May 6, 2012

5 Signs that you need to quit your job, according to: Me

Yesterday Mrs Joker and I were talking at dinner about a interesting post from Mashable called 3 Reasons to Quit your Job. While I do agree on one of their points, it started a very long and deep conversation (wine induced) on what I thought would be my list, and which reasons are, at least for me, not that important. With all these years doing this, advertising life has sure made its ugly scar in my life, so all the reasons that are coming are what I think every damn single day. Feel free to add your own. Enjoy.

1) You don't respect your Boss anymore.
This, to creatives, means only one thing: your Creative Director sucks donkey balls, you know it, maybe he or she knows it... and you cannot look them in the eye or listen to a change without flinching. It has happened to me quite a lot. The last time it did, I just could not stand it, I found myself doing whatever the fuck I wanted and then finding excuses on why I did it and well, the ad is done and approved, so why bother... Not respecting the one person who is supposed to guide you is key for you to leave, to escape that place as fast as you can, because it can only get worse by the days.

2) You know you should earn more and well, the check is never coming.
If you have to quit or say you're leaving to earn more, then by all means walk away. Don't ever use that to get the money you deserve. Just find someone who sees your talent, knows that you are worth it and pack your bags. Sometimes your boss has a set price for you and he's not so prepared to play above that line. It can mostly be that deep inside he doesn't believe you are worth any penny more. Hey, it's his fucked up opinion. If you know you have done the work, if you know you have shown your 200% and the check remains the same... get that cardboard box, pronto.

3) You hate advertising.
Ah. You're one of us. RestrictionsApply and myself have a club. We meet every Tuesday, we have coffee and cookies. This happens when you have been at this job for at least 15 years or more, and it's just like when Neo got unplugged from the Matrix. You start hating this piece of shit job when you open your eyes and all you see is that your work is just a page turn or remote control click away. Your job does not save lives, does not make a difference, it's just a fucking ad.

4) You can't stand your coworkers.
Man, I once worked with a few people I would have given a lung if someone would punch them in their balls. Untalented hacks with a flair for the dramatic, very irresponsible, stupid and with the worst trait of all: they did not work as a team. We found ourselves working late shifts time and time again and those douchebags had OTHER shit to do, like go on 10 field days for their kids, karate classes, dinner reservations or they just disappeared at 6pm sharp. Sometimes it's even worse, they are just rotten human beings, evil people who love to talk behind your back, talk shit about their other coworkers, create unnecessary tension or even straight-out problems between other coworkers. They will never leave, so start planning a better place to be.

5) You don't want to become a cliche at 50.
This might be the most important thing that you really - and I mean really - need to examine. This Monday, walk into your ad agency and try to find that really old person who should have retired by now, or that person who is so old that he or she is completely out of touch with, well, everything. Take a good look at that person. Do you want to be that when you are that age? Do you want to do the cycle at that age? You know, the cycle: get brief, do creative, get changes, get new brief, do new creative a day before the presentation, get changes, don't sleep, show your work sleepy, wait if it's approved or not... Get brief... repeat. If you have another plan for your life... then you need to change careers NOW.

There you go, a little wisdom from little old Me. Food for thought, yes indeed.

2 comments:

Becca said...

If you are not enjoying to your work and every routine it only means you hate your work.

Mariam said...

6- if you've been there for too long and can't get anything more out of it.

7- if you daydream of punching your boss, your partner, the HR ...

8- if you think you can do better, leave. if you think you can't do better, that's sad and you belong there.

9- If you boss doesn't know the difference between a concept and an execution. (this happened)

10- If people judge you for your background, accent or whatever and not for your creative capabilities. In other words, if they're racist. (again, this happened)

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