Requesting position change at work?

[Justmehere]

There is a decent amount of nonsense at my job. It's not a long term situation. I am working on getting a job elsewhere ASAP. I am responsible for making decisions and signing off on things. Right now, there is a lot I can't somehow seem to sign off on. My stress cup is overflowing. I'm worried I will be fired for asking too many questions if I stay in the job I am in now. I'm considering asking the person that handles hiring if she can put me in another position of much less responsibility. Pay is the same. They would be much less likely to hire me in the future or give me as high of a re-hireablity rating if I ask to change jobs now. It's not a very friendly work environment. Not right now.

Has anyone bitten off more they can chew in a work setting and tried to stay on, just in a lesser role? The other option is to sit back and keep my mouth shut and not ask questions. I don't think I have whatever it takes to do that. Not my skill set. Maybe it needs to be.

 

[Movingforward10]

I'm sorry you are going through this.
When this happens to me, I remember a clinical session I was given once during a really hard time at work. The psychologist said to me words along the lines of: it's no wonder you feel like this. The work situation is testing your coping skills to the hilt. You have the skills. It is the situation that is so hard.

It reminded me that there is me and my ability and then the context I am working in.
You were given the job because of your skills.
You say it's hard right now. So maybe it's what is happening rather than you?
You are allowed to ask questions.
You are also allowed to ask for support. Do you think you can?

What has changed? You said right now it's hard to sign things off. What has made it harder?

A couple of years ago I got a manager who was just a plain bully. She turned me into someone who could manage a lot to someone who was anxious and worrying every single day. I was about to walk out of a job I loved and never come back because of her. However, I looked at it and decided that I am not going to let one person dictate my career. So I reached out. She left in the end as she burnt her bridges with everyone. And then I got a new manager and things went back to normal.

Things might change again? But only you know how much stress you can handle and how that will impact you.
Whatever decision you make, it sounds like you are considered and it will be the right one for you.

 

[grit]

I wonder and I am sorry if you already have done this but I wonder if you could separate what is job related challenges and what is related to your emotions or state of mind or maybe outside of work? then you may see the gap and it might be easier to digest or decide.

When I went back to school few years ago, and this was before I went to therapy and had no clue cup full or coping mechanisms, I just intuitively realized, I did not have a lot of energy all the time so full time job that is demanding and school that is expensive and demanding will be too much for me. So I decided to lose some income (I am double income household so this seemed an option for me) and get a job that is good enough to pay bills but does not require my brain so I could focus on school. Of course there are times when the shitty job became challenging (there are humans there too) and those times I regretted losing money for this bullshit but I also realize I made the right decision for longer term. The job does not zap all my brain power!

In your case, and this is an opinion obviously, if you are not losing money and can do another job fairly better, the whole notion of non hiring may be fear tactics you use to avoid or a future you cannot predict or control and ultimately maybe even a pride issue. But it could also be that the challenges you are having are temporary and if something else improves, they may not seem as big as they appear now. The experience though does not lessen the anxiety and the uncertainty so I can relate to your position and hope you find a good enough solution.

 

[Justmehere]

It's only a short term job. The contract will end when it ends, as long as I don't quit before then. We have new leadership and it won't change prior to the end of the contract. It's a terrible place to work due to that leadership.

I'm thinking of reaching out to the person that hired me. The problem is that I don't want to be fired if I ask for a position change and this place is so nutty that is in the realm of possibility. I rather quit than be fired.

I'm not even sure how to request the change. I know to not say, OMG I can't take it anymore... and I can phrase it as "my skill set is better used in xyz..." Part of the issue is that I am overtly being treated as if I have done something wrong, but I have no idea what I did in error. When I asked, I was told I've done nothing wrong, but to not ask further questions. Even in a training, I asked a question of something I could not hear, and I was told to not ask even that question. Others can ask questions. So I give up. I don't even have the instructions on how to do my job and if I make it up, it risks too much.

 

[MainerMikeBrown]

JustMeHere, I know you stated that your current job is only short term.

However, I was wondering: how long have been doing this job that you don't like? Has it been a few weeks, months, or more?

 

[TruthSeeker]

There is a decent amount of nonsense at my job. It's not a long term situation. I am working on getting a job elsewhere ASAP. I am responsible for making decisions and signing off on things. Right now, there is a lot I can't somehow seem to sign off on. My stress cup is overflowing. I'm worried I will be fired for asking too many questions if I stay in the job I am in now. I'm considering asking the person that handles hiring if she can put me in another position of much less responsibility. Pay is the same. They would be much less likely to hire me in the future or give me as high of a re-hireablity rating if I ask to change jobs now. It's not a very friendly work environment. Not right now.

Has anyone bitten off more they can chew in a work setting and tried to stay on, just in a lesser role? The other option is to sit back and keep my mouth shut and not ask questions. I don't think I have whatever it takes to do that. Not my skill set. Maybe it needs to be.

I have been in positions where others made the job intolerable. I looked for another position in that situation at a different place, and kept my mouth shut, knowing that this was a short lived thing.....less than a year......and lived on hope until I found another better suited job. So, actively start looking for a position.....knowing it isn't forever. What kind of job do you do....if you'd like to share....