I would say it depends. If a year or two in a bad work environment means that, for example, you get free training in a skill you want or it's stepping stone to a job in an environment you DO want, then it's worth it.
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Spike's Bitches 44: It's about the rules having changed.
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risqué (and frisqué), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Scrappy - Apr 09, 2009 12:38:52 pm PDT #6210 of 30000
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.
tommyrot - Apr 09, 2009 12:43:35 pm PDT #6211 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
Yeah. If you have a better job to look forward to, a sucky work environment might be more tolerable... for a while, anyway.
Polter-Cow - Apr 09, 2009 12:55:23 pm PDT #6212 of 30000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
I should note that my dilemma is that I have a good work environment here, but it is not advancing—nor is it projected to significantly advance in the near future—my [medical writing] career.
Ginger - Apr 09, 2009 12:55:28 pm PDT #6213 of 30000
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
So I have a question: what is more important, a good work environment or advancing your career?
A really bad work environment can suck out so much of your soul and self-confidence that it ultimately won't advance your career. It really depends on whether it's a bad work environment because you work a lot of hours or bad because you work for sadistic idiots. A lot of hours you can survive.
tommyrot - Apr 09, 2009 12:56:49 pm PDT #6214 of 30000
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
It really depends on whether it's a bad work environment because you work a lot of hours or bad because you work for sadistic idiots. A lot of hours you can survive.
And sadistic idiots can be killed.
javachik - Apr 09, 2009 12:59:14 pm PDT #6215 of 30000
Our wings are not tired.
P-C, I recently turned down a director-level position + 20k raise to stay where I am. Because the work environment is really, really important to me (it would have been a mess I'd be taking over and having to fix). ETA: which is how I'd describe the sitation I walked into in 2007 in present job; it took over a year to clean up this place so I am not about to walk away when it's just gettin' good!
omnis_audis - Apr 09, 2009 12:59:45 pm PDT #6216 of 30000
omnis, pursue. That's an order from a shy woman who can use M-16. - Shir
So I have a question: what is more important, a good work environment or advancing your career?If the bad environment is short term and pays a TON, it might be worth the switch. Have an exit plan at the ready, and save the dinero as you go. But if you are making ends meet, and enjoy your job and co-workers, that really is worth it's weight in gold.
Ginger - Apr 09, 2009 1:00:54 pm PDT #6217 of 30000
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
And sadistic idiots can be killed.
Yeah, but if you get caught, it wreaks havoc with your career advancement. Also, the kind of organization that has sadistic idiots always seems to have a lot of sadistic idiot bench strength.
javachik - Apr 09, 2009 1:01:27 pm PDT #6218 of 30000
Our wings are not tired.
But if you are making ends meet, and enjoy your job and co-workers, that really is worth it's weight in gold.
This. And I would also meet with your boss, or your boss's boss, and map out an advancement plan. It's really important that people know you're serious about moving up, and serious about the steps required for it.
Polter-Cow - Apr 09, 2009 1:02:03 pm PDT #6219 of 30000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
But if you are making ends meet, and enjoy your job and co-workers, that really is worth it's weight in gold.
This is what I feel like, but I also feel like I should be looking out for my career as a professional and an adult and all that. My uncle expects me to be making six figures by 2011, after all.
And I would also meet with your boss, or your boss's boss, and map out an advancement plan. It's really important that people know you're serious about moving up, and serious about the steps required for it.
The issue is this: I work in drug safety. I have been told that I do deserve a promotion in drug safety sometime this year. My bosses are also aware that drug safety is not the career path I chose; it's the one I fell into because that's where the need was in the company at the time. Drug safety is great and all, but I want to be a medical writer, and although they are trying their best to send any medical writing opportunities my way, they can't conjure them up out of thin air. So I feel like even though I'm gaining valuable work experience in general, I'm not making progress on the medical writing ladder.