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Covid ‘Cabin Fever’ …
October 20, 2020
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It has been difficult coping this year; COVID-19, racial injustices, COVID-19, an election year, COVID-19, Zoom calls, COVID-19, protests, working from home, COVID-19, kids staying at home with virtual learning, and COVID-19. I bet you can relate to this gentlemen’s frustration with what’s really bothering him.
Air Talent: Thanks for emailing me back. Here’s the situation, the job I came here for at the beginning of the year is now being voice tracked from outside our market and they have moved me off middays to a position in the Traffic department. I know these are strange times with Covid, and I’m glad to have a job. But I would not have left where I was had I known this was going to happen.
Coach: I can understand that you are feeling like a fish out of water right now, but did this change affect your money?
Air Talent: No. I came here for $15,000 more than my last job, but this new position is not on the air and it’s not what I came here for. The sales manager here, he and I were roommates in college, that’s how I found out about this job. He just keeps telling me to sit tight.
Coach: My friend you are making $15,000 more than you did last year. I’m sure not being on the air is upsetting. But obviously the company realized you have marketable skills other than behind the mic. I would advise you to sink your teeth into the new position. But if you are unhappy, the simple solution is to leave.
Air Talent: I can’t leave. Sorry, I’m just frustrated.
Coach: I get that, but it doesn’t sound like you’ve considered where this new position might lead you in your career. Hey, stuff happens. Especially right now with the pandemic. Most times, when jobs are suddenly eliminated, it means you are out the door. However, in your case, they just slid you over and it didn’t affect your money.
Air Talent: Yeah, but I want to know what else is out there.
Coach: You need to stay where you are and learn. In case you haven’t noticed, the job climate in our industry has been in a flux.
Air Talent: I’m weighing my options
Coach: Really? Do you hear yourself? There are people trying to find jobs and, I might add, very qualified veterans, and you’re complaining. Think about it, instead of being furloughed or fired, they kept you in the company at a different job. You are not thinking clearly.
Air Talent: I guess I see your point. They did pay for our move here in January and they let my wife and I have a month to find a place to live. But I am trying to figure out my next move. This working from home with the Zoom meetings and getting things done through Microsoft Teams is tedious. Our company will not allow us to go back to the office. They’ve told us nothing will change until there is a breakthrough with Covid.
Coach: Look, I know you are disappointed, but take the time to learn the new gig. It also sounds like temporarily working from home is getting to you. I’ve talked to others having the same problem to different degrees. Do you have kids?
Air Talent: Yes, and both my son and daughter are doing the virtual learning thing with their schools. Neither one has had a chance to really get to know their classmates. Like I mentioned, we got here in January and the pandemic started changing things soon after that.
Coach: You are in the driver’s seat. Things will be fine, so get your head back in the game. I am not saying you shouldn’t always have your eye out for the next opportunity, but to try and make a move after having only been there less than a year is nuts. You’ve got Covid “cabin fever.”
Look, at some point between now and 2022 there will be a vaccine that has met every test. Once it’s available for all of us to take the shot, some sort of normalcy will start to return.
Air Talent: Yeah, I guess everything is getting to me. My wife pretty much has told me some of the same things you have.
Coach: I suggest you listen to her. A friend recently said to me “right now with COVID-19 there are two kinds of people --“unemployed and aggravated" and "employed and aggravated.”
Air Talent: I like that, it’s funny and true. I’ll listen to you and my wife and try and get relaxed with the situation. Thanks for letting me vent.
Coach: No problem and you’re welcome.
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