If You're Unhappy and You Know it, Change Your Job. Is Now the Time to Plan Your Escape?

Is Now the Time to Plan Your Escape?

By Cheryl Grady-Mercier

How would you describe your job? “The Job You’re Settling For”: Not bad, could be worse. Nice office and a dental plan, but the thought of staying for another 10 years makes you queasy at best. “The Clingy, Stalker Job”: Like a clingy, stalker boyfriend, this job has an addictive quality. You work around the clock keep bathroom breaks to a minimum and vacations? Fagetaboutit! “The Job That You’re Using for the Money”: Self explanatory.

These are the job-from-hell categories created by Pamela Skillings for her new book “Escape from Corporate America,” in which she helps readers figure out when and how it’s time to go in search of greener pastures.

As a vice president in a large real-estate firm, Dyann Paoline of Haddonfield had garnered self-satisfaction and advancement, led a staff of 13, and was well-established in a lucrative career. She’d raised two children, now adults, and had married a supportive man after many years as a single parent. Sounds perfect, but she left the corporation six months ago.

“I’d been there for 15 years and suddenly the pressure and stress were affecting my health. I was burnt out. It was a chore to get up and go to work each day. I just wasn’t having fun, but I agonized over leaving for a good year,” explains Paoline.

During that year, she examined her dreams. At work, she’d suppressed her creative side her interest in photography, her certification as a personal trainer, her interest in writing a children’s book. Now she wanted to use those skills, but didn’t want to lose her real estate credentials, contacts or skills.

“Life gave me this opportunity, my husband and children encouraged me, so I just took the plunge. A friend said it would take a good year to sort this out and I feel like I’m still doing that. In my corporate job I enjoyed presenting seminars to seniors on downsizing and selling their houses. Now I work as a consultant assisting seniors who are cutting back.”

She’s worked on her photography, set up a website, and plans to write a children’s book on fitness using her personal trainer expertise.

“There’s so much out there to do, to accomplish,” she says.

Roseann Vanella of Marlton left her corporate career at an office equipment firm more than a year ago. She had joined the firm fresh out of college. “I worked my way up to head the contract department. It was very exciting, but I still had a dream of owning my own business,” she explains.

In her early 40s, she was going through some personal changes and decided that it was time to take the leap. She investigated opening a boutique, but one day saw a new franchise Super Suppers on the Food Network.

“When I was a child, my mother worked but we always had home-cooked meals. Eating together was important, but so was the good food. Here was a business that helped bring healthy food, prepared by women themselves, back to the family table,” Vanella says with a smile.

At Super Suppers in Voorhees, customers circulate among stations that stock ingredients and recipes, putting together a meal in 15 minutes or less. Many women come in groups on a Saturday or Sunday morning, have a good time together and go home with meals for a week or two. There’s also a “Grab n Go Freezer” for those with even less time to spare.

“I didn’t just jump into this. I spent a lot of time talking to the franchise staff. There was a Super Suppers a mile away from my home in Long Island. The owners there allowed me to learn about running the business. Once I was interested, the corporate office mentioned that the South Jersey owners wanted to sell their business.”

Vanella visited the store. She watched and learned. When she made the decision to buy, she negotiated more observation time into the contract. Understanding the business is vital, and with that understanding, Vanella brought corporate skills to the mix.

“I can’t imagine running Super Suppers without my background. I understand the requirements to reinvest in the business, the need to market and advertise, manage staff, offer discounts and be involved in the community,” explains Vanella.

Though the franchise helps, it doesn’t run the business or hold owners’ hands. Vanella was also prepared not to make money for the first two years.

Brian Kurth has written “Test-Drive Your Dream Job,” a step-by-step guide for people who are looking for their next careers. He is the originator of VocationVacations_®, a business that helps people arrange a few days’ immersion into their dream jobs. One key to his program is good mentors people in love with their jobs and willing to spend some time with “vocationers” who want to learn about that job or business.

“To date, we’ve had vocationers from 45 states and mentors in 35. Our vocationers are skewed about 60/40 female and about 40 percent are Baby Boomers,” explains Kurth.

So if you’re passionate about your job lucky you! Check out Kurth’s website www.vocationvacations.com as he’s always looking for mentors. But if the passion is gone, check out the site for sure, and let your dream begin!

Cheryl Grady Mercier writes from Pitman (her sixth, but not her last, career). Her book, written with Ethel J. David My Lover the Rabbi, My Husband the Doctor: What more could a Jewish girl want? is available at Borders on Rt. 73, or online at www.barnesandnoble.com .