worse in the long run!

Arrrrrg!

eClaire

Not good

Why don't you stick it out for the next couple of months and do some evening classes to get more skills under your belt? Maybe even open learning and do it from home.

Scottish Enterprise offer loads of workshops in the evening - give me a ring and I will put you in the right direction.

You're good at thinking outside of the box - put that to use and think about where else you can put your skills to use.

Failing that - I could pimp you down Salamander Street

SCOSaltire

kenny, im sitting here in the same kinda situation as u.
have a cold sore, ibs, and feeling sick - coz of working in a place that should be good but is too stressful.
i have had an interview recently that went well - but the job wasnt for me.
ive been looking to move to edinburgh. been scanning job sites for months. called a recruitment agency too.
not moved on at all.

i know im in a different industry as u - but the same skill of being able to look over something and come up with optionS does set u above others in the same field.
this skill is seen as being needed on the levels higher up the food chain - people pay the right money for that kind of talent.
so u are right to be confident that u can get another job.

as to what to do.
suppose the normal way is to apply for jobs - get interviews (use that brain of urs to prepare to make ur unique impression) and start work at the new place.
however, if u can start ur own company to service a unique market - u are more likely to be happier in the longer term, and able to afford an STi

thats what i want to do. but its harder to do. it scary coz there is no easy switch over.
how would u advise someone else to approach this problem?
how would u advise me to get started and transition over to supplying a consultation service, service through a product, or supply a product?
im sure u could come up with ideas... (let me know if u do)
then use those ideas on ur situation.
investigate the money needed to start, identify the potential customers.
being based in edinburgh, ur likely to have a large customer base!
setting up ur own business IS something that u can start while employed at ur current job. infact, it might aid u to do that. (how could it? think on the options, im sure ull find some).

isnt it exciting that in 1 year u could be paid lots to give advice on best approaches , the law, etc, for customers - working for urself. think of the confidence it would give u. theres no reason why in time it has to be restricted to edinburgh. seeing as it is a high turnover job, u could find someone else in ur situation to join ur company as ur employee and service glasgow, or aberdeen.

maybe u could see the need for an internet application to reach customers. what kind of application could this be? maybe for companies to try to get planning apps through, or people seeking advise on fighting applications - buying advice. different levels of service (standard reply, personal reply by email, consultation service in person). if u do, then maybe ull help me start my own company by making such app for u

hard bit is starting - but several people have come up with the same idea, u have the skills to provide from working in ur job for that long, and it sounds like the right personal qualities to make a go of a business.

Buckrogers

SB - I'd employee you but you clearly spend to much work time surfing SN and viewing ****!

What happened with the rave reviews? Is this something you'd like to do full time? Worth looking at?

Buck

eClaire

I fink you are thinking of Astraboy

LG John

Not too big on raving unfortunately - I'm about 4 years too young for that

Leslie

You are obviously being affected by your dislike of your present job and consequently your prospects in that job are unlikely to be good.

The only answer is to find another job which will give you satisfaction to do. Job satisfaction is much more important than people sometimes realise and the effects of a job you dislike can be pretty bad.

I think you should actively look around for something better or even getting some different qualifications to enable you to do this. At least while you are doing that you can still be getting paid where you are now, and the thought that you are doing something about it will help you to put up with it.

Good luck anyway, I can understand just how you are feeling.

Les

Avalyn

Hey Saxo .... looks like you've had a good think about this and have made your mind up .. I'm pretty sure most people who think 'I've got to get another job' aren't just thinking about it but have subconciously already decided to leave.

3 yrs ago my wife had a stroke while pregnant (2 weeks to go ), I worked at Agilent in South Queensferry (used to post as Doofus) as a software engineer and they were having pay cuts/job cuts every 6 months (32K salary).

We went from 50 odd softies in my group to about 15 over 2 years or so. I had an appraisal during this time and had completed a critical part of a project whilst working partly from home while I looked after the wife while she recovered and baby. Feeling pretty good about this i.e. I managed to complete my project on time/low state of defect etc I walked into my appraisal to be put down a grade. Reasons - wasn't staying late after work, could have spoken up more in meetings (I asked - even if I had nothing to add of note and was told yes )

So wife goes back to work part time and is not having fun driving long distances to schools and misses her mum (in Aberdeen) and wants to be near family because of the stroke etc. I'm feeling pretty hacked off at work .. bunch of c**ts if you ask me.

So what do we do .. BIG step. Both quit jobs, sell house (3 bed semi in Dalgety Bay) and move into in-laws in Aberdeen (we're both 31 or so).

1 yr down the line, wife is now a lecturer at the University, I am now working for a small company doing product management and appreciated for the hard work I put in and now earn more than I used to. We now have a 4 bed detached house in the 'burbs and I pick up a new scooby wagon on Saturday

Not much help to you bud .. but it shows when you put your mind to something it can be done and you end up in a better place. It pays when you look for jobs to have a wee bit of a brass-neck. I used agencies but you need to treat them like kids, don't just register and sit back .. you have to phone them day in, day out and hassle them to actively recruit for you. I approached companies by myself, handed in CV's, phoned companies and asked to speak to recruitment and tried to arrange meetings with them etc etc .....

You sound switched on and bright enough to go and find something else you enjoy doing .. your salary expectations are not massive so your not far enough down the line in something you can't change career and face a huge pay cut.

Go for it man! Sounds a bit crap but a positive attitude goes a LONG way ..
Avalyn
P.S. Took me about 8 yrs to bench 100 kg's but I still manage it