Thinking of quitting my job

[Grizzy]

I've been doing research with a professor for about four weeks now. I come to work, sit at my desk, and generally feel like I get very little done, no matter what level of effort I put in. It's the second time I have done research, and I hated it last time, but I hoped it would be better now. But it seems I just don't like research, at least in the field of AI.

 

Honestly, I feel like I'm wasting the professor's money and my time by being part of his staff. I knew in the first week that I didn't like it, and I can't see myself doing this for my PhD... if I can even see myself doing my PhD now at all, which I'm not so sure of.

 

My issue is, my professor had me slated to do a specific part of the project, which neither he nor his students have any expertise in. If I quit, I don't know that there is anyone who can take over, and I just feel bad about quitting.

 

I'm only scheduled to be on the team until August, but is there any way to bow out gracefully before then? Do I simply give my two weeks notice with no explanation? Do I explain that I don't like the work? Do I tell him about the added stress of summer classes? Do I suck it up and stick it out?

 

I knew I should have given myself a break this summer.

[HansBraggart]

let me ask you this...what would you be doing if you were NOT doing this job? what are your other options?

 

NEVER forget that...the longer you stay somewhere, especially at a job, the harder it is to leave.

 

i understand the self-doubt you feel when it comes to bowing out and abandoning your position, but to me it honestly sounds like you are not where you want to be, and staying put will do you no favors. to quote Sammy davis Jr, "I can't be right for somebody else if I am not right for me."

 

as adults, one of the many privileges of being is our freedom to quit. keep that in mind.

[Vintage]

Hmm... I don't know if I agree necessarily.

 

Maybe if this was an indefinite job I would agree that staying longer would make it harder to leave, but you do have a definite end-point. At this point you're looking at 2 months. Finishing out a job can most definitely make it easier to find the next one. So what are the benefits of finishing it out? A good recommendation from the professor? Being able to say on a CV that you completed your planned work? Income?

 

And the benefits of quitting... what else will you do with the summer? This doesn't have to be something school/career focused, it may be that there's a personal goal that you could really dedicate the extra time to that seems worth it. 

 

Whether to talk to the professor really depends on him and the relationship you have. Avoid insulting his work as boring (duh) and focus on your needs/interests. It's possible he could adjust what you're doing or that he'll give you his blessing to bow out. You don't need to stay just because you feel bad about leaving them to find someone else, but you do need to look out for your best interests in the long term.

 

And once you make that decision... take a good look at what this means for what you want to do after this. If you're not damn sure you want to spend years in this field to get your PhD and then use it for your career, don't do it. If that means taking some time to work in different fields, do that. Grad school will still be there. It's too much time/money/stress if you're not set on it.

[Grizzy]

What I would likely be reverting to if I did quit would be personal projects, in attempt to decide what I want to do more permanently. I'm finishing a class for my undergrad over the summer, so it's unlikely there will be any full-time, grown-up jobs nearby that will work around my schedule other than an academic institution. 

 

I would be missing out on income, which is not going to put me in any debt, but it would be nice not to lose money over the summer.

 

Could I survive the next two months at this job? Well, yeah. And would it be nice to have on my resume? I guess, though I already have a LOT on my resume in the way of internships and research. I'm just realizing that this summer would be a really nice time to do some self-discovery, especially if I'm finding that I don't want to follow the path that I'm on.

 

My attitude toward this job does tend to be a little cyclical as well. I'll have some days that are okay, but then there are days like today where I just think THIS IS STUPID AND I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE.

[Anamal]

I kinda went through something similar recently, as in I graduated college about a year ago. Worked on some jobs pertaining to my major, then realized I wanted something else, and am in the process of finding new employment. Here is what I have learned, and maybe it can help you:

 

1) It will take you much longer to find a full time position after you graduate. Nobody told me this in college, and I wish they had. I worked in the film industry and it was easy to get on projects by having my friends hire me. However, when you are looking for a full time job, if you don't have a list of connections, it can take a long time just to go through the HR process of getting hired. Which is to say nothing of the time it takes to look, getting rejected for positions and all this is made harder by not knowing what you want. I say this to tell you that having a safety net of money is very, very wise.

 

2) I found it was hard to look for work, while I was actively working. My brain was just tired at the end of the day. So there is benefit to looking for a job without the stress of current employment and classes. Having free time also allows you time to do what you want, and look around and realize what makes you happy.

 

3) You're still in college, and working right? And you graduate at the end of the summer? Why not take some time off then. Finish what you started, create a bit of a bank account/safety net, which will permit you to travel and be less stressed after you graduate.

 

4) While you finish this job make a list of what you do, and do not like about it. And look into what has made you happy in the past, and by doing this you can sort of reverse engineer a career path for yourself. Things as small as work environment, choice/type of city you would be able to live in, hours, and stability (aka freelance vs full time vs contract). What is important at work, and what do you not like doing?

 

5) There is no point in going to post grad work if you're not sure what you'll be studying. Its better to take time off now and work and then go back to college with a more concrete plan. Otherwise you're just wasting money and time in grad school that you might end up hating anyway.

 

6) Its your life so you have to be happy living it, regardless of what other people say.

 

Best of luck!

[Grizzy]

Hey everyone, thanks for the advice!

 

Just an update. I quit, and it made me so happy! I'm doing a few freelancing jobs (web design, research paper editing, system design, and tutoring) while finishing up my class and thinking about whether I want to do the PhD program to which I was accepted. Money isn't really an issue for the program, since I have a full scholarship and stipend.

 

I am so much less stressed, and some stressful dreams I had been having went away immediately when I left.

 

Thanks for the pep talks!