Podcast Spotlight: And Then I Quit
And Then I Quit is a podcast that’ll make your blood boil, but in a cathartic way. Much like the first season of The Office (US) when it went hard on bad-boss vibes, ATIQ hits close to home for anyone who with experience working somewhere with a toxic work environment. While it’s not likely folks in the audience have experienced a competition-obsessed boss literally converting the entire office into one huge escape room, the themes found in each guest’s horror stories speak to universal bad job experiences. Listening feels like walking in on two friends having a particularly juicy conversation. You’re not in on it, but you’re lucky enough to get front-row seats to the train wreck.
There’s an almost retro feel to the podcast. The usual staples of contemporary shows are stripped away. There are no ad breaks, no bloated opening segments, just Carney introducing the show and her guest before transitioning to a lightly-edited conversation with some plugs at the end. It feels like discovering a podcast from the early 2010s when one could still find shows that existed purely for the sake of existing. And Then I Quit is a podcast about horrific jobs and that’s it.
We were fortunate to talk with creator Jessica Carney about the podcast, how they differentiate from other podcasts, and their future plans in podcasting. See below for our full Q&A.
DISCOVER PODS: How’d you get into podcasting?
CARNEY: I’m a nonfiction writer, and I’ve worked in the event planning industry for 13 years. I have a ton of crazy stories I’d like to put together in a book someday. In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to hear other people’s wild work stories and job quitting stories.
I’m also part of the generation that graduated right in the middle of the Great Recession and inevitably ended up in a lot of jobs that were less than ideal. In every job interview I had from 2008-2018, I was asked something along the lines of, “Are you okay with working a crazy number of hours?”
And I’d always say, “Yes, of course!” Like a lot of people in my generation, I’ve quit a lot of jobs.
DISCOVER PODS: In your own words, why should listeners tune in to And Then I Quit?
CARNEY: The podcast is a reminder that even the most frustrating work situations often become humorous with time. I touch on serious topics with guests, but most of the stories you’ll hear are funny. It provides a moment of levity, especially if you’re in a job you want to quit. (And after you do, get in touch!)
DISCOVER PODS: What kind of feedback have you heard from your listeners?
CARNEY: People have been very drawn to the episode with the funeral home driver, which is the one I was the most nervous to release. I think people really want to hear about what it’s like to quit unusual jobs. An upcoming episode will feature a story about someone who quit a job at an adult store, so I think that will intrigue people as well.
DISCOVER PODS: Describe your recording set up? What equipment are you using?
CARNEY: It’s nothing too fancy! I have a TONOR TC30 microphone on a swivel stand, and I wear headphones that I already owned. I did accidentally record an entire episode through my tinny webcam mic, which was not ideal. But I’m still learning!
DISCOVER PODS: What’s the biggest challenge you face as an indie podcaster?
CARNEY: I feel pretty confident in my interview skills because I’ve interviewed tons of people for written stories, but I’m still figuring out how to grow my podcast audience. I haven’t totally figured out how to find people who might be interested in the show.
DISCOVER PODS: Where do you want to take your podcast?
CARNEY: I’m going to take a short break after 9 or 10 episodes and decide if the format, intro, etc., are working. I’d like to hear from more people with odd jobs and from a wide variety of jobs.
DISCOVER PODS: What other podcasts are you listening to now?
CARNEY: I have a long list in the notes section on my phone of podcasts I’ve been meaning to listen to! One I’ve religiously listened to is “60 songs that explain the ’90s” because I love ’90s nostalgia, and the host has a particular type of self-deprecating humor that I really appreciate. I also recently connected with the host of Spill It podcast, and I’ll be a guest on an upcoming episode. We started our podcasts around the same time, and she interviews people about their career paths and asks them to share frank information about salaries, etc., which I think is great.
DISCOVER PODS: Anything else you’d like to add?
CARNEY: Anyone who is interested in being a guest on a future episode can fill out this form. You can find me on Twitter @JessC_writer and the show @AndThenIQuit.
Comments
Comments are closed.