Do you hate your job? Why? What's keeping you there? Do you have an exit strategy? (job hunting, applying)

[Z3N1TH 0N3]

Nothing like a good vent session. I'll start.

Yes, I hate my job.

I hate it for several reasons:

***I'm not challenged and I'm pretty sure this is a dead end job. In fairness to my employer, I think I came in with way more ambition and expectations than they figured. They probably figured the learning curve would be higher as well, but it really wasn't.

***I'm not learning any new skills, hence I feel like it's pushing my career back. Also, I really don't know which (technical) skills are useful in this industry. Most tasks seem to rely on people skills and some critical thinking skills. I'm pretty good in all those areas, so what else is there?

***According to pretty much every source I've looked at, I'm grossly underpaid in terms of base salary (not including benefits).

***Upper management does not communicate well with us. I've requested several meetings, and have yet to hear back from good ole mgmt.

What's keeping me here you ask? Part of it's lack of motivation (with a hint of laziness), but as each miserable day passes, my motivation is growing. I have done some job hunting here and there, but the responses have been extremely discouraging. Not one single interview. The industry that I happened to land in seems to downright suck as far as jobs go. And due to my own ignorance, I don't really know what else there is for me. I mean, I know what I want to do, but due to the advice/criticisms I've received on here, I hardly feel that I'm qualified since I don't necessarily have a lot of formal training in that area (I've learned a lot on my own).

My plan is to leave this job, leave this region, and go back home to live with my parents temporarily. Once there, I intend on going back to school for a more technical field where I know that I'll be challenged on most days. I don't even care so much about the money aspect. As long as it's a fair, market wage, that's fine. I just want to be challenged, especially if I'm devoting 40+ hours a week to a company.

[jen5276]

I am with you. I am currently going on interviews and praying something better comes along.

All you can do in life is try to better yourself. I've never stayed at a job too long when I've been unhappy. Usually when you wake up in the morning and dread going in, it's time to go.

[wannabav8r]

What type of technical field were you thinking about? I am almost in the exact situation with my job. It is not challenging, its a dead end, and there is no other career I could even transfer it too? I already have a bachelors in business but that hasn't gotten me anywhere. I know I need to go back to school.

[Z3N1TH 0N3]

Originally Posted by wannabav8r

What type of technical field were you thinking about? I am almost in the exact situation with my job. It is not challenging, its a dead end, and there is no other career I could even transfer it too? I already have a bachelors in business but that hasn't gotten me anywhere. I know I need to go back to school.

I'm thinking about going back to my original major choice: computer science. I regretfully dropped this major after a couple years in college because I was advised that the industry was going by the wayside. It's either computer science, or some field in engineering. I feel those are the only fields where I would be challenged on a regular basis, and the pay doesn't seem bad either.

BTW, I'm currently in Supply Chain Management. For anyone looking into this field, it's dead. There is very little entry-level management, and hardly any mid-level management. When there is even a job posting listed in this field, it's usually either for a minimum wage warehouse worker or someone with 10+ years of experience. Nothing in the middle.

[MSchemist80]

Same deal here. I had a passion and enthusiasm for science throughout elementary and high school. I majored in it in college and even got an MS.

Now I work as a dead end 1099 temp without benefits making less than most blue collar folks. The company constantly shoves in our face we are contractors and offers no raises nor professional development. They constantly promote themselves as one of the most ethical companies. I just hate them and my whole field with an unbelievable furor. Science just feels like a very abusive spouse and I can't remember anymore why I ever loved it.

We just had 3 permatemps quit this week to leave the field. It will cause a disruption in operations but the retarded company doesn't care.

The only thing keeping me here is that most of the other companies are just as bad or even worse offering $10-$15 per hour permatemp. The few companies that don't do permatemps end up having their pick of hundreds of applicants some laid off from pharma with decades of experience. I have had no luck applying for jobs in other fields. The only exit strategy I have been able to come up with is to get a MS Accounting and get science out of my life and my family's life forever.

[NYChris]

Originally Posted by Z3N1TH 0N3

Nothing like a good vent session. I'll start.

Yes, I hate my job.

I hate it for several reasons:

***I'm not challenged and I'm pretty sure this is a dead end job. In fairness to my employer, I think I came in with way more ambition and expectations than they figured. They probably figured the learning curve would be higher as well, but it really wasn't.

***I'm not learning any new skills, hence I feel like it's pushing my career back. Also, I really don't know which (technical) skills are useful in this industry. Most tasks seem to rely on people skills and some critical thinking skills. I'm pretty good in all those areas, so what else is there?

***According to pretty much every source I've looked at, I'm grossly underpaid in terms of base salary (not including benefits).

***Upper management does not communicate well with us. I've requested several meetings, and have yet to hear back from good ole mgmt.

What's keeping me here you ask? Part of it's lack of motivation (with a hint of laziness), but as each miserable day passes, my motivation is growing. I have done some job hunting here and there, but the responses have been extremely discouraging. Not one single interview. The industry that I happened to land in seems to downright suck as far as jobs go. And due to my own ignorance, I don't really know what else there is for me. I mean, I know what I want to do, but due to the advice/criticisms I've received on here, I hardly feel that I'm qualified since I don't necessarily have a lot of formal training in that area (I've learned a lot on my own).

My plan is to leave this job, leave this region, and go back home to live with my parents temporarily. Once there, I intend on going back to school for a more technical field where I know that I'll be challenged on most days. I don't even care so much about the money aspect. As long as it's a fair, market wage, that's fine. I just want to be challenged, especially if I'm devoting 40+ hours a week to a company.

Omg your situation is a mirror of mine exactly . I can't wait to get home and elaborate on this . Would now but to much complaining on my end for a cell phone keyboard , lol.

[student_101]

I hate mine too. I only stay because I have a family to feed and it has good perks. I probably could have moved up in the company, but just wanted to do my job and go home. Now, the industry is in a panic, and I can't get out fast enough. In a few weeks I find out if my voluntary layoff is approved and that's my exit strategy.

[jasper12]

I don't know if I hate my job, but I do loathe my co-workers, which in turn makes a job much more difficult. I am nailed here, I have kids in college. If I could quit tomorrow, I would in a heart beat. I have bills to pay, and won't earn more or anywhere near my salary any place else. I am stuck.

The funny thing is, I had a burger for lunch today, and everyone working there was so happy. They were having a great time, cooking fries and burgers. I remember 30 years ago, I had a job like that, and loved it...then, I grew up, went to college, got a student loan, and am nailed. I wish I was making fries again.

[coolcats]

I don't hate my job most days. But I don't love it either. I've yet to find that job that I can't wait to go to each day.

[CarolVa1977]

I do not hate it and I am aware I make a lot of money. But somedays is so boring. Maybe I need a mOre challenging job