Goddess Intellect:Don’t Quit Your Day Job

Last week was a rough week at work. I’ve been employed with the same company since my graduation from College in 2003 and although I’ve never been in love with the work I do I haven’t had a legit reason to jump ship.

I’ve become comfortable and the grove in my chair is just right. I can walk in 5+ minutes late for work and keep up with blogging without fearing that I will be whipped, written up or dismissed. I appear nonchalant about my work ethic but its because I’m confident in my skills set. I’m a quick learner, I understand the ins and outs of the company, I’ve trained team members, I’ve received the department of the year award and have developed a reputation for being reliable and efficient- back to last week.

I’ll admit I have been slacking lately, I’ve been sorting out a private family issue, not eating as much as I usually do, and my 5 minutes late sometimes turns into 30 minutes late. Excuses, all these excuses, yet I manage to make outside appointments on time.

I heard through my co-worker who works in the same department as me that a member of a different department was getting promoted and moved to our department. This particular employee has not been in the company as long as I have but is a great fit to the department so I’d say the move was a strategic one. The issue I have with this particular promotion is that neither I nor my co-worker within the department were aware of this “opening”. All three of us, the promoted one, my co-worker and I all do the same job. My co-worker found out about the promotion via gossip girls in the lunch room, not from anyone who holds any managerial rank within the company. The change doesn’t directly effect me as I report to someone different, but I literally have not heard a word from my higher ups on this new change, but EVERYONE else in the office seems to have gotten with the program. So I feel slighted. My educational background is suited for the “opening” and I’m well versed with the systems. Its not what you know its who you know. Yea. Whatever. I am the only black face in that area of the company I’m sure they know who I am. I expected more from my superiors. We’ve always been very open with each other, my door’s always open, regarding changes within the department and company wide.

I could continue writing about how pissed off I am about the whole incident, but it wont do me any good. This has caused me to sit up, grab hold of myself and really think about why this all went down in the first place. I could factor in issues pertaining to color, gender, personality type, and ass kissing but that to me would be the easy way out.

I haven’t really stepped up to the plate and voiced my interest to move up, part of me doesn’t want to. In fact I loathe the corporate world and the personalities in it. My daily agenda is heavily influenced by thoughts of writing for a living, writing is my drug of choice. In fact, at this very moment I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders, the words somehow medicate me. I’d love to hand in my letter of resignation this very second, stamp and seal it with a big fat lip smackers kiss, do like stapler-loving Milton in the movie Office Space and burn the muthaf%@# building down but the reality is that I am a one-woman operation with bills, bills and more bills to pay. I feel stuck, as though I’m in an unhappy marriage with a rich oil tycoon, life is comfortable but I’m miserable as hell.

In today’s job climate its absurd to quit your day job. In fact there are individuals pulling teeth trying to manage 2 or tree jobs, just to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for their families and selves. But I’m considering jumping ship. Not only jumping ship but relocating and starting fresh. I know that I will be faced with the same dilemma of underhanded debauchery in every corporate environment, the year round a/c is fit for the cold-hearted, but I’ll be ready for the challenge. I want to feel as hungry as I did when I first left college. I want that grove in my chair to be a little uncomfortable and most importantly I want to love what I do. Sure my passion and first love is writing but it takes time and patience to break in and do it big, in the meanwhile all I can do is grustle (grind and hustle) when one door shuts, another will open.

Have you ever felt deliberately slighted at your workplace?

If so, how did you handle the situation?

How would you handle the situation above? Would you confront your supervisors and demand an explanation? Would you ignore everyone and just keep to yourself?

Any words of wisdom or advice for people unsatisfied with their jobs?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 9:01 am. It is filed under Featured and tagged with dont quit, Goddess Intellect, job, the office. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.