Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Early Retirement Extreme Forums » Introduce Yourself

1. 

   gERman_
   

   Novice
   Joined: Jan '11
   Posts: 4

   Hi everyone,

   I am new to this forum but am readings this blog for quite a time. A few words to my person: I am 33, live in Germany and work as an IT Manager for about 7 Years now in the same company. After i studied computer science i moved back in to my parents home to pay back my students debt early. After 1 Year of work it was payed back but i am still here living for small money.

   I accumulated 65k € which is not really enough to retire. My problem is now the work i am doing. I am responsible for everything but rewarded for nothing. I dont want to work there anymore because i want to keep my mental health.
   I can bypass a period of time with the money i have saved but i am afraid of making a great mistake if i quit my secure income. To look for another job while working is not anymore an option because i work in a seasonal company and i want to leave now before the next season starts (i have to stay 2 months when i quit). I have in mind to become my own boss but that is "just an idea".

   My fear is that i am stuck without income in my parents home forever ;) My RE goal will also be in danger if i start to take money from my savings. Would you suffer and keep the job or do you think it is ok to take a rest, try something different and start again? I know that the decision to make has to be done by me but maybe you could give me some suggestions. Writing this down has alredy helped me to sort my thoughts.

   Thanks for any advice

   Posted 2 years ago #
2. 

   sky
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Jan '11
   Posts: 196

   I have been in this situation for years. The desire to leave my job is greater at some times than others, so in part you should recognize that the feeling is cyclical and if you can make it over the bad times you can continue on if necessary.

   The first step you should take is to look for another job. You should look for a higher paying job, not just any job.

   Secondly, you should fight for your rights at work and start trying to tell others what to do. You should become difficult to work with for those that are making your job difficult. Talk to your supervisor about the failures of others that are causing the organization to have problems or lose productivity.

   You should ask for a raise and be very blunt about it.

   There may be a solution in finding another job, but the more important solution is for you to become powerful and dominant among the people you work with.

   Posted 2 years ago #
3. 

   jacob
   

   Expert
   Joined: Jul '10
   Posts: 3,295

   I think it depends on your tolerance of uncertainty. Some people in your situation would quit their job with a few months savings and look for another. I wouldn't. But others do it all the time.

   One thing you can do is use firecalc.com to see how long you'd "survive" on 65kEUR. You can also use it to see how long you need to stick it out in your job to become FI.

   It's very hard to answer these questions because disliking one's job can range all the way from "some days are annoying" to "this is developing into a depression" which is a very subjective measure.

   You combine this with your portfolio size which I also find to be somewhat subjective. My attitude to my money has changed as I went from $16000 to $32000 to $64000 to $128000, etc... For instance, I find that the more you have, the more you want to protect it, but only up to a certain point. At very low amounts --- the size of most people's savings --- there's more of an easy come easy go mentality.

   I think some questions that need to be answered is: what do you want to do instead? If that doesn't pan out, then what? I think this is important even if you had the FI money. When I quit, my primary objective was a nonprofit start-up. My secondary objective was writing the ERE book.

   Posted 2 years ago #
4. 

   HSpencer
   

   Master
   Joined: Jul '10
   Posts: 770

   My first step would be to fully analyze the displeasure I had with my current job. I would look into the immediate future and see if anything on the horizon would make the present job improve in any way.
   Are the people you work for/with overbearing?
   Is the job too tedious?
   Are the hours too long, leaving you spent out at the end of the day?
   Is there a line of people awaiting you to leave your present job so they can jump in your place?
   Does your present job provide the basics--decent salary, health care, retirement plan, job security?
   What is the potential for a better job in your area? Has the unemployment/downsizing/recession effected employment opportunities too much?
   What can you do for your employer that few other people can do?
   Have you defined your duties or had your employer define them?
   Is this a company where "one complaint and your gone" prevails?

   I see your pluses as a hard worker, good age, and a good field, and you have some funds saved up. This could trump a lot of folks in the USA right about now. We have many with your age who are barely or unemployed with about $4500.00 a month in debt to contend with, and a family to house and feed, and provide medical care for. I am in no way comparing you, but rather showing you that you do have a leg up, even with not liking your job.

   I would probably try a little more dominance in the workplace, as someone else suggested above. If your good at what you do, you should command your work and not anyone else. I would also begin to "feel" for another job similar to yours in another company. If I found one, and could be hired, I would take it, unless the company I worked for woke up and appreciated my services more than it seems yours does.
   I find you are very much ahead of the game by realizing that you do indeed have a job, although you may not like it at all.
   A lot of people would get mad and quit and then worry about what to do. I think you will work it out!!!!

   Posted 2 years ago #
5. 

   JoeNCA
   

   Apprentice
   Joined: Aug '10
   Posts: 81

   I recently had a chance to watch this documentary:

   http://www.zeitgeistfilms.com/lasttrainhome/

   It doesn't address the particulars. It depends on how one looks at things. :)

   And there is always this:

   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264578/

   Posted 2 years ago #
6. 

   George the original one
   

   Expert
   Joined: Jul '10
   Posts: 1,938

   HSpencer provides the questions that you need answers to. American culture rewards the straight-forward and the conniving, but the person who asks for nothing gets nothing. I wonder if Germany is all that different?

   Jacob wrote:
   > I think it depends on your tolerance of
   > uncertainty. Some people in your situation
   > would quit their job with a few months
   > savings and look for another. I wouldn't.
   > But others do it all the time.

   I wonder if this is an INTJ trait. Jacob has expressed exactly my own sentiments and therefore what we'd do and how we'd prepare is a polar opposite to the people who find it easy to quit their job when they don't like it. Personally, I've seen no evidence that one approach is better than the other.

   Heh... and for drama/comedy concerning middle management, I offer "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin" and "Mon Oncle D'Amerique".

   Posted 2 years ago #
7. 

   gERman_
   

   Novice
   Joined: Jan '11
   Posts: 4

   Thanks to all of you for your advice. I am reading the whole time experience reports from others on the internet and am struggling with myself how to go on.
   To some of your questions:
   I can not talk to a supervisor because there is none. My contact is the owner of the company and he is also the one i have my problems with. There is no union or work council although the company is middle sized. We always had great fluctuation of employees. It is like Hspencer mentionend a "one complaint and your gone" company. Thats another reason why i try to keep my monthly expenses at a low level.

   I see some dark clouds in the immediate future. 2 Co-workers quit in this year and we cant compensate them because we already work from 8 to 6 as well as we do uncompensated overtime + callings on weekends and on vacation days. Because of this i feel exhausted and not in best shape.

   I can answer hspencers first questions with yes, the future outlook is not positive, the people we work for are overbearing (the coworkers are nice ;) ) and we do a lot of hours (+uncompensated overtime) but the salary is always there in time.
   I am certain i will be offered a bigger salary if i quit to keep me in the company till i am replaced. There are no people in line waiting to do my present work.
   The potential for a new job is not so bad. I am single and able (but not so willing) to move.

   Here in Germany you have the opportunity to start your own business if you are unemployed. You will get 60% of your last salary(after tax) + 300euro every month for about 1 year . This will be enough even to save some money. If i quit by myself i have to bypass 3 months without any income. This is an emergency plan without exactly knowing what i will be doing for a business.

   I think i have to develop a plan b which maybe is to move and do a job like my present one somewhere else if i cant generate enough income streams within a year.

   My "deadline" to quit is next friday. If i pass this date i have to be in the company during the worst time in the year. The hint to the cyclical feelings in the job is justified so i try to think about my options till friday.

   Thanks a lot for listening to me complaining about my job ;)
   Thanks also for the link to firecalc.com. I went there but wanted to reply here first. Tomorrow i can take a closer look.

   Posted 2 years ago #
8. 

   sky
   

   Journeyman
   Joined: Jan '11
   Posts: 196

   What is the job market like in your area?

   Given that the problems are with the owner of the company, and you have to decide by Friday whether to stay or go, I would suggest giving your boss notice that you intend to leave by a certain date. If he offers you more to stay, take the extra money, but keep your termination date active so you have the opportunity to leave or not on that date. I'm not sure if that is possible under German law.

   The goal is, get more pay and have the right to leave when you decide.

   That way you can leave during the high season without guilt (perhaps).

   Posted 2 years ago #
9. 

   gERman_
   

   Novice
   Joined: Jan '11
   Posts: 4

   thanks a lot again. It is after friday and i haven't quit my job.
   I take the secure way of first getting something new. I already made contact to former colleagues.
   Maybe i have to stay for another season but with a little distance now to the chaos last week and a goal in mind i think i can do it.

   Today i read here on the blog about not only hard working but also intelligent working. Not acting precipitately seems to be a good advice in general :).

   @Sky: If i quit by myself without a good reason (new job, illness) i wont get unemployment wage for 3 months. I still have a week holidays which i will take in february and then i will finaly set the course for some changes.

   @George "but the person who asks for nothing gets nothing". This is something i have to improve. I am to soon content in my job and hardly ask for changes (or a raise). I am not so familiar with the "intj" acronyms but i made the test and seem to be an "infp". Hope this is nothing bad ;)

   Posted 2 years ago #
10. 

    gERman_
    

    Novice
    Joined: Jan '11
    Posts: 4

    A quick update. I had a talk to my boss about the ammount of work. I told about my desire to quit because i am already developing health issues. I got a very good offer about decreasing my working time and a higher salary/hour. I guess i will be replaced in 1 - 2 years but for now everything is fine. Thanks to you.

    Posted 2 years ago #
11. 

    george
    

    Journeyman
    Joined: Mar '11
    Posts: 211

    Congratulations, you've sorted out the next few years. A suggestion - keep a book at home. Write down the things you like to do, quotes, anything that resonates. Write your mission, who you want to be. Cut pictures out of magazines and create a picture of your ideal life. I cut out statements and stick them with the pictures. This may help you navigate your career etc when you hit times of uncertainty.

    Posted 2 years ago #
12. 

    hickchick
    

    Journeyman
    Joined: Jul '10
    Posts: 142

    My decision making style is a little different than Jacob's. I try to figure how much going to work makes me want to die or kill.

    Mostly kill. I love myself too much to damage me over a job. :P

    Posted 2 years ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.