Would you stick with a job that you've grown bored of, but make a pretty darn good living, enough to support you and your SO if she was out of work or take a new job making slightly less that is really exciting, but has a high risk for failure? A little background info on me. I've moved around jobs a lot, some for good reasons, others out of my control. I am often viewed as a risk to hire because of this, so my goal in taking my current position was to stick to it for at least two years (it's been 17 months). I'm am one of two finalists for a position as Northern New England Sales Rep for the premier distributor of organic and hormone free game, beef and chicken in the country that also has many speciality products as well as being the number one distributor of exotic mushrooms. It's the gourmet of gourmet that only the top restaurants in Boston, Manhattan and DC can afford or would even be interested in. I've done extensive market research and with all the high end vacation areas along the coast as well as year round high caliber restaurants in my own town and I think the products are viable. However, I see it taking this company at least 18 months to establish the area before it would turn a real profit and if that is too long and they pull the plug, I'm fucked with another short term job on my resume. It would be immensely exciting to work with the finest chefs in the region and get my products on their menus and introduce food that most areas simply can't acquire with any consistency. The job would be based out of my apartment with a lot of time on the road locally, but I'd no longer have to work nights, weekends and holidays, which I do now as I work in hotels. It's a tough gamble and thanks for reading - I know it's lengthy. Would you go for it for such and exciting opportunity or stick with the tried and true that you are bored at, but secure with?
Hey Ryan Hmmm......its hard to say "stick with the same old routine" because doesn't it prove time and time again that people need and thrive on change? It sounds like a really exciting change at that. If you find yourself bored with your job, a job that takes up weekends, nights and holidays, I think you should go for something that has the promise of bringing you some potentional happiness or at least better work hours that could lead to greater feelings of contentment. And it sounds like it would be a much more enjoyable job that kind of makes a difference b/c its organic, etc. I say go for the change....theres usually threat in possible promise, you just have to go in with the confidence that you can succeed. Good luck!
Which will provide the better for you in the longer run? I mean you might be bored now... but who knows how it could be down the road. You could get the new job and be bored with them in 17 months too... I say think more... and I won't make a decision for you If it was me I would stick with the tried and true but hey I'm young and don't have much life experience.
Thanks for the responses Alex and Em Em, its not really the fact that I'm bored with something I've been doing for 17 months, it's that I'm bored with something I've been doing for 12 years. The problem is that because I've only worked in hotels and restaurants, the only transferable skill I have is management, which is good, but in looking long term, I want the ability to do something different. That's part of the appeal for me, if I develop this region and put my own stamp of success in Sales, then several years down the line I could go on to work in Sales in an entire different industry and learn something new. That's what I want to always be doing is to be learning new things, which I don't feel like I have in the past couple of years. I literally feel myself getting dumber working this job. That being said, if I get this new job (my final interview is tomorrow morning by the way - I'm at a hotel in Newark, NJ) and it fails, the chance of me securing a job similar to the one I have and being paid the same is practically ZERO. It's a big risk with a potential big reward of doing something much more enjoyable and if done well, there are better financial rewards with the potential bonuses. I guess first things first and that is to go in there tomorrow morning and impress the hell outta them and get the job first, then worry about whether or not I should take it.
go for the risk thats what i would do...no point in living life to always be stable, no matter how stable you think it is..one second later it could bein shambles... i'd take the risk and see where it would bring me...but i also find change like that really exciting
those are good points fitzy and a great perspective its interesting because I remember a time when I was unemployed (probably where 90% of my 7K posts occurred )and was EXTREMELY depressed. I'm not concerned about failing at this job, I have full confidence in my abilities, I more concerned with the company I'd be working for not having the patience to see the project through to fruition. So, I don't want a repeat of that unemployed depression. At the same time though, right before I was unemployed, I thought I had all the security in the world and was all set, only to lose my job, girlfriend, home and dog in a period of six weeks. It is true, no matter how stable I think my life is right now, everything could be in shambles in a second. The change would be really exciting. While I've had many new jobs over the past decade and many of them offering a certain degree of excitement, none would even compare to this. It's a ground breaking opportunity. The only analogy I can make is that it would be the equivalent of bringing the first Ferrari dealership to Southern, Maine. I have no interest in selling cars, but if I did, I would welcome the challenge of bringing something to the market that's never been done before as opposed to selling Toyota Camrys. That's what this job is. Hopefully I land it and have the opportunity to make this decision. The other guy has a leg up on me as he has wholesale food sales experience. Then again the guy who would be my boss was a hotel guy like me with no food sales experience prior, so he knows it can be done.
Try something new! Money isn't everything and it doesn't guarantee happiness. You don't want to work for someone and be miserbale until retirement. The worker will eventually notice that you are slacking. If you are financially stable enough to find work, I'd say find a job that you enjoy. Overall, you will be more happier and healthier. Good luck!
i've always perfered the devil i knew to the one i didn't. not prefered. just never got arround to doing anything else. yah i'm 'lazy' and 'timid' that way. and i'd be more inclined to give a rats ass about little green pieces of paper if fewer people demonized everything that doesn't kiss the ass of them. but i really wouldn't consider any of that advise either way. good advise costs nothing and it's worth the price, to quote the song. or in my experience more advice has gotten me into more trouble and dissappointment then any has ever gotten or kept me out of. by leary of the prospect of "exciting work", excitement pales. something you can live with, that's what counts. nothing wrong with getting ahead, just be cautious of what anyone else tries to define for you as doing so. i'm not saying you should allways stick where you are either. i probably screwed myself more by doing that then anything else. but then i did so largely because of how at the same time i was seeing so many people screwing themselves by doing otherwise. =^^= .../\...
I'm more of a stick with the status quo if it's solid kind of person. Maybe it's boring, but at least you don't have to worry about things. I'm not at all a risk-taker, though, so keep that in mind. Take the risk if you think it'll work out better for you. Don't trap yourself if you think you have a chance with taking the risk.
Either way, best of luck to you. I'd say, go with your guts.. Instincts are priceless. Maybe practice some creative resume writing, should you decide to go for it.... Explain well the reason behind your risk if this one doesn't pan out.
I got the job! and I'm going for it. They have offered a two year commitment to me and full confidence in my abilities to do the job! There were two candidates and the interview process was 4 hours among six different people with the company and I was the unanimous decision. I'm beyond psyched! I can't wait to get started and have the ability to start learning new things again. Work will be more than a job for me once again! Wish me luck!
stick with the tried and true WHILE thinking about risking for the new... and probably doing the risk while still keeping the old job. Just in case the new fails.
I'd rather have a job I like, rather than have a job that I hate - despite the pay or risk. If you're doing what you love in life, then life is more enjoyable, and in the end, if the job you have is one you love, or even like, then you're more likely to succeed at it.
