Published on 12, July, 2020
Hi everyone, (sorry for my spelling)
I've been in this sales job for 3 years. Never really enjoyed it, infact it has caused me intense stress and anxiety which I beleive hasn't helped my drepession.
I'm newly diagnosed, my employers are patient and try being supportive. I have a fience who is in a stable job and pays most of the bills.
I want out of my current job. My diagnosis has validated/clarified a sizable amount of my negative experiences with the noise, changable rules, loose ethics and the relentless drive for better statistics. It's over stimulating and maddening. On bad days I cry in the office then have to go home because I feel safer there.
I've heard of PIP, although it sounds like an obtuse and intimidating process.
I beleive I'm eligable for Job Seekers Allowance, but a rule of their is that if you quit your job without good reason, you will have less financial support the first 3 months.
My partner can't support us both.
Is mental health a just reason to quit and would JS accept that?
Any financial/mental health advice for a next step?
Also I did actually mean all of that sinserly and I'm genuinely apriciative of your input. Just incase it read too dry or something aa that wasn't my intention.
I see what you mean Joe. It's why I've become part-time. Problem is after a bad day I'm that burn out, I get home and pass out for 2 hours. I've kept job hunting on good days but they are fleeting and inconsistant. I do fear being unemployed for any strech of time because I've had stints like that lasting 8/9 months before which twisted me up in a whole new way. I really don't wanna repeat but I'm very sensitive to this role it seems.
Thank you for the confidence/optimism mind, you're right, it's the corporate game we gotta play.
Hi Ian, sorry for the confusion, I did mean Personal Indipence Payment. But it's true I've also been on a Development Plan at work due to not meeting the statistics anymore. I appreciate this input as I've heard rumours of another campaign in the building may be less stressful. Hopefully.
Makes sense. Thank you Peter :)
Joe said:Good luck and don't let the ..... erm people.... get you down!
Those bar stewards are a nasty bunch!
PIP is also Personal Independence Payment which is a benefit type, so I think possibly that was meant.If you can Maggie, look for a job whilst you have one, that will be exhausting yes, but make plans for how you can jump ship/exit, update your CV, look at the skills you have and which ones might be job transferrable. One job before I left, I took a week off and did a course to try and get some extra stuff to put on my CV. It's a cliche but probably true that it's easier to find a job when you've already got one.
Good luck and don't let the ..... erm people.... get you down!
Maggie said:I've heard of PIP, although it sounds like an obtuse and intimidating process.
Do you mean a Personal Improvement Plan - that is a process where the employer helps you become more like the employee they want you to be with measured steps / goals with someone overseeing the process.
It will help you talk the talk and maybe walk the walk, but won't do much for your stress levels.
My advice is to see if you can move sideways to an admin job for now while you find out what you really want to do.
Maybe speak to your line manager and tell them you are struggling and would like to find out if there are any other roles in the company they thing you would fit well with. If you are likelt to leave then there is nothing to lose here.
Sales is much the same the world over - you have to convince people to part with their cash and this is a hard ask of any autist.
If you really can't take it any more, ask you company to sack you - you can agree with them to do it "with cause" if you cannot complete your PIP or are not making targets. If you agree in writing not to contest it they should be happy to let you go as it costs them nothing and gets rid of an underperforming sales minion.
Then you can claim unemployment benefit - don't be afraid to raise this with them if you ask to be sacked. Chances are they will agree to it.
Being made redundant is probably not going to happen as it often costs them quite a lot of money and admin. Even if you have only been there for a few years and they don't have to pay you, there is always a lot of paperwork and procedure to be followed.
Short term, start working out what you would like to do as a career. We can give more targetted advice if you can share your interests and the main autistic traits that cause you problems.
Generally speaking I think you would have to be signed off of work by your doctor for them to accept that you left for medical reasons, either that or you get sacked (made redundant)