Originally Posted by Broad Shoulders

It's a tough decision to make. I've just done exactly this. I start my new job on Monday after leaving a very secure job in which I survived the GFC even though the company I worked for shed approx 2,000 people globally. I was even starting to make some real headway and getting some pretty good results from my patch when other depts were still feeling the effects of the GFC. It paid amazingly well, had great benefits and it was a company that was established over 100 years ago, so was certainly nto about to under.

The bottom line was that I pretty much hated every minute of the 3 years I was there. The people were great, but the job was sh!thouse and a few months ago we got a visit from our global division head spruiking a new way of doing our work which was about to unsettle some great results we were already achieving. I saw that my job was going to get even more unenjoyable so I began looking for any other ship to jump to. I really didn't care what it was, as long as it wasn't there. This was tough as I have 3 young kids and a wife who is off work for the next 18 months to support. But my sanity was at risk (I know, I know).

I must admit that so far I have been pretty fortunate, in that I got offered a job whereby the money was much better, the resourcing was infinitely better but they have only been around for 2 years, which is a big risk. So job security was weighing heavily on my mind when I was contemplating the offer.

At the end of the day it was a family decision, not just mine and we talked it through as such (although I've vowed never to take career advice from 3 year and 4 month old ever again). I would suggest if you have any dependents or partners then talk it through with them.

The reason I told you my life story was that I see synergies with your story, in that you are not happy about the direction of your job. I decided that enough was enough so moved on. Maybe you should also consider looking elsewhere other than just your brother's business?

Good luck, there is light and I can tell you there is not much better feeling than telling a hated place of work to stick it (well I didn't say it in those words, but you know what I mean)

Originally Posted by Mrs Kiwi

Hey guys,

Have a decision to make - do I leave a secure job with zero job satisfaction for a much less secure job that I would enjoy more?

The situation is this - I work in branch sales for one of the "big 4" banks and my colleagues and customers are lovely. However over the last 6 months the bank has introduced a new way of selling that I loathe. Basically, if a customer comes in to the bank, even if its just for a minor query like a replacement card or internet banking, we have to sit them down, produce a form and pretty much write a biography about them. We have to ask 3 questions about each of the 5 areas of their lives (career, home, leisure, family, retirement) and use the answers to "give them a full financial solution." (ie, sell them more than they came in for!!)

Now I've been in financial sales for 10 years and have no problems with trying to sell people as much as poss, thats my job. But for some reason I can't get on with this new way of doing things -I've been trained in & used a fair few sales tactics but this one just takes the biscuit.

Over the years in sales I have always found it easy to just smile and play the game at work but I'm just fed up now and have zero job satisfaction. Its got to the point where I'm losing sleep about it cos I'm just not happy and thats a rare thing for me work wise, I'm usually pretty content. Was with my employer for 8 and half years in the UK selling mortgages, and now have been with the bank here for 18 months.

Then along came my brother who lives near me here and offered me a job as his PA. He is a real estate agent. I'd love to give it a go but am SOOO nervous as I would be going from a very secure job to one that is far less secure - my brother is great at his job which means he usually makes good money and could pay me no problems. But like all real estate agents he has lean times too, and if he couldn't afford to pay me how would that affect our relationship? He says we'd have a contract so he'd have to pay me but that counts for nothing if he has no money!

What would your advice be? Stay with the bank cos its secure, and hope the current mad sales methods run their course? Or take a chance on working for my brother?

Thanks for listening.

Originally Posted by Mrs Kiwi

Broad shoulders - love your post, you summed up exactly how I feel and good on you for being brave enough to make the leap and leave. Would love to hear how your new job goes so please let me know and BEST OF LUCK for Monday.

Bermudashorts - thanks for the post, I totally agree, there are more job options than just my brothers. But I do a bit of paperwork for him one night a week at the moment and we work well together and I enjoy it, which is why he's asking me and I'm considering him before he looks for anyone else and I look for another job. I'm always correcting his paperwork and finding better ways to word things so he lets me get on with it which would make for a pretty decent working environment. Its the money side of it, and what happens to our relationship if money goes pear shaped, that worries me.