Got myself into a sticky wicket

[Irishgirlyc58]

I retired at the end of December. I get a pension and SSA that more than covers my monthly expenses and normal maintenance/emergencies. I also have a 457b account that I don’t plan on using unless it becomes necessary.

So, my problem? I was offered a job making a lot of money on top of my pension. I’m single and this is the first time I have had what equates to 2 incomes.
The money is great. The job-I hate. I don’t like it at all. I also adapted to being retired really well. I like being able to do what I want during the week and not cramming everything in on the weekends. I’m tired of rushing around.
Maybe if I liked the work I would feel differently. But here I am in this spot of needing to either quit or figure this job out.
I feel guilty about leaving people high and dry but not enough to stay.
Any words of wisdom or kick in the pants you would like to say will actually be appreciated!

I think this is more of a PSA post- don’t be me. Once retired stay that way.

 

[ERD50]

I retired at the end of December. I get a pension and SSA that more than covers my monthly expenses and normal maintenance/emergencies. I also have a 457b account that I don’t plan on using unless it becomes necessary.

So, my problem? I was offered a job making a lot of money on top of my pension. I’m single and this is the first time I have had what equates to 2 incomes.
The money is great. The job-I hate. I don’t like it at all. I also adapted to being retired really well. ...

As the insightful John Prine wrote "A question ain't really a question, if you know the answer too".

Enjoy your retirement - that was your plan, stick to it.

-ERD50

 

[daylatedollarshort]

When companies have layoffs, they usually don't care about leaving employees high and dry with no notice. If it bothers you, give them a couple of months notice or offer to work part-time for awhile.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

You said you feel guilty. Thats the first thing I would work on.

If you dropped dead at work one day, they'd feel real bad about you for a day or two, begin training your replacement before the body was cold, and you'd be a distant memory in a week.

Don't feel guilty. Now decide to do whatever you wish.

 

[Romer]

I would think about why you said yes to the job, was it the fact of extra income? Did you have something in mind that extra income would be useful?

If you don't see the extra income being useful and you hate the job you could go talk to them and tell them it just isnt working out

You could try and work a compromise with less hours or leave all together

If you see a benefit for the extra income as it would let you do something later that would make you happy, then define how much time is needed to acquire the $$ amount that would enable your item and use that as a target

Again, I would go back and define why you said yes and look at the reasons to see how valid they are and go from there

 

[target2019]

Offer to train your replacement. Set a date. Go home that day and enjoy life.

 

[mystang52]

It's possible the very reason you hate the current position is because you don't have to w*rk. Give them 2 weeks notice, 4 if you really feel guilty, and then enjoy your well-earned retirement.

ETA: Guilt is nowhere in the equation. "Period, end of discussion."

 

[Dtail]

Offer to train your replacement. Set a date. Go home that day and enjoy life.

+1 don't want to develop into an OMY syndrome.

 

[Lewis Clark]

If you liked the job, that could be a reason to stay.

Since you hate the job, why even consider staying if you don't need the money? Perhaps you could ask to modify the job somehow if the change would allow you to like the job. If not, just tell the boss it is a bad fit and give notice.

 

[old medic]

I to just retired at the end of Dec, just a pension, no SS for at least 4-7 years.
I truely loved my job, and offered (begged) to come back PT with a nice raise. and so far I have said no, and don't see that changing.
You don't need to money, you dont like the job, and have you considered the fact being single, what your tax amount is going to be... Higher tax bracket, and more of your SS taxed??

I would give notice, and enjoy life.

 

[novaman]

Life is too short to spend your days working at a job you hate…. Especially since you don’t have to do it

 

[DayDreaming]

Offer to train your replacement. Set a date. Go home that day and enjoy life.

I was thinking the same thing. Be honest, tell them that you don't like the job and plan on quitting. Offer to help with the transition, and that should relieve your guilty feeling. But set a deadline too! Who knows - if they really want to keep you, maybe they can do something to make your job enjoyable.

 

[jollystomper]

Many of us overestimate our value to an organization. And we overthink what will happen if we decide to leave. Our ego gets wrapped up in the job. One early pearl of wisdom given to me by manager early in my career was "don't ever think this company will go belly up without you".

I doubt you will leave them "high and dry" especially if it is work you do not like. Let them know you are leaving, give them an appropriate lead notice, ask them what you can do to ease the transition, and go back to enjoying true retirement .

 

[target2019]

Since the company searched in december, they probably have other candidates available. Nothing to lose sleep over.

 

[statsman]

When companies have layoffs, they usually don't care about leaving employees high and dry with no notice. If it bothers you, give them a couple of months notice or offer to work part-time for awhile.

Yeah, I was shown the door after 30 years. So were hundreds more over a period of a decade. I wish I had the option to leave at a time of my own choosing.

 

[donheff]

No need to worry about the company, they won't worry about you. For me the question would be why I hate the job. If it was something inherent in the work that I didn't like, I would just quit. If it was something about the boss or the company culture that was making otherwise fun work a PITA, I would tell the boss fix it or I am gone. If the boss reacted badly, I would be out the door.

 

[Aerides]

Most employers don't want short timers. Whether you quit now or in a year, you'll quit sooner than they expect.

I recommend sooner, so they can adjust quickly (if that's your concern...it wouldn't be mine!)

But yeah, you know you want out, get out!

 

[Car-Guy]

When I retired the last thing I thought about was the company... I was making crazy money, I didn't "hate" the job, but I had more than enough. Within weeks I was offered another job which I didn't take. Never worked another day (for money) and my only regret is I should have retired earlier... But everyone is faced with a different situation so only you can decide.

 

[Chuckanut]

This my favorite cartoon from this site. It expresses my feelings very well.....

 

[38Chevy454]

At an old megacorp job, we had a saying: stick your hand in a bucket of water and pull it out, the hole left behind is how much you will be missed"


Talk to the mgr and say you want to leave. Work out a solution to help train your replacement, or stay longer than 2 weeks, go part-time for some period of time, or whatever can be worked out. Key point is be firm and have a final exit date that is sooner than later.

 

[Jerry1]

IMHO, the best thing to do now is discuss your situation with your boss/management and bow out as professionally as possible. They may show you the door, which would probably be your best case scenario, but don’t let it be some open ended plan like staying until the find a replacement. Set some limits and just be firm but professional about it. It didn’t work out. That’s life. You need to move on.

 

[DayDreaming]

What precipitated this problem? That is, why did you do back to work?
My guess is that you were pretty new to retirement and not entirely comfortable with your finances?

I was pretty nervous at the start of my retirement, partly because it was forced upon me (I was laid off) and I didn't feel prepared. As time went by I became much more comfortable with realizing just how financially secure I was. I've been retired over 10 years now and I would not go back to work for any amount of money. I guess I'm saying that if you're nervous about money, try to get a better handle on your finances, and if you are really financially secure, just get used to that fact, and enjoy your free time!

 

[Deej]

It's clear your mind is made up on what to do. If you don't like the work, why stress whether to stay and train or not. You don't need the cash or the recommendation. All they care about it getting the work done so let them worry about how to achieve that goal. Quit...live life as you intended post retirement.

 

[Irishgirlyc58]

Thank you for your comments everyone. I really appreciate them.
I worked all day and in between I was reading these.
I don’t have to worry about training anyone as I’ve only done this for 6 weeks and other people have been on this project for years.
It’s government although I am a contract employee. So, getting laid off without notice won’t happen.
The likelihood of someone coming in right behind me is high so I’m not worried about that.
It’s straight up the money and I worry that I’m giving up my chance to make a boatload of extra cash. I really don’t need it. So yeah. I’m quitting as of tomorrow.
Thanks for letting me talk this out. You all give such great advice.
And love the John Prine song. [emoji7]

 

[Badger]

I retired at the end of December. I get a pension and SSA that more than covers my monthly expenses and normal maintenance/emergencies. I also have a 457b account that I don’t plan on using unless it becomes necessary.

So, my problem? I was offered a job making a lot of money on top of my pension. I’m single and this is the first time I have had what equates to 2 incomes.
The money is great. The job-I hate. I don’t like it at all...

Isn't this why thousands of folks on this forum look forward to retirement and quit when they they hate their job and have enough (or more) money than they need to retire? Love the John Prine songs too. He was right. Sometimes we just need to be reminded.



Cheers!