EarlJam Career Move

[EarlJam]

EarlJam has been offered a job at ESPN Zone in Atlanta. He hates his current job as much as he hates VD and Famine and UNC winning national championships. EarlJam hates sucking at his job. EarlJam has pride.

EarlJam is currently interviewing for two other additional professional positions.

In the meantime, should EarlJam leave his current job to work for ESPN Zone to take a break from all the stress and free up time to look for another job?

I swear I will act upon the majority vote of this poll.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

-EarlJam

[jimbonelson]

does it improve your position in life and would it make you happy?

[EarlJam]

does it improve your position in life and would it make you happy?

Temporarily, I think so. All I know is I've been miserable at this job for more than a year. I've got to shake things up somehow, otherwise nothing changes, right?

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Nothing is more satisfying than giving up the secure paycheck and surviving on your own abilities.

Go for it!

[jimbonelson]

nothing is worse then waking up in the morning,hating going to work. if your young enough to change it...change it

[colchar]

Will you be able to make it for a while with the salary reduction?

If so, then go for it while looking for something else. If not, then stick with the secure paycheque while looking for something else.

[hurleyfor3]

I thought you were going to move to somewhere better.

[Lavabe]

I thought you were going to move to somewhere better.

That was what I was thinking ... around the world teaching English (way back in early EJ, "Dear Duke Abby" days).

Question: So what kind of job at the Zone? Management? Chef?

Selfish Lavabe says: DON'T TAKE IT ... we lose the daily EJ on the DBR. How are we going to discuss things like TicTacs if we lose EJ to the ESPN Zone.

Duke Lavabe says: DON'T TAKE IT! Those ESPN shmoes will brainwash you into being a Stuart Scott, anti-Duke, cyborg ... AVOID THE ZONE. It's people! PEOPLE!

Check the Emory listings!

Cheers,
Lavabe

[knights68]

Yes EarlJam, you are miserable. Take this risk!
You must try or you may regret not trying and instead staying in the complacent state you may find yourself currently.

Go ahead, make your day!

[captmojo]

Do they sell corn dogs at the "Zone"?

[Bluedawg]

There are few things worse than being miserable at work.

[knights68]

There are few things worse than being miserable at work.

Being miserable at home would be my guess!

If EJ does not take the job, he'll continue to be miserable in a place he dreads going to almost every morning and putting up with the stresses and hassles that come with it. But it's all "Safe".

However, should EJ branch out and try to do this other opportunity, one that will be a better challenge, more likeable and in line with his talents, then the die is cast.
Granted it may be a bit scarey leaving the comfort zone of complacency within the stressful hassles of the current job, but what happens should he try the new opportunity and succeed beyond what he ever dreamt in the comfy spot of miserable complacency he currently resides professionally?

And the worse "what if" is, would he be able to live with himself should he opt NOT to take advantage of this opportunity and instead stay right where he is at?

The bottomline here is not money nor fame, but contentment within. Which makes one happier? Everything else will fall into place from that point. I solidly believe that!

[wilson]

Selfish Lavabe says: DON'T TAKE IT ... we lose the daily EJ on the DBR. How are we going to discuss things like TicTacs if we lose EJ to the ESPN Zone.

Cheers,
Lavabe

True, but come Dec. 14, you'll gain daily wilson, as classes end for the holidays and I sit around reading at a much more leisurely pace while sipping (okay, guzzling) egg nog and thinking of pointless threads to post.

[Exiled_Devil]

Quit!Quit!Quit!Quit!

I am a huge fan of people quiting their jobs. Misery is not a fair price for security. As a culture we have this image that once on the escalator of work, one goes up or gets off, and there is no chance to pause or restart. But speaking with successful people, this is not true. People have varied stories of how they arrived where they are. Don't worry about your story not fitting a common mold.

Some (all true) stories of round about paths my friends have taken to success:

College grad goes into theater/theater management - her passion. Five years later she decides eating and owning things is cool. Gets a job at a consulting firm, now does advertising.

Corporate trainer gets sick of work and life, goes and works on a cruise ship. Meets his wife and finds a position with a business school.

Married couple picks up and works their way across the globe, spending two years traveling and working. Husband now a business professor.

Young wife decides she wants a graduate degree. Goes to business school (resulting in husband divorcing her) and ends up as a CLO at a fortune 50 company.

Each of those stories happened at different points (obviously the last is someone in their 50's) but each also took place when the person had the personal freedom to fly without a safety net. If you can do it, do it.

Exiled

P.S. I realize not all stories of getting off the corporate/professional carousel are success stories, but I mainly wanted to dispel the illusion that everyone takes the same path.

[Indoor66]

EarlJam has been offered a job at ESPN Zone in Atlanta. He hates his current job as much as he hates VD and Famine and UNC winning national championships. EarlJam hates sucking at his job. EarlJam has pride.

EarlJam is currently interviewing for two other additional professional positions.

In the meantime, should EarlJam leave his current job to work for ESPN Zone to take a break from all the stress and free up time to look for another job?

I swear I will act upon the majority vote of this poll.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

-EarlJam

Earl - VD is not nearly as bad as the others.

[Shammrog]

Earljam -

Having corresponded with you a lot, and being your friend, you must quit. You are miserable, and you will never be more ready and able to make a change.

Nothing changes unless you change it.

(BTW - doing what at ESPN zone?)

[EarlJam]

Earljam -

Having corresponded with you a lot, and being your friend, you must quit. You are miserable, and you will never be more ready and able to make a change.

Nothing changes unless you change it.

(BTW - doing what at ESPN zone?)

They've got several positions open, including bartending, which they said they would train. I know it would be hard work, with far less pay, but I've got some savings and it would also free up time to look for the next big thing more along my career line. I've got a couple of things in the hopper now (ESPN Zone knows this).

[YmoBeThere]

Sounds like an opportunity to create some funky new drinks...all in Royal Blue.

Job related decisions are always tough for me...some have been good and some I have regreted. Realizing I was unhappy forced me to look for something better.

Not knowing what your current line of work is, what is the feasiblility of freelancing? If the current job is on your career line but the culture makes you miserable, then I would suggest this route. As a hiring manager, it would indicate to me that you continue to have interest in it, just looking for the right fit culturally.

[TillyGalore]

EJ, you have to follow your heart/gut. What are they telling you? If they are telling you to quit your current job and take a job at ESPN Zone then do it.

Or, write down a list of pros and cons for each of the aforementioned options and you'll likely find your answer.

Umm, don't girls like bartenders? Is that why you're looking to be a bartender, to get a girl or 12?

[Lavabe]

Do they sell corn dogs at the "Zone"?

ESPN Zone is one of my 11-yr-old daughter's favorite restaurants. The food is good, and the upstairs play area is hard to knock.

No corn dogs, but some pretty decent food (and grog).

If EarlJam is miserable, then I can appreciate the desire to quit. I really can. I just hope that other avenues of employment have been considered.

But first things first EJ, the Morgan Freeman avatar has to go. How about Ren & Stimpy? Hurley? maybe a younger Hillary Clinton?

Cheers,
Lavabe