What to do when you hate your job…
Dear 20 somethings,
Generally, it is not ideal and I would not advise anyone to publicly post how much they despise their employer, co-workers, managers, or anyone in any type of position to terminate. And you shouldn’t. However, for the sake of the people who actually read my blog and who actually do hate their jobs, this is a little coping vibe that I have come up with in an attempt to get you by just a little bit longer, offer you some type of peace of mind, as well as some resources for some people out there who, like me are lost after college or in grad school trying to make it work until they graduate (which by the way still is not guaranteed “to work”).
We have all in school or not in school at some point had to work jobs that we hated either when we first started or later on. The point is now, you hate it and you’re stuck in survival mode. You want to quit so bad, but you can’t because your livelihood is based on the income that you get for this God-forsaken job. You HAVE to stay because if you don’t there are worse things that can happen than going in and dealing with your bitchy supervisor or co-workers. For instance, losing your car because you can’t make the payments, losing your apartment/house because you can’t pay rent, and/or dying of starvation because you cannot feed yourself because you have no money. Of course, these are all extreme situations and there is a humor aspect to it, but all possible. Realistically speaking, it comes down to working the job until you don’t have to or quit and figure it out, but be prepared to turn up the notch on your survival mode because it WILL get rough. If you decide to continue to work the job here are some tips to help you get by.
Tip #1: Be overactive in looking for jobs. I know that this tip seems obvious, but I mean filling excessive amounts of applications out a day. So much so, you get annoyed with it. You have to look at it like you weren’t chosen for the position you applied for, even if you don’t know. It’s best to have more, than less, it gives options.
Tip #2: Perfect your craft. If you’re a writer, musician, comedian, hairdresser, chef, make sure that you’re preparing yourself for the long haul. You should work on your skillset and toward something that you actually want to do that could be your way out. This tip is so important because skills like these can turn into entrepreneurship endeavors and you won’t have to work for anyone at some point.
Tip #3: Save your money. There’s a really good chance that you could decide that you’ve had enough and there is no way that you can go back to work and do another shift. You have to quit or you get fired you need to have a safety net that can hold you up until you get a call back from another job.
Tip #4: Ask yourself what your options are. My mom used to always say “there is nothing like a piece of mind.” Sometimes, to some people, it is not worth dealing with the people or the job that’s making you miserable. And to some people sticking it out until they have more options is what they choose. And that’s fine too. You need to assess what the possibilities are. I am not suggesting anyone be irresponsible, but take a look before you make any impulsive decisions.
Tip #5: Mentally prepare yourself before going in. I tell myself before every shift “Kourtney, this is only temporary and you don’t have long, go in and work your shift, and go home.” If I need to say a prayer I say a prayer. Whatever I need to do prepare to walk into the bull shit is what I do.
We all know how to get on google and job search and the jobs that pop up are usually the ones in our area. Also, if you have a Linkedin account some of the opportunities that pop up are ones in your area, try changing the location of the city that you “live in" (shoutout to my cousin in Chicago for this hack). A lot of companies are hiring people to work remotely, or maybe you’re looking to relocate, either way, this is a great hack. For all my creatives out there who have a hard time finding work as freelance artists, there are is a website called Artisan Talent, which is a staffing agency specifically for talented creative people. They have locations in several cities and if your city is not listed there remote opportunities that may show as one of the results. Creative Circle is a recruiting and consulting company.
I am 24 years old and I have worked the same job since I’ve been in high school and it has helped me get through college and getting through grad school. However, I hate it. It is time for me to move on and I can’t wait to do it, but until I do these are some of the things that I am doing to help myself cope. Good luck to you 20 somethings! K. Love you. bye.
