Does everyone hate their job this much?

poncho33

So you graduated nearly a year ago? Got a full time job 3 months after graduation and think you are "underemployed"
Honey, you're fresh meat. In this economy you are competing with out of work adults who have more years work experience than you've probably been alive. A college education guarantees you nothing and so many people our age (I just turned 30 and am assuming you're under 30) ...so many people our age think a college degree should be the golden ticket and opportunities should be falling into your lap. I have a master's degree, graduated top honors, worked full time and paid my through school. And II work at a job where I probably will not elevate too far in the next couple of years. but I can pay my rent, i can buy food and enjoy my leisure time. I work from 8-10hrs and when i go home I talk a bit about my day, work out and forget about it. It can be depressing realizing that school is not all it takes. Try volunteering on the weekends in something you are passionate about. Since you are a valued employee, ask your manager if you can be cross-trained in other responsibilities. Take initiative. Nothing will be handed to you just because you are a college graduate. You may have to do jobs that you think are beneath you. I started out cleaning housing projects.....

Bingo!! Especially the part of being cross-trained!

xxthoroughbred

So you graduated nearly a year ago? Got a full time job 3 months after graduation and think you are "underemployed"
Honey, you're fresh meat. In this economy you are competing with out of work adults who have more years work experience than you've probably been alive. A college education guarantees you nothing and so many people our age (I just turned 30 and am assuming you're under 30) ...so many people our age think a college degree should be the golden ticket and opportunities should be falling into your lap. I have a master's degree, graduated top honors, worked full time and paid my through school. And II work at a job where I probably will not elevate too far in the next couple of years. but I can pay my rent, i can buy food and enjoy my leisure time. I work from 8-10hrs and when i go home I talk a bit about my day, work out and forget about it. It can be depressing realizing that school is not all it takes. Try volunteering on the weekends in something you are passionate about. Since you are a valued employee, ask your manager if you can be cross-trained in other responsibilities. Take initiative. Nothing will be handed to you just because you are a college graduate. You may have to do jobs that you think are beneath you. I started out cleaning housing projects.....

I have no problem taking jobs beneath me. I applied at Wendy's, for heaven's sake! When I tell management that I'm bored out of my mind and have plenty of bandwith to take on new tasks, they brush me off and say there's nothing I can do. I always think it's a bad sign until I get to my performance review, where they rave about me.

I work a very busy company who's main fault (as shown through employee surveys) is not allowing employees time/resources to train and build their skill set.

jharb2

you are in the wrong job and you probably had overestimated what an actual full time every day job can do for your life. Can you not get another job with all your accomplishments? Maybe in the wrong field. It will take years off your life if you stay at a job you hate. I'm an RN and have had good jobs and bad, but never hated coming to work.

Easywider

You need to smoke some weed. #realtalk.

CoolestNecessity

Hmm. Well, I have a few pieces of advice because I have been right where you are (but fortunately got laid off from the crap job I had).

1) Check out YNAB.com. It's the website for You Need a Budget. This program has completely changed me & my husband's lives. Please read through the program, and know that it is absolutely possible to implement the program without buying the software (although it is more difficult). I set up Mvelopes (which is free) like YNAB, but then I tried out the YNAB software on their free trial, and lo and behold a few weeks later the cost of the software suddenly was super important (and easy because of the program!) for me to come up with. I know this sounds like an infomercial, but I'm serious... YNAB WORKS.

2) It's good that you are having this experience because you are learning what you DON'T want. Write down all the things you don't like about your job. Now envision the perfect job, and write down all the things you DO want. Focus all your energy on what you do want, because positive energy attracts positive energy. I prayed and prayed for a way out of my old job, and started figuring out what I did want in a job. I ended up being the only person in my department that got laid off in a huge budget shortfall (I worked for the state), and was out of work (but on unemployment) from 3/5 - 6/28. It wasn't easy by any means. I went to the local temp agencies (which also handle temp to hire, and permanent positions) and got them looking for me too. It's free, and why not have a few more people TRYING to find me a job?! I'm currently in a temp-to-hire position that I LOVE, and am so grateful that I can truthfully say I'm really blessed I got laid off.

3) Don't give up hope, girl. It will get better, I promise! Take baby steps in the right direction, and you may not get to your destination as fast as you'd like to, but you WILL get there!!

If you ever need to talk, please don't hesitate to message me.

~Sheila

swordsmith

Not to be harsh but welcome to the real world.

It is not an employees market right now with unemployment at 8.1% or higher (the U-16 has it at well over 15%, irrc).

So you hate your job- welcome to most everyone else. Employers have gotten rid of the underperformers and only kept the bright ones in recent years. I have survived 5 layoffs because I work my *kitten* off but I also hate my job. But it pays the bills until I can get another one- and yes I have also applied to a ton of places and am even willing to relocate across the country.

I hold a masters, going through a doctorate and enough qualifications currently to toast a lot of people and my job is still not secure. And when I do put in for another job I am competing against people like me (or the unemployed who are willing to settle for far less then what I want)

Bite the bullet and grind through. You are not a special flower - everyone else left in the workplace is very similar to you or they would be gone by now.

Jtorres326

You seem to have a response for everything that seems to blame everyone else: management, the economy...etc.

Take a look at yourself and reassess where you want to be. If you are even applying at Wendy's then you probably have no focus and that comes through at interviews and in your resume. What percentage of your resume isn't comprised of your school accomplishments? that may need tweaking. If 80-90% of what you have on your resume are school related and school internships, you are going to be viewed as immature and inexperienced. Some of the best lessons I learned about myself came from working terrible bull**** jobs. I was an overachiever at school too. And once school was over, I didn't know how to define myself because I had been a student for so long. Really take a look a yourself, your ambition, where you want to be in 5 years. Write a plan for yourself, look into professional development and networking workshops where you are. Focus on the industry you want to be in, make contacts, pick their brains and see how they got there. You would be surprised how many people are willing to share this information.

xxthoroughbred

.

Dub_D

Just quit

xxthoroughbred

Hmm. Well, I have a few pieces of advice because I have been right where you are (but fortunately got laid off from the crap job I had).

1) Check out YNAB.com. It's the website for You Need a Budget. This program has completely changed me & my husband's lives. Please read through the program, and know that it is absolutely possible to implement the program without buying the software (although it is more difficult). I set up Mvelopes (which is free) like YNAB, but then I tried out the YNAB software on their free trial, and lo and behold a few weeks later the cost of the software suddenly was super important (and easy because of the program!) for me to come up with. I know this sounds like an infomercial, but I'm serious... YNAB WORKS.

2) It's good that you are having this experience because you are learning what you DON'T want. Write down all the things you don't like about your job. Now envision the perfect job, and write down all the things you DO want. Focus all your energy on what you do want, because positive energy attracts positive energy. I prayed and prayed for a way out of my old job, and started figuring out what I did want in a job. I ended up being the only person in my department that got laid off in a huge budget shortfall (I worked for the state), and was out of work (but on unemployment) from 3/5 - 6/28. It wasn't easy by any means. I went to the local temp agencies (which also handle temp to hire, and permanent positions) and got them looking for me too. It's free, and why not have a few more people TRYING to find me a job?! I'm currently in a temp-to-hire position that I LOVE, and am so grateful that I can truthfully say I'm really blessed I got laid off.

3) Don't give up hope, girl. It will get better, I promise! Take baby steps in the right direction, and you may not get to your destination as fast as you'd like to, but you WILL get there!!

If you ever need to talk, please don't hesitate to message me.

~Sheila

^^^^^ Thank you!!!

xxthoroughbred

You seem to have a response for everything that seems to blame everyone else: management, the economy...etc.

Take a look at yourself and reassess where you want to be. If you are even applying at Wendy's then you probably have no focus and that comes through at interviews and in your resume. What percentage of your resume isn't comprised of your school accomplishments? that may need tweaking. If 80-90% of what you have on your resume are school related and school internships, you are going to be viewed as immature and inexperienced. Some of the best lessons I learned about myself came from working terrible bull**** jobs. I was an overachiever at school too. And once school was over, I didn't know how to define myself because I had been a student for so long. Really take a look a yourself, your ambition, where you want to be in 5 years. Write a plan for yourself, look into professional development and networking workshops where you are. Focus on the industry you want to be in, make contacts, pick their brains and see how they got there. You would be surprised how many people are willing to share this information.

Wendy's was a desperate move so I could start paying my loans. I had previously worked at McDonald's during college so I figured the experience there would get me in the door to at least a small paycheck.

I'd say 80% of my resume is not school related. Like I said, I did 5 internships/jobs and have left a lot of school stuff off because I know most companies want mature employees. I've started taking my graduation date off of applications.

postrockandcats

I'm going to assume you're in your early 20s as you've not been out of school long. Very few people rocket ahead within the first year. If you've been denied advancement, ask why. Work for it. Just because you did well in college doesn't mean it will happen instantly in the workplace.

I suggest finding a way to deal with your stress because you're going to crash and burn at this rate.

krissagray

Wow, you guys aren't being very supportive. I would say try to look in other states if you can move or other types of jobs. NO, people usually are not that unhappy with their job. Find a new one. Even lifting weights doesn't help that kind of stress.

Thank you! I was reading these replies thinking, "Is this supposed to help?" Edit, I had only read half of the responses. I didnt see page two. Glad to see some more supportive answers.

I am so sorry you are unhappy with your career. I am sure it is super stressful. For a while, I would wake up and WANT to cry about going into work. I was a telemetry nurse and it was scary. Nursing is a stressful career and I felt overwhelmed most of my day. (this is part of the reason I gained 20 lbs. I ate to feel better.) I guess the advice of lifting heavy is good, partially. I did that too. Got super strong...and fat. Lol. I ate like a cow on top of lifting heavy so really, that is partially good advice. The problem here isnt going to be fixed with your nutrition of weights. It will take a big change. I had to take a different position, now an ER nurse, and I am very happy. So I am not sure what it will take for you but wanted to share that I also thought the advice on here has been **** so far.

PLUMSGRL

Try : indeed.com

MadeOfMagic

When I worked as a waitress, my life was miserable, I was under paid and taken advantage of,every moment I spent there I wanted my life to just end; I kelp looking for a better job in the field I went to school for, but no one was hiring. I came home crying all the time, my bf didn't have a job either, so I was feeding two mouths, and I made $100 less than my rent was, lets just say I lost a lot weight and got sick all the time.

I started giving lessons for Illustrator/Photoshop and put an add on craigslist/apartment building/school billboards, and the first lady I gave a lesson too hooked me up with her old job as assistant designer, I love my current job, I love everything about it and my boss', and even when it's super stressful it doesn't get to me like it did with my old job, not eve close. I used to get terrible panic attacks/anxiety with my old job (just like you), now I very rarely get them, and usually nothing work related.

I had a friend in same field, but with much different situation and not so nice of coworkers/environment (and he had to put in much longer hours than I did for the same pay), I got lucky because I actually love the people I work for and with, it makes a huge difference; and at my new job I am really appreciated, they have given me raises even thought no one else has gotten any in years!

Maybe it's time for you to find a new job, maybe same field, just different environment, just start looking, and you never know when something better will come around., but don't give up hope, it tooks me almost 2 years to get my dream job, but I did everything I could, I re-did my entire porfolio and resume. Also if you think you deserve to get paid more based on the work you do, than maybe it's time to ask for a raise, getting paid more definitely helps with reducing the stress. I asked for a raise after just 6 months working at my new job, but I new I proved myself more valuable than they and I expected.

Also since you are a translator, why don't you make a nice add and put it on craigslist, offer teaching the language you know. Or do a flyer and post on school campuses and such. You can charge $20-40/hr. I charged $25-35/hr for illustrator lessons (the longer the lesson the cheaper it got per hour), I made over $100 in just 3 hours, best part is you set the time and date that you can do it, it's flexible, and you can meet at coffee places or library for lessons.

philOHIO

Sometimes it takes 10-15 years of hard work before a promotion. Don't like it? Start sending out resumes. It pays to be interactive with professional organizations... contacts. Most of us just count the days until retirement, if it's even possible.

Seriousmom3

I don't have much to offer in advise about your job, but as far as cheep hobby's, nothing is more cheep than reading. Check out books from a library if you can't afford to by them second hand. I suggest Christopher Moore. He is hilarious. Check out of your life for a few hours a day by jumping into a book, at least, that is what I do.

joecollins9385

omg that sucks. luckily i love my job. i work on cars. i pretty much set my own hours when we arent busy or work on my own car (which i am getting ready to paint ) i wake up everyday happy to go to work where i make good money and its not too hard. and every wreck is different so each new car presents a unique challenge to repair it.

my advice to you is to stop looking for a job, figure out what you like to do and get paid to do that. life is much better that way

wareagle8706

I really don't get this... what did you graduate in with all those awards that only makes you eligible for a secretary position?

xxthoroughbred

I really don't get this... what did you graduate in with all those awards that only makes you eligible for a secretary position?

B.A. in English/Creative Writing & Business with a certificate in Management.

ETA: Awards ranged from leadership awards to research awards.

kjm3579

A recent survey showed that approximately 50% of recent college graduates are getting jobs that only require high school education, so they could have skipped college and worked for four years making money instead of spending it.

Another survey showed that a college graduate will make about 100,000 dollars more in their lifetime than a high school graduate. However, many colleges cost over 100,000 for four years to get the degree so you have already lost ground at that point let alone the lost earnings due to sitting in class for four years.

A large legal firm in the building where I work has been hiring attorneys on a contract only basis for research. They have no staff positions available and there is a glut of attorneys graduating from school and passing the bar. They pay these people to sit all day doing research and we see them in the building from 5 am to 11 pm and often they are in 7 days a week -- I'm told that if an attorney is hired they can expect to receive a salary of about $50,000/yr. without any real chance of increases.

My point being that if you really want to go into something that requires college then go for it even if you have to start your own company to create a position for yourself, but many people are spending a lot of time and money and not getting results that would make that time and money worth it.

persephone87

So you've had this job for 9 months?

No, over a year.

So less than two. Two years doing a "boring" job has you crying in the bathroom? :indifferent:

I worked somewhere for 3 months and I was crying in the bathroom I hated it that much. It was boring the people were terrible I used to dread going in on a daily basis to the point I made myself physically ill with the stress of going there. I did also have a stalking psychopath of an ex bf after me but either way It's not healthy to be in that sort of environment and people just don't understand work place stress.

I agree that it is the economy I graduated last year with a pointless degree (psychology I can't work in it until I get an MA and I need experience to get an MA which I cant get without experience?!) 3 of my fellow graduates getting a 2:1 (good degree) one works in a care home, one works in a petrol station and the other works in PC World.

So unless you do what I did and get signed off on sickness (which might go against you in the future) theres not a lot else you can do, are you applying for jobs within your education level, I applied for a call centre but they basically said I'm over qualified, would get bored and they gave it to someone else make sure your applying for jobs at your level or slightly above. Could you do another intern ship? Possible go back to study and get better qualifications to do something which isn't boring or stressful?

Good luck in whatever you do though

hillm12345

I can't speak to the hating your job part.. I love my job.

however, if anything is causing you that much stress, you either A) need better stress management or a new job, or C) get over it.

side note: I'm struggling to see how you spent so much time getting a degree that when put to use is causing you this much stress.. unless of course you're not actually using your degree.

wareagle8706

I really don't get this... what did you graduate in with all those awards that only makes you eligible for a secretary position?

B.A. in English/Creative Writing & Business with a certificate in Management.

ETA: Awards ranged from leadership awards to research awards.

OOOOHHhhhh. Ok. Makes sense. No offense. So what were you planning to do with your degree once you graduated? Writer, English teacher?

Sh0ewh0re7_BlingItOn

Honestly, it sounds like you're used to being a special little snow flake for being the best at everything and what bothers you that you're not getting that recognition anymore.

Part of having a job and moving up within a company is paying your dues and showing some character in the process. That means sometimes you have to put up with the less desirable duties and not whine about it. You haven't been at this job long -- if you don't like it -- keep looking but don't complain because there are at least 700 people who WANT your job and wouldn't whine about not getting promotions within their first year.

Also, yes: LOTS OF PEOPLE HATE THEIR JOBS.

:drinker: high five...took the words right outta my mouth.

jennifleurb

700 positions??
What sorts of jobs are they?
I think you need to focus on a specific job, not send out so many cv's and use some of the follow up techniques they write about on life hacker.

Perhaps move area?

Threaten to quit?

Quit, and move area.

Sounds like you need to change something, and sharpish

This.

dsmboy1991

I'm 29 and hated every job I had prior to the one I have now (at current job for over a year) but I powered thu. It's all about learning experience and using each job as stepping stone. Keep doing what you're doing and plugging away. It will get better, trust me.

xxthoroughbred

I really don't get this... what did you graduate in with all those awards that only makes you eligible for a secretary position?

B.A. in English/Creative Writing & Business with a certificate in Management.

ETA: Awards ranged from leadership awards to research awards.

OOOOHHhhhh. Ok. Makes sense. No offense. So what were you planning to do with your degree once you graduated? Writer, English teacher?

I love when everyone thinks English is a bull**** major. I know several who are making six figures. I've applied to anything from account management to marketing communications.

corn63

Someone sounds a bit entitled.

hippiechel

sorry but i don't think most people who replied to your post understands where you're coming from. i am trying to refrain from saying anything bad about them but seriously.. wtf. you probably have more skills and talent than most of them. i WILL NOT be waiting 10-15 years for a promotion. it might take some time to find what you like, but if you haven't found it, keep looking.

nobody should blame the economy. i understand it makes it hard but it just means you try harder. if you're trying too hard, you're not doing the right thing. you have to be smart about it too.

i understand the frustrations of being busy but bored and incredibly stressed. you're underemployed and you need something more challenging.

i also think you need to relax a bit. you are burning out. i added you in case you would like a friend!