it’s your Friday good news

by Alison Green on June 10, 2022

It’s your Friday good news!

1.  “A while back, I posted in an open thread about needing to leave a job I love because my husband was facing heath issues that could leave him permanently disabled. I have a great boss, and I didn’t want to end up in a situation where I made more money, but hated my job. I had done that before and it was a disaster. I also worried about leaving my team, it was a very busy time for us and we had a lot of people out for personal matters. Commenters were very kind that I needed to do what was best for me, watch for red flags when interviewing, but not letting fear stop me.

So I embarked on a job search reluctantly. My previous job search took nearly two years and caused me a great deal of depression, I felt like a recent letter writer that I was unemployable. I was not at all looking forward to that again, but for our family’s wellbeing, it was necessary.

Thanks in large part to all the advice from you and all the commenters over the years, I got an incredible offer this week that’s a 60% pay increase! It’s enough that if the worst should happen and my husband become disabled, we’d maintain our lifestyle. To say it’s a relief is an understatement. As importantly, the job itself seems like a great fit. The team and I seemed to click right away, and all around it seems like this is a great career move. My current boss was very understanding. She too was the sole income earner after her husband became disabled, so she gets why I need to leave.

As for my husband’s condition, the surgery he had was successful, he’s no longer in debilitating pain, however he has nerve damage that may be irreversible, and returning to work is still uncertain for him. Hopefully we can find something he can do as he’s only in his late 30’s. Thankfully now we will be able to live off my income while he figures it out and I have everyone here to thank for it.”

2.  “I’ve been working in higher education since I finished my undergraduate degree and while I loved many parts of my work, some parts were really draining and I knew it was time for a change. I started to look for work in late 2019 and I was part of a couple of hiring processes at the institution I worked at. I was so excited and then the pandemic hit. Campus stopped hiring and I was, like everyone else, worried I’d lose my job. I clung to it, knowing it wasn’t where I wanted to be, for security during that tumultuous time.

I am very grateful I didn’t lose my job but it was at a cost: the expectations on my time after hours significantly increased for me and my team as a result of the student needs that came with the pandemic. By the time last summer rolled around, I was exhausted and desperate for a change so I took the first opportunity available to me. In hindsight, not the best call. The mistake I made was that I picked a similar job at a different institution nearby. So none of the things that I struggled with in my last role went away and I had to learn how to function in a whole new bureaucracy that had also been reeling as a result of major financial challenges and the pandemic.

Only a few months in, I made the decision to look for work again. That’s when I started reading this blog. I tried new approaches like informational interviews with alumni from my university doing work I was curious about to try to figure out where I could go outside of my current industry with my skillset. From those conversations, I found that there was a really clear path that I could move into. Once I honed in on that path (and used your cover letter writing tips to acknowledge my lack of experience in the private world while highlighting what I can offer and why I’m excited to make a change), I was finally getting interviews. And just last week I accepted an offer with a company I’m excited about, doing work I know I will enjoy, on a team that has already been so welcoming. Plus, I got a significant pay increase, which means I can afford to stay in the (expensive) town I love to live in while also saving for my future, which includes paying for my part-time graduate degree. Reading your posts and especially others’ good news helped me stay motivated during this long, tiring job hunt process.”

3.  “I’ve been an avid reader of Ask A Manager for the last couple of years, and now I finally have a delightful update to share!

I got a job right out of graduate school with a Fortune 50 company. For the first year and a half, I had an amazing boss who was a great advocate for myself and my team amidst a sea of corporate male bullies. She left to pursue other internal opportunities, and after that, I had 5 bosses in ten months. None of these bosses knew a single thing about my field, and each one took on our team while being told by higher management that it would be “easy” because…I was doing all of the work of managing.

When our fourth manager announced that he was leaving the company, I went to my grandboss and asked to be promoted. I wasn’t taken seriously. A couple months later, I tried to apply to a different internal position that aligned perfectly with my career aspirations. I had an AMAZING informational interview with the hiring manager. When I went to apply, I was blocked by my grandboss, who called me and berated me and said I wouldn’t even get that job if I applied.

I was immediately demotivated and depressed. That same night, I got a message on linkedin from a recruiter at another company saying they were interested in me for a position. I decided to go through the interview process, mostly just for fun and to see what other companies were looking for. Two months later, they offered me a 50% pay raise on top of some of the best benefits I’ve ever seen.

I just want to remind your readers not to sell yourself short. You don’t have to stay in a toxic environment, there’s other companies that would be happy to have you and pay you what you’re worth. This is your sign to put yourself out there and get out.”

You may also like:
{ 30 comments }

{ 30 comments… read them below }

  1. irene adler*

    Congrats- all!!!
    #3: I’d love to hear how your boss took your resignation.
    (Yeah, I have a little schadenfreude goin’ on here)

    3. Artemesia*

      Yes. And may ever boss that tries to block an internal transfer be cursed by losing that employee forthwith.

        1. irene adler*

          And lose next employee directly after training them. It should hurt worse than when a coveted employee moves to another department.

    4. LW #3*

      Hi, LW #3 here!

      My boss literally sputtered and went speechless when I gave my resignation. My grandboss didn’t speak to me at all for the entire two week notice period. lol

      2. irene adler*

        Thank you!
        And….hehehehehehehehehehehe!
        Love it when the boss(es) are so confident they have you completely under their thumb they cannot process your leaving.

  2. Mrs. Pommeroy*

    Well done all, Letter Writers! Congratulations!
    I hope all of you will be happy in your new jobs, and especially hope LW1’s husband will get better in time and find a job he likes.

  3. Beth*

    LW #2: that is so great! And it’s also an “informational interview” success story, which is wonderful. We mostly seem to hear about informational interviews that aren’t useful or are misused.

  4. Thin Mints didn't make me thin*

    Oh these are all wonderful news! People reading this who are wondering what to do: Get out there and apply. Today’s market is a pretty welcoming place and you could find yourself in a much happier place.

    1. Keeley Jones, The Independent Woman*

      Yes! And also a testament to how priceless the advice here is. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without this place.

      Way to go everyone!

  5. The Tin Man*

    Congratulations all! #3 is the perfect example of the consequences to a company of someone blocking an internal transfer that was talked about yesterday!

    1. Gary Patterson's Cat*

      I really, really hope that grandboss in #3 feels the pain. What a jerk! Why would you call and berate an employee who applied for a different role in the same company? It’s crazy and toxic.

      1. ThursdaysGeek*

        And if LW3 was doing all the work, then there should be a fair amount of pain, too.

  6. Goldenrod*

    OP #1: I’m so glad your husband is no longer in pain. I’m sorry you and he are going through this – I can relate, I’m going through something similar and it’s really, really hard. I am so happy to hear that you figured out the financial piece. Actually, you rocked it! Well done and I hope things continue to improve.

    1. Elizabeth Bennett*

      Same! I’m glad the surgery was successful. My husband also had to had some pretty serious surgery and he has permanent peripheral neuropathy. He hates the outcome of his situation, but after a few months, he was able to get back to work. OP, I hope everything works out for the best!

      1. OP1*

        That is what my husband is dealing with too. Although as bad as he was prior to surgery, he’s glad for his progress. It’s just really hard when you’ve only worked more physical jobs and desk jobs just aren’t a good fit. I do think he’ll eventually figure out something to do, but I’m very happy I was able to find something to take that pressure off.

        All the best to you and your husband as well.

        1. Myrtle Breeze*

          congrats again OP!

          I just wanted to say, my husband was injured to the point of having to permanently move from his preferred physically demanding career to desk jobs. he switched to a career in the tech industry and he loves it! the puzzle-solving nature of the work keeps him mentally engaged and his current position (internal help desk + assistant to the network admin) means he does get out from behind his desk still from time to time without requiring him to stay on his feet all day. maybe something like that might appeal to your husband?

    2. Artemesia*

      I know people who have dealt with this and it is a struggle, but also a perfect example of the kind of stability two working adults bring to a family — Both my husband and I faced unemployment over the course of our marriage. It wasn’t fun, but we were never afraid we would lose the house or not be able to support the family. I hope #3’s husband will be able to find something that is a good fit and flexible with his physical issues. And am glad she found a good opportunity.

  8. StellaBella*

    Such great news all around thank you all for the uplifting stories. And OP1, best wishes for your husband and his health.

  9. Chilipepper Attitude*

    These are all so amazing and so uplifting to hear.
    Congrats to everyone!!
    And thank you so much for sharing!

  10. Chaordic One*

    These are all very good news.

    OP 2. I’ve recently read that “The Great Resignation” is finally starting to hit academia. It’s about time. What took so long?

  12. Common_Tater*

    LW #3 I am THRILLED for you that you were able to assert your worth! I had a similar experience many years ago when I was early in my career, I ran into a former employer on my way home from work on a very demoralizing day. He asked if I could get coffee, I accepted, and 12 hours later I handed in my resignation. But before I handed it in, I completed my “rebuttal” (yes that is how they officially phrased it) to my annual review with one line: “Interesting; motivating.” I let my supervisor read that and ponder it for a bit. After half an hour I went back with the resignation letter.

    Pro tip: really toxic work environments are THE most enjoyable places to fulfill your full notice. I gave them three weeks and it was AWESOME.

Comments are closed.