(NWR) I Need Objective Advice...

vulpiepop · March 2015

Sorry if this might be a little long...

I started a new job as a graphic designer at a company in LA. This is my first job out of college and it's not exactly what I was hoping to do (my degree isn't in graphic design). I've been working there for a little less than a month now; it will be a month next week when I'm off for the wedding. I also have a somewhat severe case of asthma and since I started this job, my condition has been getting worse and I've had more asthma attacks than I did before I started working in LA (mostly minor but one time was very serious). I've been seeing my doctor much more often because of this and my prescriptions have been going up and up and up. At this point, my prescriptions have nearly tripled in the short amount of time since starting this job and my doctor is growing more and more concerned.

Also worth noting is that I moved to this state maybe half a year ago and this is the first time I've ever lived in a place that wasn't a mountain town with clean air. I have never had to deal with smog, dry winds, etc. before this and never imagined it would affect my health so much.

FI thinks I should quit and try freelancing or getting a job elsewhere. I'm worried that I may not be able to get another job in my field for quite some time. Working somewhere for a month and then quitting doesn't exactly look good on your resume. The doctor thinks I need to spend less time in LA. My parents who put me through college, on the other hand, want me to keep working there because, dammit, they paid so much money for my degree only for me to throw it out the window (which is untrue as I would continue to look for a job in the field of study I actually got my degree in).

I'm not planning on doing or saying anything about this at the office until I've talked to my doctor face-to-face but by the time that happens, I'm already off for the wedding and honeymoon so it may look even worse to bring it up right when I come back.

So that's the situation I'm in now and I'm confused as to what to do. On the one hand, my health is very important and I would have to discontinue working in LA anyway if/when it gets severe enough. I don't have benefits at this job and it doesn't pay enough for a hospital bill if it gets really bad. On the other hand, I'm afraid that I won't be able to get another job and quitting will certainly cause some tension between me, my parents, and FI...

buttercup1958 · March 2015

Maybe instead of quitting right away, look for jobs while you are still working? I feel like that would be the best compromise in this situation. My parents are paying for my schooling too so I undersand the guilt/emotional blackmail that can happen to be honest your .parents shouldn't be deciding what you should and shouldn't do they should support you. Could you live for awhile without a job if not I would keep looking but stay until I had another one lined up. good luck!

chibiyui · March 2015

I'd start looking for a new job. Your health is more important than a job. I mean, I know it's easier said then done, but having a decent job isn't going to do you much good if all your money is going to medical bills to keep you working that job.

What is your degree in?

ashley8918 · March 2015

buttercup1958 said:
Maybe instead of quitting right away, look for jobs while you are still working? I feel like that would be the best compromise in this situation. My parents are paying for my schooling too so I undersand the guilt/emotional blackmail that can happen to be honest your .parents shouldn't be deciding what you should and shouldn't do they should support you. Could you live for awhile without a job if not I would keep looking but stay until I had another one lined up. good luck!

I agree. Just flat out quitting with nothing else lined up doesn't seem like a good option unless things get REALLY dire.

buttercup1958 · March 2015

Btw I had periods, commas, and a question mark. Computer ate them all.

JennyColada · March 2015

LA like Los Angeles? Yea the air quality is super shitty, so I could see why that would be affecting your asthma.

I agree with looking for another job while you still have this one. Your health definitely is important. If this were, like, your DREAM job then I'd say to tough through it, but as this just seems like a regular run-of-the-mill job there's really no reason to keep it if it's causing such a disruption in your life.

vulpiepop · March 2015

buttercup1958 I can live without a job. FI makes more than enough for both of us and has stated several times that I don't even need to work but I do want a career. Maybe just not this one. The asthma is starting to get dire though as I already had to go to an emergency doctor once since starting.

chibiyui My degree is in Industrial Design, but a job in this field is difficult to get without connections or experience since it requires some degree of engineering knowledge. On the other hand, I'm not getting paid much at all as a graphic designer (a junior industrial designer normally gets paid about double that I'm getting paid now). I took this job because they were the first to offer me a position and it was at least some kind of design work.

blabla89 · March 2015

Is there any way you could negotiate some kind of work from home arrangement several days a week? That would at least cut down the amount of time you spend there.

I think that you should looking for a new job. As for freelancing, it is a great way to build your portfolio and make connections. Is that something you could start doing on your own time, before leaving the job?

ETA: What's your degree in?

vulpiepop · March 2015

blabla89 My degree is in industrial design. I hadn't even considered freelancing before accepting this job but it would probably actually be better to freelance. As it is now, I can't expand my portfolio at all with this job. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to freelance while working here because of the commuter (1 - 2 hour commute to and again home so I don't get home until late). I was actually contacted by a recruiter a couple of weeks ago who had run into my online portfolio and claims that she could get me freelance work so I may take her up on that offer.

chibiyui · March 2015

vulpiepop said:
buttercup1958 I can live without a job. FI makes more than enough for both of us and has stated several times that I don't even need to work but I do want a career. Maybe just not this one. The asthma is starting to get dire though as I already had to go to an emergency doctor once since starting.

chibiyui My degree is in Industrial Design, but a job in this field is difficult to get without connections or experience since it requires some degree of engineering knowledge. On the other hand, I'm not getting paid much at all as a graphic designer (a junior industrial designer normally gets paid about double that I'm getting paid now). I took this job because they were the first to offer me a position and it was at least some kind of design work.

I don't have a lot of experience with industrial design, so I'm not familiar with the industry. I'd start looking for a new job, put some feelers out for freelance work, and work on building a portfolio. (you know, stuff you're already doing probably)

IF you guys can afford it, maybe look into quitting before something is lined up to focus freelancing. Maybe talk to your colleges career center for leads as well. a lot of people overlook that option.

kvruns · March 2015

I'm a little confused, is the office causing the asthma issue or is LA? If it is LA air quality then I don't see how finding another job will change any unless that also means you guys will relocate?

I do agree with the others that if you are going to look for another job then I would do that while still employed where you are although you would have to explain the short work history in interviews potentially.

jenna8984 · March 2015

Others have good suggestions I just wanted to add that if you do find another job/ quit/ freelance don't put this job on your resume. My rule is anything under 6 months of employment doesn't go on the resume. If asked you can simply say you were doing temp positions and job searching during that time.

ashley8918 · March 2015

jenna8984 said:
Others have good suggestions I just wanted to add that if you do find another job/ quit/ freelance don't put this job on your resume. My rule is anything under 6 months of employment doesn't go on the resume. If asked you can simply say you were doing temp positions and job searching during that time.

Meh, I dont really think that unemployment looks much better than a short-term position.

JennyColada · March 2015

ashley8918 said:

jenna8984 said:
Others have good suggestions I just wanted to add that if you do find another job/ quit/ freelance don't put this job on your resume. My rule is anything under 6 months of employment doesn't go on the resume. If asked you can simply say you were doing temp positions and job searching during that time.
Meh, I dont really think that unemployment looks much better than a short-term position.

I agree.

It's easy enough to say that you wanted something closer to home, and took the job as a temporary position to pay bills and get a bit of experience while looking for something more perminant, etc. Plus the hope is that the next position will be more long term, so having a shorter-term position won't look quite so bad.

buttercup1958 · March 2015

vulpiepop Does your company know you aren't doing well health wise? They may be willing to work with you if they knew. But if its LA in general, then I'm not sure what you could do besides locate. I guess its good that your FI can support you both, but I would still keep my job until I found a new one. However, your health is the most important thing so my advice may not be the best. Also I don't have asthma so that may be influencing my opinion too.

lc07 · March 2015

Are you and FI long distance? I would talk to my doctor about it. I would most likely quit and just get the Hell out of LA even if I didn't have another job lined up. Your health is far more important. And it's not like you will never find another job. You already said you don't need the money.

vulpiepop · March 2015

kvruns we actually live in OC but I commute to work in LA (it's a long commute). Finding another job in the area wouldn't necessarily mean I have to work in LA.

buttercup1958 The company knows about the issue and they did a little but it's unfortunately not enough...

lc07 We're not long distance; we actually live together. I actually moved to this state to begin with to be with him and, well, where I was previously didn't have many jobs for me (only a few design firms in the area)

STARMOON44 · March 2015

I wouldn't quit. It does make you look bad. Look for a job while you're working. Have you tried a portable air filter near your desk?

KatieinBkln · March 2015

I guess I'm the unpopular opinion. I'd start looking for new jobs now, yes. But I'd also set a deadline for how much longer I'd work at the current firm, and then quit once the time comes, regardless of what else you have lined up.

My reasoning? A. you don't need the money right now. This is a blessing, and one you might as well take advantage of. B. you don't even have benefits! Get yourself some benefits elsewhere (or go on the exchange, or get on your FI's plan, if you can.) Don't go without--it's illegal now, but it's also a bad idea given you already have a health problem that could get really serious. And C. This isn't even your field! Look around in your actual field, see what you can find.

Honestly, if you quit because LA is actually killing you, no reasonable employer is going to see you as a flake. I would be sure to ask about the possibility of working from home a few days a week in the meantime (for your health, but also so it's clear to future employers that you did everything you could to try to make it work).

Huge caveat: I am not a "career person." I work so I can eat, and do the cool shit I like to do. My job is interesting enough, and in a field I enjoy, but I am not pretending I want to be CEO. The idea of being a CEO makes me want to break out in hives. If I did not have to work, I wouldn't. So to me, the idea of sticking with a job that is actively making you ill, is not in your field, and is not offering benefits, all in the name of "career continuity" seems insane.

bizzy592 · March 2015

Quit your job. Do it respectfully, and give them as much notice as you can. But don't stay in a position out of guilt that a) doesn't pay well, b) doesn't provide benefits, c) is literally killing you, d) isn't in your field of interest. That's silly.

Do you live in LA? Does your FI? Would he move somewhere else with you?

You're in a time of life that is characterized by change. You've spent your whole life thus far in school (forgive me for making assumptions and generalizations - I work in higher ed, and am speaking of the bigger picture 'you', as in the profile of the average traditional college grad, who went straight out of high school). Then after ~16 years of being in school, with very clear expectations, boundaries, and markers of success, you're 'released' into the world. There tends to be a feeling of 'sink or swim' - that this is the time to be a success, and anything but getting your dream job in a cool city is a failure. But the truth is, most people take a few years to figure things out. Many people will go through multiple career changes by the age of 30. I promise you, you'll find another job. And if you're open and honest about the reason you had to leave your current position, by and large, you won't be penalized for that.

Good luck!!!

anjemon · March 2015

I would definitely talk to the recruiter. If he/she can get you any sort of work in your actual field of study/preference that would be so much better.

I'm the type of the person who always has another job lined up before I quite the one I hate. But since you don't need to work and your FI can support you both, I would really consider quitting before you impact your health too negatively. Especially if you think this will continue to cause repercussions after you stop working in LA.

And I think if you leave your current job for one in your field of study, that employers would understand. That was the main reason I used when I was interviewing for my current job. I wanted something that would let me do more writing. And I think everyone understood the logic in that.

loveislouder · March 2015

vulpiepop said:
Sorry if this might be a little long...

I started a new job as a graphic designer at a company in LA. This is my first job out of college and it's not exactly what I was hoping to do (my degree isn't in graphic design). I've been working there for a little less than a month now; it will be a month next week when I'm off for the wedding. I also have a somewhat severe case of asthma and since I started this job, my condition has been getting worse and I've had more asthma attacks than I did before I started working in LA (mostly minor but one time was very serious). I've been seeing my doctor much more often because of this and my prescriptions have been going up and up and up. At this point, my prescriptions have nearly tripled in the short amount of time since starting this job and my doctor is growing more and more concerned.

Also worth noting is that I moved to this state maybe half a year ago and this is the first time I've ever lived in a place that wasn't a mountain town with clean air. I have never had to deal with smog, dry winds, etc. before this and never imagined it would affect my health so much.

FI thinks I should quit and try freelancing or getting a job elsewhere. I'm worried that I may not be able to get another job in my field for quite some time. Working somewhere for a month and then quitting doesn't exactly look good on your resume. The doctor thinks I need to spend less time in LA. My parents who put me through college, on the other hand, want me to keep working there because, dammit, they paid so much money for my degree only for me to throw it out the window (which is untrue as I would continue to look for a job in the field of study I actually got my degree in).

I'm not planning on doing or saying anything about this at the office until I've talked to my doctor face-to-face but by the time that happens, I'm already off for the wedding and honeymoon so it may look even worse to bring it up right when I come back.

So that's the situation I'm in now and I'm confused as to what to do. On the one hand, my health is very important and I would have to discontinue working in LA anyway if/when it gets severe enough. I don't have benefits at this job and it doesn't pay enough for a hospital bill if it gets really bad. On the other hand, I'm afraid that I won't be able to get another job and quitting will certainly cause some tension between me, my parents, and FI...

Being dead from an asthma attack doesn't do much good for your resume either.

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