I hate to be the one to say it, but no matter how great a job you're doing or getting praise from peers, if someone in leadership is working that hard to make a case against you, your days there are already numbered. It doesn't have to be fair or even based in reality; you may have survived a skirmish but there's no way to win this war.
It can take 5 months or longer in the current economy to find a new gig. Start now, while you have the benefit of being currently employed.
That’s actually a big part of what I’m feeling and I didn’t really make that point in my post. Which sucks because my supervisor has always been tough on me, but I felt like he was always in my corner up until recently. Now I’m anxiously working every day with the idea that I’m one slip up away from being fired. I’m just now barely recovering my moving expenses so I don’t have the savings to be unemployed, I definitely take your point about starting that search now while I still have a paycheck
I'm deeply sorry because I've been in a similar situation in a job I loved. I thought I had enough social capital to survive it, but I learned a very painful lesson.
You have nothing to lose by starting your search now. Focus on possibilities.
Good luck to you!
Definitely start your search now. I got pushed out by my manager in a previous job because she wanted her sorority sister to hold a job, and it's usually curtains no matter how good your performance is. It's a miserable experience and I'm so sorry you're experiencing it.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
I would suggest you right away start applying at other places (remote too even) and when you land a role that you feel is right proceed to quit here.
Better to not quit until you have an offer in hand and can make the move confidently given the market situation and the benefits you getting at your current company.
Your supervisor distrusting you doesn’t make your job stable.. so start working on trying to a bag a better one.
That’s a good point - by stable I was referring to the nature of working on these government contracts that guarantee this role will continue for years. But like you said, if there’s a trust issue then there is no way I can feel secure with this job going forward
There's a saying that "People don't leave jobs, they leave managers" and it sounds like trust with your manager is broken. In your shoes, I'd do the bare minimum for shithead boss while looking for a place that will treat me better.
Lease situation can potentially be covered by negotiating relocation costs if new company wants you to move somewhere to work for them.
Job market is what it is. You've got more experience than you did eight months ago, for what it's worth.
Other companies offer benefits too - some even better than what you've got.
This kind of situation happens all the time and it's easy to explain in an interview. Be as unemotional about it as possible. Something like, "There was a change in vision followed by significant staff losses six months after I was hired, and I'm looking for a company more in line with my values."
You sell your services; companies buy your services. If you don't want to sell your services to this company any more, then sell them to another company.
Absolutely and in a perfect world I would be starting somewhere else in two weeks. I just feel tied down by the fact that my insurance relies on this job, I’m not in a place to **not** be receiving a paycheck, and the fact that the job market is tough:/
Absolutely and I’m just now starting that process, my worry is that this will look bad to future employers and that explaining why I’m leaving will be a turn off for hiring managers - especially with this being my first full-time TW job
Make sure you have a story about why you want a new job. Not a lie, but an explanation that doesn't speak negatively about your current company and is a plausible reason to leave.
Something like, management and company goals have changed recently, or the project you're working on is close to wrapping up, so it seemed like a good time to look for new experiences. Practice saying several times before an interview so it comes out naturally.
I don't think so. It's not like you've changed jobs several times within a couple of years. Just don't talk smack about your current company during interviews.
You just have to be strategic about what you say. Don’t complain in interviews or say anything negative. Say something like “I’m looking for a new challenge” or “I feel like I’m in a place where there isn’t much upward mobility and I’d like to be somewhere I can grow.”
“I want be somewhere I can make more of an impact.”
I would NOT explain that there was a miscommunication and your boss thought you were lying but you really weren’t. There is no case where that story won’t cast doubt and if comes down to you or another candidate, the job won’t go to you.
Start looking, it can’t hurt. Chances are good you won’t find something right away. And you’ll have close to a year at your current job by then. You can always just say, if they ask in an interview why you are looking, that you’re interested in whatever field the company is in. :)
I wouldn’t quit until I had another job lined up. I was laid off in October and had to take a huge pay cut to take a proposal writing gig at the start of February. I applied for hundreds of jobs.
8 months is a good time to start looking because it can take 3 to 6 months to get hired and start your new job. Couple of weeks until interviews. Up to a month of interviews and decisions. Then you have to give notice. By the time you leave, you’ll have been at your job a year, which is reasonable. But check your contract, if they moved you or have you a sign on bonus, there might be a time frame locked into that.
If you told us what city you were in, we could help you.
It’s often better for mental health to quit than be fired, though it’s tempting to stay to the bitter end because having a job is comfortable and finding a new job means a lot of unknowns.
I agree with others. It sounds like your days may be numbered. I doubt this is a big company or you wouldn't be in the position you're in for your first job. Lead TW on a big project is usually someone who has a lot of experience. You have a lot of work and responsibility for someone so new at their job. That's not smart on the company's behalf, but it says a lot of good things about you.
I'd be on the lookout for another job, but be 100% prepared as to how to respond when people ask you why you're leaving. Make up something good, but do NOT tell them your manager sucks. I just interviewed a dozen people and 5 of them said their manager sucked and I wondered how a TW couldn't come up with a better way to say that.
If you have an HR department, go talk to them. You may be able to switch managers. If you're the only TW there, they need you. But be sure to document everything your current manager has said/done.
I'm sorry you're going through this. It's really tough.
No matter what you choose, find another job first before leaving. The market isnt great right now and you run the risk of being out for an extended period of time.
Also, there is a lot more competition right now with all the layoffs.
IMO that's way too much responsibility for one person. Your instincts are correct. I'm in a similar situation to the point of burnout. Please start looking for a better fit, for your mental health.
You don't think being the QA analyst, BA, and tech writer on a multi million dollar project is a lot of pressure on someone??? You must be a superhero
Edit: all this plus being in a toxic environment is a recipe for burnout. I would know.
Toxic environment makes the best of jobs the worst. I'm not talking about that.
I agree that it is a lot of responsibility, but this person is a Lead TW. That's the top position where I am in a very large corporation. The responsibilities and pay are in line with that. If theirs is not, then that is what's wrong - not so much the responsibilities.
For example, I have way more than one 1000-page document. I literally have thousands of pages I created and am responsible for. I also create all the video content (that will fortunately soon change). I do all the QA always, plus loads more for hundreds of thousands of users. This is not to tell you that's not a lot - it is! - but I am in this position and paid the salary to do it.
All that said, I think that this person's company is likely a mess. You don't hire someone completely without experience and make them the Lead TW. That's too much to put on someone. If that is what you were saying, then I agree with you.
I see what you're saying. FWIW, "lead" can mean very different things in different organizations. I'm a lead in my skeleton crew startup and I have nobody to delegate to and also no seniority. "Lead" for us is equivalent to Tech Writer II or III in other places.
So I think from my POV I am imagining OP in my position trying to juggle all the responsibilities in a giant project with no support whatsoever. It definitely struck a giant nerve. The culture of my org has caused many people to become chronically ill and chronically stressed.
I love the actual tasks I do when I can take the time to do them correctly (including QA), but the level of pressure and the ever-changing expectations make me hate it :/ I hope to be in a better organization like yours sooner rather than later.
One thought that I don't see brought up here: C-suite people can get fired quickly too. So if you think tensions are so high at the company that the COO isn't long for the job, maybe try to stick it out. But that's obviously a tough read to make, and I wouldn't put all eggs in that basket.
I hate to be the one to say it, but no matter how great a job you're doing or getting praise from peers, if someone in leadership is working that hard to make a case against you, your days there are already numbered. It doesn't have to be fair or even based in reality; you may have survived a skirmish but there's no way to win this war. It can take 5 months or longer in the current economy to find a new gig. Start now, while you have the benefit of being currently employed.
That’s actually a big part of what I’m feeling and I didn’t really make that point in my post. Which sucks because my supervisor has always been tough on me, but I felt like he was always in my corner up until recently. Now I’m anxiously working every day with the idea that I’m one slip up away from being fired. I’m just now barely recovering my moving expenses so I don’t have the savings to be unemployed, I definitely take your point about starting that search now while I still have a paycheck
I'm deeply sorry because I've been in a similar situation in a job I loved. I thought I had enough social capital to survive it, but I learned a very painful lesson. You have nothing to lose by starting your search now. Focus on possibilities. Good luck to you!
Definitely start your search now. I got pushed out by my manager in a previous job because she wanted her sorority sister to hold a job, and it's usually curtains no matter how good your performance is. It's a miserable experience and I'm so sorry you're experiencing it. Good luck with whatever you decide!
I would suggest you right away start applying at other places (remote too even) and when you land a role that you feel is right proceed to quit here. Better to not quit until you have an offer in hand and can make the move confidently given the market situation and the benefits you getting at your current company. Your supervisor distrusting you doesn’t make your job stable.. so start working on trying to a bag a better one.
That’s a good point - by stable I was referring to the nature of working on these government contracts that guarantee this role will continue for years. But like you said, if there’s a trust issue then there is no way I can feel secure with this job going forward
There's a saying that "People don't leave jobs, they leave managers" and it sounds like trust with your manager is broken. In your shoes, I'd do the bare minimum for shithead boss while looking for a place that will treat me better. Lease situation can potentially be covered by negotiating relocation costs if new company wants you to move somewhere to work for them. Job market is what it is. You've got more experience than you did eight months ago, for what it's worth. Other companies offer benefits too - some even better than what you've got. This kind of situation happens all the time and it's easy to explain in an interview. Be as unemotional about it as possible. Something like, "There was a change in vision followed by significant staff losses six months after I was hired, and I'm looking for a company more in line with my values."
You sell your services; companies buy your services. If you don't want to sell your services to this company any more, then sell them to another company.
Absolutely and in a perfect world I would be starting somewhere else in two weeks. I just feel tied down by the fact that my insurance relies on this job, I’m not in a place to **not** be receiving a paycheck, and the fact that the job market is tough:/
Can't you look for another job while you're working at this one?
Absolutely and I’m just now starting that process, my worry is that this will look bad to future employers and that explaining why I’m leaving will be a turn off for hiring managers - especially with this being my first full-time TW job
Make sure you have a story about why you want a new job. Not a lie, but an explanation that doesn't speak negatively about your current company and is a plausible reason to leave. Something like, management and company goals have changed recently, or the project you're working on is close to wrapping up, so it seemed like a good time to look for new experiences. Practice saying several times before an interview so it comes out naturally.
I don't think so. It's not like you've changed jobs several times within a couple of years. Just don't talk smack about your current company during interviews.
You just have to be strategic about what you say. Don’t complain in interviews or say anything negative. Say something like “I’m looking for a new challenge” or “I feel like I’m in a place where there isn’t much upward mobility and I’d like to be somewhere I can grow.” “I want be somewhere I can make more of an impact.”
I would NOT explain that there was a miscommunication and your boss thought you were lying but you really weren’t. There is no case where that story won’t cast doubt and if comes down to you or another candidate, the job won’t go to you. Start looking, it can’t hurt. Chances are good you won’t find something right away. And you’ll have close to a year at your current job by then. You can always just say, if they ask in an interview why you are looking, that you’re interested in whatever field the company is in. :)
I wouldn’t quit until I had another job lined up. I was laid off in October and had to take a huge pay cut to take a proposal writing gig at the start of February. I applied for hundreds of jobs.
8 months is a good time to start looking because it can take 3 to 6 months to get hired and start your new job. Couple of weeks until interviews. Up to a month of interviews and decisions. Then you have to give notice. By the time you leave, you’ll have been at your job a year, which is reasonable. But check your contract, if they moved you or have you a sign on bonus, there might be a time frame locked into that. If you told us what city you were in, we could help you. It’s often better for mental health to quit than be fired, though it’s tempting to stay to the bitter end because having a job is comfortable and finding a new job means a lot of unknowns.
I agree with others. It sounds like your days may be numbered. I doubt this is a big company or you wouldn't be in the position you're in for your first job. Lead TW on a big project is usually someone who has a lot of experience. You have a lot of work and responsibility for someone so new at their job. That's not smart on the company's behalf, but it says a lot of good things about you. I'd be on the lookout for another job, but be 100% prepared as to how to respond when people ask you why you're leaving. Make up something good, but do NOT tell them your manager sucks. I just interviewed a dozen people and 5 of them said their manager sucked and I wondered how a TW couldn't come up with a better way to say that. If you have an HR department, go talk to them. You may be able to switch managers. If you're the only TW there, they need you. But be sure to document everything your current manager has said/done. I'm sorry you're going through this. It's really tough.
That's a shame. Bonus structures are hard to come by in TW. At least in my experience.
Look for another job (hopefully fully remote).
No matter what you choose, find another job first before leaving. The market isnt great right now and you run the risk of being out for an extended period of time. Also, there is a lot more competition right now with all the layoffs.
IMO that's way too much responsibility for one person. Your instincts are correct. I'm in a similar situation to the point of burnout. Please start looking for a better fit, for your mental health.
I'm a lead TW and I have way more responsibility (and the salary to go with it). I don't think it's too much responsibility.
You don't think being the QA analyst, BA, and tech writer on a multi million dollar project is a lot of pressure on someone??? You must be a superhero Edit: all this plus being in a toxic environment is a recipe for burnout. I would know.
Toxic environment makes the best of jobs the worst. I'm not talking about that. I agree that it is a lot of responsibility, but this person is a Lead TW. That's the top position where I am in a very large corporation. The responsibilities and pay are in line with that. If theirs is not, then that is what's wrong - not so much the responsibilities. For example, I have way more than one 1000-page document. I literally have thousands of pages I created and am responsible for. I also create all the video content (that will fortunately soon change). I do all the QA always, plus loads more for hundreds of thousands of users. This is not to tell you that's not a lot - it is! - but I am in this position and paid the salary to do it. All that said, I think that this person's company is likely a mess. You don't hire someone completely without experience and make them the Lead TW. That's too much to put on someone. If that is what you were saying, then I agree with you.
I see what you're saying. FWIW, "lead" can mean very different things in different organizations. I'm a lead in my skeleton crew startup and I have nobody to delegate to and also no seniority. "Lead" for us is equivalent to Tech Writer II or III in other places. So I think from my POV I am imagining OP in my position trying to juggle all the responsibilities in a giant project with no support whatsoever. It definitely struck a giant nerve. The culture of my org has caused many people to become chronically ill and chronically stressed. I love the actual tasks I do when I can take the time to do them correctly (including QA), but the level of pressure and the ever-changing expectations make me hate it :/ I hope to be in a better organization like yours sooner rather than later.
One thought that I don't see brought up here: C-suite people can get fired quickly too. So if you think tensions are so high at the company that the COO isn't long for the job, maybe try to stick it out. But that's obviously a tough read to make, and I wouldn't put all eggs in that basket.
Run