Admin Assistant: Dead End job at 24, should I cut my losses? [help] (collect, unemployed)

[s1alker]

Originally Posted by masmartbottom

My job is a dead end job. I work as a cashier, I make $9 an hour, and there is no room for advancement. I get a $.40 raise every year. That's a dead end job.

This kid is making decent money, I would probably trade with her and at least get my student loans paid off out of it.

I'm sure there are possibilities of moving up into a management role. Be lucky you're getting raises every year, even if it's just a COL raise. When I worked a dead-end big box store retail job there was a raise cap and after that you received a lump sum every year. I think the max pay was 14 bucks an hour. Of course at 7.25 an hour to start, it would take you many years to reach the top. Usually people quit or were fired by then.

[Scooby Snacks]

OP, I've been in your position before. My late mother gave me a few words of wisdom and one of the best things she ever told me was:

"Always shop around for a better job. Don't ever feel obligated to be loyal to your current company. You don't owe them anything. Because trust me, they aren't loyal to you."

That's especially important when you're at a dead-end job, especially in our current cutthroat job market where employers are only out for the best deal they can get in candidates. Look for something better. In the meantime, keep your chin up at your current job. If you do get something better, be sure and give 2 weeks notice and whatever you do, don't say anything bad about your current job to any another company you apply at. That reflects very badly upon you as a candidate.

[dazeddude8]

OP I feel your pain, I really do and I am going to say that baring finding a better job or a job more inclined to your interest, you should stick with the Admin assistant job. Do not quit the job without something lined up, you never know how long that unemployment period will last and as we know employment gaps are almost cancer like to any resume.

The way I see it:

1) The admin assistant is often the bottom rung of the office totem pole- a bottom rung that is increasingly difficult to get with all the "admin assistant, require 2-3 years of experience, must have experience in X"- so the fact that you have the job is a big plus.

2) To climb up that totem pole usually requires going back to school for a more marketable degree and or experience. While you may not have the most marketable degree for the office-YOU are gaining experience, you are miles ahead of people without experience who are trying to break into the admin assistant, mailroom clerk roles.

3) As sucky as the job is you have a better shot at the higher paying/more desirable office jobs than the person without experience and or a in-demand degree. You have a legitimate chance at the better office jobs than the history major with little work experience trying to get a job better than his cashier position at Shop rite, you have a better chance at landing the better office job than the English major working at Starbucks- stick with the job

[Nema98]

Point number four really jumped at me, yes apply for something more technical and keep this job until you are hired into a job you like. See as getting experience, not something for a lifetime. Don't bank on them one day giving you a promotion.

Seems you are aware or what is right for you, and your instincts are good.

Something technical, and where you can use your degree.

Good luck.

[strawberrykiki]

I'm an admin assistant for a financial company. I have a 4 year degree in communication studies. I will be honest with you - I had NO idea what I wanted to do when I was in college, so I pretty much just chose something at random to get the job done so I would have a degree. You must enjoy science to have chosen chemistry as your major? It's a pretty big leap to go from a science degree to being an admin assistant, so I can see why you're not happy.

Sometimes I wish I had aimed higher when I finished college and worked my way up to something beyond "admin assistant." However, for me I do enjoy my job. I make a good bit more money than you do and though sometimes I am the person who has to unjam the copier and do those little things no one else wants to do, on a day to day basis I feel my coworkers appreciate me and don't look at me as the office slave. My work is important too. If I didn't do the things I do for them, they wouldn't be able to do the things they need to do to keep the company making money.

It works for me, but if your passion is in the science field, then you are really selling yourself short not to pursue a job where you can do what you enjoy. You need to be proactive now in looking for something else because the more time goes by between you and that degree, the less likely you're ever going to actually use it. And regardless of all that, it sounds like you are not very appreciated. I like this field of work and I doubt I would be happy in the environment you described!

Good luck to you!

[melissa2018]

Wow, I never expected to get so many replies. People here gave me such excellent advice! It really was a pleasure to read the comments, and some of them made me feel a lot more confident. I'm really glad I came here, because I've posted on other places like reddit and everyone is insensitive. I'll try to reply to individual posts later, but I read them all and will be taking the advice to heart. It seems the overwhelming consensus is that I should leave.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Arcenal352

Generally, if you get a Graduate Degree to go with virtually ANY STEM degree, you'll be set. A Graduate degree such as an MBA or something in Project Management does wonders when paired with.

This is true, which is why I plan on getting one. Unfortunately too many people are pushing stem undergrad degrees too much .

[Mangokiwi]

Try to find work with a pharmaceutical company. Look at their websites and see what jobs you are qualified for. They always like people with Chemistry degrees.

[runswithscissors]

Originally Posted by melissa2018

It's not that I think I'm "too good" to be an admin assistant, it just isn't a good fit for my personality. I'm not a people person and I'm very moody.

Well I'm glad all the commiserating made you feel better. Here's MY take on it after working 30 years in the corporate environment and many many other jobs. And owning businesses.

I personally don't think a recent college grad with no experience or people skills or even INTEREST in developing people skills should EVER be hired as an admin assistant. How did you even get that job? Did you turn on the charm during the interview?

Yes you should leave and open up the job to someone who won't feel DEGRADED. Someone who will ENJOY making themselves indispensable and valuable. Someone who is willing to PROVE themselves or at least learn skills they are lacking. Someone who sincerely enjoys the feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day and proud to accept the PAYCHECK.

LOL I guess you have NO CLUE that the ADMIN is the MOST IMPORTANT PERSON in the realm of executives in major companies and totally indispensable. It's THEIR door you have to go through. AND they normally have the advanced knowledge of the company business and are also the confidant to the executive(s). As a Product Manager in my Fortune 10 company, I was pulled to work next to our business unit President for 6 months - who ended up being sentenced to 6 years in federal prison. Trust me when I tell you one night in a hotel two guys delivered an envelope for him, that I had the lawyer come up and open with me and found huge bribes in there. It was MY JOB to stop it THERE and not expose the guy to shenanigans.

When my boss was looking for an Executive Assistant he went to the Economics forecasting group and hired the smartest one they had with the best personality. They ALL had PhDs BTW. She never left his side for about 3 years straight. EVERY single meeting etc. She worked 24/7 365. His P&L was 5 BILLION dollars and this is in 1992. She was a integral part of the corporate strategies that he was developing and she was also his eyes and ears. PLENTY of upper management got the boot after she witnessed nonsense coming from them. Of course, she was a brilliant person and proved it daily. But PHOTOCOPYING was not beneath her either.

No, ADMIN is definitely NOT up your alley.

I've had a million jobs and some of the most menial taught me the most. IE overnight grocery store cashier

I have a dog walking/pet sitting company now and continue to learn from every single dog even after seven years.

This acceptance of your moody personality is going to be a liability no matter what "job" you have. Because you have zero experience in the workforce, you think just because you get a tech-ish job that you won't have to deal with people, bosses and challenges. And that somehow the environment will be more to your liking. And that people won't be condescending to a kid fresh out of college. And that you won't get all the crappy work for awhile and be closely supervised. Wrong. We won't even talk about your other tell tale signs of future challenges like saying your boss "scolds" you. And "thinking about being mean back". And you lamenting you have no power. Power? Based on what? Having finished college?

In fact, that's REALLY hilarious because the sector that you think you want is going to be ALL OTHER "non people persons" who are moody and prima donnas.

I.E. IT people. Definitely love their computers more than humans and are not afraid to prove it to you. Every day all day.

Like they say, "Wherever you go, there you are." You are in for a rough road learning this idiom.

You probably should go into the academia world, or work for the government where nobody really cares if anything gets done or NOT. And everyone thinks they're important and indispensable even if they do zero work all day long and accomplish nothing except to secure funding to keep their departments "busy" or build more country club gyms.

[Mangokiwi]

^^^ what a cynical post... YEESHHHHH

OP please don't think everyone is this mean and nasty! Some people will actually be willing to help you succeed at challenging yourself in your career.