How soon is too soon to get out of a new job?

[RockSolid]

Hello, everyone! First time poster, long time lurker. I was wondering if someone could help a brother out.

I started working for a major daily right out of college. The paper, which was owned by Paxton, laid me off exactly two years ago. Fortunately, I wasn't in the unemployment line too long as I found a new job at Heartless shortly thereafter. After working for the Heartless paper for almost nine months, the company laid me off, marking the second time in less than a year that I'd been let go from a paper. I knew right then that I can't be in this industry too much longer. I've been laid off twice and I'm only 26 years old. However, with my degree being strictly in journalism, it made things tough when I applied for non-newspaper jobs. So what did I do? I went back to the newspaper industry. Most recently, I started working as an Assistant SE for a Privately owned paper.

I started working for this paper in October of 2011. I started off really liking things at this paper. There's no set deadline (you just have to everything in by noon the following day...it's a tri-weekly), get paid every week, mileage and lodging reimbursement is great. The best thing is that I haven't really felt any pressure as far as layoffs go. At Paxton and Heartland, I kind of knew they were coming. It was more of "when" and not "if" they were going to let me go. Within the last two months, things at this paper have drastically changed. The ME has started micromanaging and wants everyone in at 8 a.m. (even after you've worked until 2:30 or 3 a.m. the night before) to "man the phones." The SE has no life (and I mean that in the nicest way possible) outside of the paper. He likes working from 8 a.m. all the way until 2:30 a.m. the following day with no break and therefore thinks I should like it, too. There are other reasons, too. But I would rather not discuss those in public. The biggest thing is that I'm starting to feel the whole burnout thing that most journalists feel. Sports aren't fun or exciting for me anymore. When I get home, the last thing I want to do is watch NCAA, the NFL, the NBA or any other kind of sport on TV because I'm covering something 5-6 days a week. I'm just starting to lose the passion and spark that I once had for newspapers and sportswriting in general. Being laid off twice in a year doesn't help things too much either. I feel like this is more of a job and not necessarily a career that I want to do for the rest of my life.

Like I said earlier, I started at this newspaper in October. So with that, how soon is too soon to leave? Would it look bad on my resume if I went ahead and turned in a two week's notice, for instance? Should I at least stick it out for a year or so? Is there such a thing as too soon? Does it look bad to prospective employers (inside or outside the newspaper business) when they look at my resume and see that I was at a place less than six months? Any advice out there? I appreciate it.

 

[KJIM]

I wouldn't get out unless you have something lined up. It's tough out there.

Can't speak specifically on the job switching as far as journalism goes, but when I left Peace Corps, I wound up working a few temporary jobs (two months or so) and, by the third one, got asked about my "job-hopping" history. This despite prior to PC, I'd worked two jobs -- one for 10 years and one for nine. So based on that, yes, I think it might be a factor. Once in an interview, you can explain it but in my experience it's been a factor.

As far as if it's too early to leave, no, it's not. The pay might be the equivalent, but it's not indentured servitude. If you want out, you're free to go. But I'd have something lined up. Unemployment stinks.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

I wouldn't get out unless you have something lined up. It's tough out there.

Can't speak specifically on the job switching as far as journalism goes, but when I left Peace Corps, I wound up working a few temporary jobs (two months or so) and, by the third one, got asked about my "job-hopping" history. This despite prior to PC, I'd worked two jobs -- one for 10 years and one for nine. So based on that, yes, I think it might be a factor. Once in an interview, you can explain it but in my experience it's been a factor.

As far as if it's too early to leave, no, it's not. The pay might be the equivalent, but it's not indentured servitude. If you want out, you're free to go. But I'd have something lined up. Unemployment stinks.

This, exactly. Get something lined up before you leave. I know it sucks, but you'll be better off.

And as far as the hours go, start demanding overtime pay for the extra hours (hide a tape recorder on you when you do), and don't let them get away with whining about how they work all those hours and you should want to too. This is a business. You are there to make money.

I have a feeling the overtime pay discussion will lead to something about your hours.

 

[beanpole]

Agree with the above. Get something else lined up before you pull the cord.

To answer your original question, there's no set time that's "too short." I once left a job after 6 months because it wasn't a good fit (I knew it was a bad fit after 2 weeks, but it took me 5 more months to find something else). And as I always tell new staffers, probation is a feeling out phase for both sides. It's perfectly fair for someone at the end of their probationary period to say, "Thanks, but this isn't for me."

 

[Drip]

I know the feeling. Been there a few times. The best advice is to kEep the job UNTIL YOU HAVE ANOTHER.
If you are as burned out as you claim DO NOT look for another job in newspapers.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Johnny Chase]

I'll echo what everyone's saying about overtime pay. Nobody should be staying at work from 8:30-2:30 a.m. If they *****, call the department of labor.

 

[Ace]

I'll echo what everyone's saying about overtime pay. Nobody should be staying at work from 8:30-2:30 a.m. If they *****, call the department of labor.

Yeah. You probably feel burned out because you're suffering from lack of sleep.

 

[RockSolid]

Thanks everyone. I've tried talking to the higher ups about overtime and the long, grueling hours but they keep reminding me that I am a salaried employee so it doesn't matter how long I work. They keep telling me that they don't want me to get burned out and that I should rest, but my Sports Editor, who literally eats, sleeps and breathes this paper, sees it differently. He's so anal about the layout and what the pages look like. While I appreciate that (I love a good looking paper), it's also extremely frustrating. He has no problem deleting EVERYTHING that we've done once midnight rolls around and starting completely over because he didn't like where things were placed and how photos cropped, etc. He has no problem starting from scratch just as I think we're getting done. This is a tri-weekly paper and this happens each layout night.

Of course I'm not going to leave unless I have something lined up. The only reason why I took this job was because I didn't have one after being laid off AGAIN by the Heartless paper I worked for. I've always been told that it's easier to get a new job when you already have one, so I accepted this one with the anticipation of finding something else as soon as possible. Believe me, I'm definitely trying to get out of newspapers. My biggest gripe, especially with these cruddy hours, is that my wife and I are expecting our first child very soon. She could go into labor any day now. This job is a 45 minute drive from where we live. I would hate to have to tell her to "Hold on for about an hour, I'll be there soon," when I get that phone call at 3:30 in the morning and I'm still at work. Between the long hours, the long drive back and forth every day and the lack of sleep, I think it's easy to tell why I'm burnt out. But yeah, I'm definitely not going to leave unless I have something lined up.

This leads me to another question. When I fill out online applications, what about that little question that says, "May we contact this employer?" and you're supposed to check either Yes or No. In a situation where I've only been employed for about six months, what's the best way to answer this kind of question? If I say "Yes," my employer could find out that I'm looking at other jobs and it could get me in trouble (worst case scenario), but I say "No," would the prospective employer assume that I'm hiding something?

I am pretty long winded and for that, I apologize. I'm running on fumes this morning! Thanks, guys and gals!

 

[Stitch]

How can you be salaried? Do you supervise anyone or have independence to make significant decision?

 

[RockSolid]

No, actually. I'm the low man on the totem pole here. I'm just a Sports Reporter (though I've been given a fancy title of Assistant SE). It's a two-person sports staff, myself and the SE. I had prior SE experience before coming here and I don't know if that factored into it or not. Also, this paper is privately owned. It's not owned by one of the big boys like Heartland, Paxton, Gannett, etc. It's family owned and we do all of our printing here on location. I know that the press people are hourly, but all the reporters, editors, layout artists, and copyeditors are all salaried. I think it's just a policy.

 

[Illino]

At my first job out of school, I turned in a two weeks notice after five days. I interviewed with about five places over the next three months, got offered three positions, took the one that fit best, and here I am today.

No one batted an eye at the small amount of time spent at that paper. I don't by any means feel like that is normal, but that's what happened to me.

 

[Stitch]

No, actually. I'm the low man on the totem pole here. I'm just a Sports Reporter (though I've been given a fancy title of Assistant SE). It's a two-person sports staff, myself and the SE. I had prior SE experience before coming here and I don't know if that factored into it or not. Also, this paper is privately owned. It's not owned by one of the big boys like Heartland, Paxton, Gannett, etc. It's family owned and we do all of our printing here on location. I know that the press people are hourly, but all the reporters, editors, layout artists, and copyeditors are all salaried. I think it's just a policy.

Time to call the federal Wage and Hourly Division of the Department of Labor. Thee are exceptions overtime for very small papers.

 

[flexmaster33]

Wow...that's crazy. I'm curious what changed at the paper to turn it from being such a flexible job when you started to such a nightmare now. Is the ME a new guy?

Absolutely hate the "man the phones" excuse. Yes let me sit at my desk for 8 hours to get the one or two calls that may or may not come. That's what a message is for...or has your paper heard of email? Geesh...it's not 1968 anymore.

Since you've specifically addressed the hours issue and gotten the "Deal with it" reply, I'd say it's high time to get resumes out and look aggressively for something else. Most shops out there are pretty good about working with limited resources and managing shrinking hours. But I'd say there are about 10 percent that are nightmares like the one you've found yourself in. The best option is to get out. And I'll echo others on here with making a report to the labor board. Sometimes hefty fines/penalties are the only way some managers/owners will wake up.

I think I speak for most people on here when I say a typical sports shift should run from 3 p.m. to midnight or something close to that. I set my own schedule at my twice-a-week shot, but typically work four 10s.

From what I'm hearing, I doubt you're ever getting back-to-back days off. Try to have another job lined up before you slam the door, but if they start bringing in shoes for you to assemble in the morning hours just walk out the door :)

 

[Baron Scicluna]

No, actually. I'm the low man on the totem pole here. I'm just a Sports Reporter (though I've been given a fancy title of Assistant SE). It's a two-person sports staff, myself and the SE. I had prior SE experience before coming here and I don't know if that factored into it or not. Also, this paper is privately owned. It's not owned by one of the big boys like Heartland, Paxton, Gannett, etc. It's family owned and we do all of our printing here on location. I know that the press people are hourly, but all the reporters, editors, layout artists, and copyeditors are all salaried. I think it's just a policy.

Time to call the federal Wage and Hourly Division of the Department of Labor. Thee are exceptions overtime for very small papers.

Yep, call the Dept. of Labor. A company just can't declare you a salaried employee on their whim. You either have to be supervising (I think), at least 2 people (which means doing employee evaluations, etc.) or you have to be a total independent in doing things (which, with your boss pulling his bull****, ain't happening). You're probably owed a nice chunk of change from the unpaid overtime, and you'll get your hours cut. Also see if one or more of your co-workers will join you. That'll get Labor off their ass pretty quickly.

And if they pull the "Deal with it," line, say, "I am going to deal with it, with a callto the Department of Labor." Whip out the tape recorder (but keep it running) to see their priceless faces.

Oh, and what you should do with your layout-tearing boss is nip that bull**** in the bud. Bring over some dummy sheets to him BEFORE you begin layout, have him lay out the entire thing, then go ahead and do it on the computer.

If he *******, tell him that since he's had such an issue with previous layouts, then he can do the layouts himself, which will get everyone on the same page (no pun intended) and avoid those midnight tear-ups. And if he refuses, or pulls a "It's your job, not mine" line, then tell him that you're only doing one layout, and he can stay 2 a.m. if he wants. And if he threatens to fire you, tell him you're going to the Dept. of Labor. (Tape record all this too).

Oh, and congrats to you and your wife.

 

[Stitch]

Here's a link to federal rules concerning exempt status for journalists. Since you are micromanaged, you probably would have to be paid hourly.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17q_journalists.htm

Newspapers with a circulation less than 4,000 are also exempt fom overtime rules.

 

[Drip]

No, actually. I'm the low man on the totem pole here. I'm just a Sports Reporter (though I've been given a fancy title of Assistant SE). It's a two-person sports staff, myself and the SE. I had prior SE experience before coming here and I don't know if that factored into it or not. Also, this paper is privately owned. It's not owned by one of the big boys like Heartland, Paxton, Gannett, etc. It's family owned and we do all of our printing here on location. I know that the press people are hourly, but all the reporters, editors, layout artists, and copyeditors are all salaried. I think it's just a policy.

Are you in the South?

 

[Hank_Scorpio]

At an earlier stop, I was a salaried employee at a 9K paper. We all were salaried, but they made us punch a time clock to keep track of our hours. In other words, they wanted to make sure we were putting in our 40.

Of course, the two-man sports shop that we were well over 40 during the school year.

Anyway, someone filed a complaint with the state labor board. I had already moved on to another paper, but another former employee told me the paper had lost the complaint and owed money.

Forget how much it was now, but it was at least a few hundred.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Here's a link to federal rules concerning exempt status for journalists. Since you are micromanaged, you probably would have to be paid hourly.

http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17q_journalists.htm

Newspapers with a circulation less than 4,000 are also exempt fom overtime rules.

True, but if the papers are a member of a group, then the total circulation is counted.

www.mopress.com/_lib/files/Overtime_for_Min.doc

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Oh, and one more piece of advice:

When your wife goes into labor at 3:30 in the morning, do NOT tell her, "Hold on for an hour."

Your wife and kid will be there a lot longer than this job.

 

[RockSolid]

Drip, yes I am in the South. PM me if you like and I'll tell you where I am.

Baron, I would never tell my wife to hang on for an hour for the job. The problem is that this job is about a 45-minute drive from where we live. That's why I would tell her to wait, so I can drive home and get her to the hospital. The reason why I took this job was because I was let go from a much closer paper and I needed work.