Making a choice

[Gilzu]

In about two hours, I'm about to go to my boss and tell him I don't want to work for him anymore.

for those of you who doesn't know, 2 years ago I started to work for an ISP company so i'll be able to fund my next game after my first didn't go so well. I made progress in my work, earned a promotion(s) and started living on my own, have a car - all the luxeries (sp?) of a daytime job.

Then, after reviewing the varius "Goals for 2006" threads, I felt I missed something. While i have the nice progress in having a dayjob, the dayjob missed its point - to fuel my Indie carrer. Each day I have less and less time to develop my game, and the carrer seems to become at ISP rather than Gaming industry.

Therefore, thanks to you people reminding me, I'm going to do whats right and get back to my real goal I set in my life.

One reason I'm writing this here is to make sure I'll do the act and not chicken out. My boss have a history of preserving overqualified personnel with guilt emotions and other cruel tecniques. I wrote a letter to personnel first just to make sure I wont bail out before going into his office and give a two weeks notice. probably going to feel like cr*p all day because of him.

Wish me luck.

[JPGinLA]

Good luck.

[z3lda]

Goodluck. You know what's best for yourself.

On a funny side note....this reminded me of japanese mass suicides. This might start a trend where indies all group up and mass quit on the same day?

Ok maybe not that funny and a bit in bad taste..

[Anthony Flack]

Good luck.

Although to be honest, I can't really see how having a day job is that much of a barrier... unless you have kids. If you have kids, then I understand you not having much time or energy. If you don't have kids, then you probably have a lot more spare time and energy than you realise!

[arcadetown]

Yup good luck and be sure to let us know how it went. Chicken for dinner eh?

Crap I was always too fast at old jobs and bored to tears with nothing to do. Thank goodness had the site to work during the dark ages of working fooltime. I'd do it now but my slave driver boss sees and here's all... what's that? Get off that danged IG forum?!

[cliffski]

best of luck, I left very recently myself. Its the best thing you can do. Don't let them talk you into staying. even if they offer more money, its blatant that they should have paid you that before you quit

[Jack Norton]

best of luck, I left very recently myself. Its the best thing you can do. Don't let them talk you into staying. even if they offer more money, its blatant that they should have paid you that before you quit

Heh that's one of the most funny things that happens.
I left 2 daily jobs before: in both cases, the day before I announced my intention to leave, they couldn't care less about me: then suddenly they rushed to phone to every influent person to try raise my salary even of 50% (that's what I asked in both cases) and keep me there.
Too fun, such attitude makes you think you were fooled for all those years

[Gilzu]

There I was, giving my letter of resignation to personnel and doing that long walk to the boss.

I expected all kind of things. Heck, I heard those who quitted before me (but for other jobs) about the yelling, emotional extorsions and those painful disappointing looks.

So I go in, give him the letter and ask him to read before he react. He asks If I'm quitting, and I just nod. Apperantly the bastard knew, and even expected it! he said he didn't know for how long he could keep someone so overqualified and wished me good luck on my way. As if he almost said "What took you so long?!?!?!"

Jeez, what did took me so long. The fact that he expected it just reassured me that i'm making the right decision.

humph.

[luggage]

Maybe he reads Indiegamer?

Does it feel like a weight off your shoulders?

[Grey Alien]

Good luck with it all. I've been a boss of a business software firm for many years, and you normally know weeks in advance if someone is thinking about quitting. Normally their whole outlook changes.

[Indiepath.T]

Feel good about it! I hate quitting jobs but it's always worthwhile

It's a bit hard to hand my resignation to myself so I think I'll have to stick at this one a bit longer

[ninjasamurai]

Glad you managed to quit with no problem, when I decided to quit my day job my boss had such a control over me that it took 11 months til they finally let me go, I spent from aug-03 to jul-04 "trying to quit".

Welcome to the fulltimers club!

[Sysiphus]

Although to be honest, I can't really see how having a day job is that much of a barrier

It depends on the job kind, I guess. Mine is a real barrier, mostly as is also games, but from a much uglier persective, and a lot of extra hours, no time to 'get bored'...

Much good luck, imho you took the much better road. Take it with all strenght, and mostly , enjoy it !

[Darth Nader]

Best of luck to you Gilzu...

I take it you planned out your finances now that you are sans paycheck? DO you plan to get a part time job or something less taxing on your availability? I started working part time (evening and overnight) and doing freelance work, and while money is tight at times, it dfoes give me the time I need, and I'm hoping to make this the last year for our project.

Hope you won't have to tighten you belt too much

[Ricardo Vladimiro]

Good luck to you. I bet it was a tough cookie. Hang in there, and good luck.

[Gilzu]

I take it you planned out your finances now that you are sans paycheck? DO you plan to get a part time job or something less taxing on your availability? I started working part time (evening and overnight) and doing freelance work, and while money is tight at times, it dfoes give me the time I need, and I'm hoping to make this the last year for our project.

Well, I started working as a part timer to fund my game and it became a full time job. I still have a nice project or two to design&program websites with their databases - all take about 8 hours a week and give me some pocket money to hang on.

Although to be honest, I can't really see how having a day job is that much of a barrier...

It depends most on what kind of job and how devoted you are. I honestly couldn't do a 8-9 hour daytime work in front of the computer, and then come back home and devote another 4-5 hours on developing a game.

[Savant]

I honestly couldn't do a 8-9 hour daytime work in front of the computer, and then come back home and devote another 4-5 hours on developing a game.

Well, there's "I don't want to do that" and "I can't do that". Lots of people do that very thing.

[simonh]

Good luck! I quit my job again two days ago. Second time now.

Of course it is possible to combine a full-time job and produce a game, but I would rather do one or the other. Game development takes long enough at the best of times, and a full-time job just drags things out too much.

[Anthony Flack]

Well, there's "I don't want to do that" and "I can't do that". Lots of people do that very thing.

Yes. I'm coming at it from a position of working a fairly high-pressure day job, an occasional night job, and looking after a two-year-old daughter, and I think if I didn't have to look after the girl at night, I'd be able to manage the game stuff pretty well (I can barely remember what it was like to have the weekends free). Having said that, I can't blame you for wanting things to be better. But living the way I do now has shown me that all kinds of things are possible if you're determined.

[Fabio]

Goodluck. You know what's best for yourself.

On a funny side note....this reminded me of japanese mass suicides. This might start a trend where indies all group up and mass quit on the same day?

Ok maybe not that funny and a bit in bad taste..

NO!!! THE WORLD ECONOMY WOULD TURN INTO UNPRECEDENTED CRISIS!!



Speaking seriously, I wish the OT best luck but I also encourage him. I've been in a similar situation (my boss fired all of us, to found a new company (while the previous one was very healthy anyway, but not as much as to peace his greed (a man of church by the way)) and hire only few of us back. While I was at the top of his "needs", he knew I've a little daughter and wanted to use this fact to blackmail me once more, give very low wage, etc.. I refused his new offer and "any other he would do to hire me" now he's beggin me on his knees to make some program for him anyway, as an external company, otherwise (I know) all his past investments will go to hell (where he should follow, if a hell existed). I have no hurry, and I may finish part of those programs I was developing at the time, but that'll cost him his soul in Euros, believe me but in the while I'm Indieing which is more interesting to me O:-D ).

So, to the OT and all: use your brain*, they're there for something after all.

*Really, keep only the 1st and the 3rd letters, then add two "l"s and a "s", and that's what I really meant.

[Fabio]

Good luck with it all. I've been a boss of a business software firm for many years, and you normally know weeks in advance if someone is thinking about quitting. Normally their whole outlook changes.

So you are the enemy inflitrated here!!

[Fabio]

Glad you managed to quit with no problem, when I decided to quit my day job my boss had such a control over me that it took 11 months til they finally let me go, I spent from aug-03 to jul-04 "trying to quit".

Did he have a katana?

[Grey Alien]

Fabio. I'm not the boss anymore (by choice), I'm a contractor which is lots easier and less hassle.

[ninjasamurai]

Did he have a katana?

Well, did I ever mention i'm an autistic being, i guess that had a lot to do...