looking for another job after only 4 months of employment

I am a research analyst with a master's degree in industrial/org psychology. I graduated in spring 2007 and got a job in a new city with great opportunities for young professionals. Now I am working at a small market research firm and I WANT OUT. I started back in september, and I feel like i have no life, and my mental and physical health are deteriorating.

I like my lifestyle, but I feel like i can't enjoy it because I work at least 50 hours every week. And its not just the hours, its the nature of the work, and the pressure to way too much with way little time.I was excited to hear how much I was getting paid when I first accepted the offer, but now that I do the math, and consider all the overtime that i work (with no OT pay), it does not come out to much.

I feel overworked, underpaid, and somewhat underappreciated. The company doesn't even have an HR deparment, which should've been a huge RED FLAG when I first took a 4 hour train to go on my interview. But I wanted a fresh start in a new city. I like it here, and I don't want to move into a shittier apt. There has to be something better out there for me. I don't even see myself staying in this feild for long. its just something I kind of fell into because of my grad school internship.

So I would just like to get some advice on if it would be wise to start putting out my resume in a couple of weeks, and really think about going to work for another company. March marks my 6th month at the company.

dont stay at a job if it drives you crazy. that can carry over outside of work and drain you completely. i left one after a few months because of that. ...dont worry about the short time in a case like this. a friend of mine has had 4 jobs in 3 years and that hasn't stopped anyone from hiring her.

I might be the voice of difference, but as someone who is searching high and low for a position, DO NOT quit until you have something else up under your belt.

Job hunting with no source of income is not cool. Plus, you may have to break your lease which will =more money, not to mention your car payments (if you have some) and your other bills.

If you do think you need to quit, make sure you have about 6 mos of bills money saved up before you do and think this through. But I would advise against it.

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Did you think about working as a school psychologist?

With that degree, do you do stats for corporations?

You will easily find another job. Good Luck!

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Been there, girl, and feel you every inch of being miserable on the job. And your good salary is proof that money does not buy happiness.

Normally, I would have said in a heart beat to take what sanity you have left and just go. But the wise thing to do, like one of the posters said, is to not leave until you have another definitive offer or you have a significant nest egg to tide you over. In the meantime, push your resume's all over the place. But be sure to submit them for positions with companies you are truly interested or else you'll be back to square one.

Also, you mentioned you are just out of school and a young professional so I do know there will be possibly many opportunities for what will seem like great jobs, but please be cautious not to commit career suicide getting into the habit of job-hopping. Before you know it, you're 30 and have had at least 10 jobs, each averaging 3-6 months of tenure.

Anyway, good luck! With your advanced education, all will fall in line soon.

I'm so sorry to read about your dismay, regarding your job. However, just like someone else advised, do not terminate your employment and not have another positition to go to.

To be honest 50 hours a week is not excessive overtime at all. That's only 2 hours additional per business day. Take, it from someone who worked in Corporate America for 17 years....it could be far worse. Atleast you are being compensated for it. I personally have worked 60+ hours a week and not even receive overtime pay....and I was non-exempt. They couldn't afford to give me my overtime.....so they gave me comp-time; which I never got a chance to really take, because I had various work dead-lines as a Finance Analyst.

The market is not good out there. I don't know what the exact demand is for someone in your field. However, most Research Analyst's are required to put in a lot of hours. My sister is doing it as side work for the hospital she works at as a RN. She told me how she works around the clock on her laptop at home, after she leaves her daily nurse duties.

I pray....things work out for you.

yea i feel so conflicted because i moved out here, ready to make a start for myself, and now i feel trapped. i feel like i should be luck that i'm in a position right now.

but i want to be clear its not really about the hours. i just really don't feel like i'm in a supportive enviornment. and its not really throughout the company, its within my small department. im not growing, and i feel not sense of attachment to what i do. i dont want to be a job hopper, which is why the next company i go to, i want it to be a company that prides itself in professional development for employees. i was never really trained when i got the job, i was just kinda thrown into things and had to learn and make mistakes on the way. and that can be really disheartening because it caused me so much anxiety and makes me feel incapable. i've cried twice on the job...not necesarily to others, but i've cried in private and i don't know how long i can put up with it if it means only being there 6 months before i got somewhere else, is it really that bad. what's more important, an impressive resume or my mental health?

i appreciate you guys' advice.

Personally, I say F a resume. You have to do what you want for you. BUT, at the same time if you're gonna just up and quit your job there is gonna be some increased sense of urgency trying to find a job since you have bills you need to pay. Which could possibly mean that you probably will be settling once again. You just have to really think this thing through. Jobs are not that easy to come by anymore, especially for someone with a degree.

Me personally, I say, take your time and search. I would stick it for about 4 more mos making it a year. That's pretty impressive on a resume. Make sure the next job that you get is close to perfect (since I believe there is no such thing as a perfect job). Unless of course you are willing to move home and forget about the bills, etc that you have...

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I completely agree with this point. The worst mistake I made at the beginning of the year was quitting a job (one that I only worked from Jan-April) before I had a definite position. I had a little side job but it definitely was not enough to cover my expenses. Thankfully I had help but it took me three months to find the job I currently work. So if you must quit make sure you have a back up plan.

sidenote: Sorry to thread hijack but I noticed that you (colgatesmile) have a masters in I/O. How has your experiences been with this degree, besides the current situation you are in? Did you find it difficult to find jobs? I ask because I am applying to an I/O program for the Fall semester.

Oops I just read the last part of your initial post about not staying with the field so I guess you don't like it.

Actually I/O I still believe is a growing feild. In the position that I am now, there is good money involved (if that's what you're aiming for). I wasn't too thrilled with my I/O program. I was not at all thrilled with it to be honest (if you want to know pm me). The program assigned internships, and my internship was more market-research related, so naturally, I had more luck (and better offers) in that field as opposed to Human Resources, my main interest. So I went to graduate school for I/O thinking that it could give me an edge in landing an HR position, when really, its experience that counts most. The degree will get you a little more pay, but in HR you're working at the same starting point as a BA imo. Whereas in market research, I wasn't seen as entry-level and that attracted me to the feild initialy. I wouldn't say i'm totally opposed to MR, I think the company i'm working for has a lot to do with my dissatisfaction. i think if i were doing work for a company i feel cares about me and i really care to move up internally, i would have more job satisfaction for sure.

For some reason I can't send you a PM so maybe you can try sending me one and we can go from there.

good luck.

Start your 6 month's and I'm out plan. Document all the work you do so your resume can be updated accordingly. Go to all the training your job offers if any. Higher and train assistants to help you with the busy work so you have more free time. Line up all your ducks and as soon as you hit that 59 days till a year in your position window..send your resume everywhere. Do not do anything rash. Your reputation is way more valuable than you can even imagine. Plan and meticulously execute. Good Luck!

All the lovely ladies here have given some great advice! I just wanted to chime in w/ some empathy for your situation and positive thoughts that you'll find something worthy of you at a place where you'll thrive, AND SOON! So you can raise up outta that hellhole

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