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I hate my job
How to deal with employment hell.
At one time or another, most people have been in a job that they disliked or even hated. It’s no fun and can be very stressful. It’s really hard to go and do something that you hate five days a week and it can become quite depressing. It may also lead to you feeling angry, hard done by and just generally pissed off.
Reasons for hating your job:
There may be a million reasons for hating your job. Such reasons include:
- Problems with the boss. You might have a really controlling or demanding boss. He/she may look over your shoulder all the time and stress you out. Or he/she may just be downright nasty.
- Sexual harassment. Sadly this is very common and can include anything from being sent sexual texts/pictures to being sexually assaulted.
- Problems with your colleagues. You may be bullied at work or just not jive with your colleagues at all. This can make work rather unpleasant and you may feel very lonely.
- Your job role. You may like the company and the area you work in; but hate your actual job. For example, you may dream of working in A & R in a record company, but have to start out sorting mail in the mail room. If you’re not focused or unable to see the big picture, this can be tough.
What can you do?
- Firstly, think long and hard about staying. Are there things you could change about your job? Could you move to a different role? Could you work on different tasks? Basically, are the things you hate about your job fixed in stone or could you change them?
- DON’T share your job hatred in public. Vent with close friends and families sure, but don’t bitch to acquaintances, or WORSE YET, complain on social networks. Even if you make your settings private, social networks such as FB and Twitter are always changing their privacy settings. So, what starts out as a private status update to your friends could very well end up being viewed by your boss. He/she is likely to take a dim view of status updates like: “God, I hate my job. My boss is a b*****d and my workmates are bloody idiots!” At least if you bitch to an acquaintance, you can deny it afterwards. There is no denying a public social network status however. If you don’t believe such things can happen, google is your friend.
- Try and look at the positives. You may hate your job and think that there is nothing you like about it, but if you sit down and think about it, there may well be positives you have not thought about before. Maybe you like your workmates or you like when you get to do certain tasks. Even if you hate your job 99% of the time, there may be some positives. Maybe you can figure out a way to get more of these positives out of your work. Or, maybe the list will make it clear that you don’t like your job at all really and that you really do need to move on. Top tip: Do this list at a weekend or even on holiday so that your mind is clear and fresh.
- Educate yourself. You may not like your job, but could you take advantage of training opportunities with the company? Many companies provide free access to certain courses, which could help boost your CV and thus aid your escape out of a job that you hate. Some companies will even pay for their employees to get full degrees!
- Treat yourself. Every day. Working in a job you hate can be horribly stressful. So you deserve a treat. Whether it’s a long luxurious bath, a good book; a trip to the cinema or an especially tasty meal, make sure to include some joy in your life each day.
If you are keen to get a new job:
- Keep it quiet. Again, be discreet and don’t let everyone and their dog know of your desire to snag a new job elsewhere.
- Don’t leave until you have secured a new job. Firstly, because who knows when you could snag a new job and secondly because if you quit, you are often not entitled to the dole.
- When you do get a new job, be sure to give a good period of notice, at least two weeks and preferably a month. Then try and be as helpful as possible in organising things for your replacement.
Further Information:
Finding a job
Bullying at work
Work stress
Work rights
Sexual Harassment
