Foo - Great promotion ... crappy job

So recently I was promoted to a higher management level within my company. Comes with great money, great bonuses, etc, etc. The only problem is that I categorically hate my job. I have become someone who simply manages people, schedule, etc. I no longer feel like I'm contributing to the end product. Not sure what I'm going to do in the near term, however I am certain that I won't be doing this job for more than 3 years. That was the minimum length of time I committed to during the interview. BIG mistake!!!

Anyone else hate their job? Do you just stick it out or are you actively looking for another opportunity inside our outside of your company? How do you deal with the stress?

I stepped down from management. That was MY solution. Now I'm happy. :)

I stepped down from management. That was MY solution. Now I'm happy. :)

I would too, however this job is a stepping stone to another position that I really want. I just need to put in 3 gruelling years to get there. The other position is still a Managerial position, however it's way more hands-on. I've already been asked by the company if I'd be interested in the position. I'm not sure, but it might just be a case of chasing the carrot on the end of the stick. I'm mostly worried that I'll become a bitter, negative person over the next 3 years.

you should blog it :D

I would too, however this job is a stepping stone to another position that I really want. I just need to put in 3 gruelling years to get there. The other position is still a Managerial position, however it's way more hands-on. I've already been asked by the company if I'd be interested in the position. I'm not sure, but it might just be a case of chasing the carrot on the end of the stick. I'm mostly worried that I'll become a bitter, negative person over the next 3 years.

Then try to remember your just rewards and give it the best that you can. Don't go into work thinking
" Awww man, I HATE it here"....that would only set the stage for disappointment. Instead try to set your goals and be proud that you made them. Try to find things to battle and overcome. It feels so much better knowing you slayed the dragon. :)

you should blog it :D

Righhhhhht

Then try to remember your just rewards and give it the best that you can. Don't go into work thinking
" Awww man, I HATE it here"....that would only set the stage for disappointment. Instead try to set your goals and be proud that you made them. Try to find things to battle and overcome. It feels so much better knowing you slayed the dragon. :)

Ugh. You're way too positive for me to handle right now. I need some depressed workers who hate there job to post there reply. I figure I will feel much better if there are more miserable people out there than me. Nothing like cheering yourself up off the backs of the less fortunate :twitchy:

Ergh, you just started, already hate it, and have three years to go? That's going to suck the life out of you.

^^^ There's your negative. Now go and make the best of it! :thumb:

find happiness in other places-- like BF at work!

I was in a more managerial type job (Product Marketing Manager) for 4 years (was promoted there, not by choice). At first it included a mix of things and allowed me to keep doing a lot of the technical stuff I enjoy. However, as it started to take me farther and farther away from the things I liked to do, I got more and more miserable.

Finally, an opening came up for a technical position (Field Applications Scientist) at the same company and I moved to it. Most people here would consider this a bit of a demotion (although I didn't take a pay cut). I have been much happier with the new position, it's a far better fit for me.

The Product Manager position had more opportunities for advancement, but not into jobs that I would have enjoyed either. Personally, as long as I keep getting appropriate raises and bonuses, I'm happy staying at my current level, I'm not on some specific career track.

I keep talking with people who say that they have to work really hard now so that they can enjoy themselves later. The problem is, I never see them get to the enjoyment part. It's one thing knowing you are putting in years in school for a degree, but it's another thing in the workplace.

How sure are you that this position you are after will be there in 3 years and that you will have a good shot at it? How stable is your company? How likely are your supporters to stick around? Sure, it's risky to leave for another company, but it could be risky to stay too. I'd say look around, at least you will have an idea what is out there.


Oh, and by the way, my former Product Manager position is now being covered by two people instead of one, and they are rapidly getting burned out too.

I'd say look around, at least you will have an idea what is out there.Definitely. You owe it to yourself. Is the position you're aiming for really worth three years of suffering and frustration in the meantime? What if you finally get there, and you're too burned out to care?

Seriously, though, I'm not trying to be negative here. I've seen people stagnate, get completely stressed and actually get sick from sticking around in positions they've grown to hate. It's not pretty. This is your life, and sometimes, it's about more than money.

Seriously, though, I'm not trying to be negative here. I've seen people stagnate, get completely stressed and actually get sick from sticking around in positions they've grown to hate. It's not pretty. This is your life, and sometimes, it's about more than money.


That was me. I gave up the cushy corporate lifestyle and all the perks because I was categorically miserable.

Since I've left the rat race, I have rediscovered my life and love for music, cycling, and the outdoors.


Sooooooo much happier.


What is money for? To buy more things? What are those things for, if you have no time to enjoy them?

Life is short. Don't toil it all away.

My new 'job' description is: breathe in, breathe out. Look around. Laugh out loud. Make a joyful noise.

If I don't do those things everyday I'm fired.

Si es muy facil. No fatla nada.

I hate my job! I hate the whole industry!

I'm a computer guy. I've been working on IT for over 15 years (since high school). IT sucks! I love solving problems but God! The amount of smart-arses, the wannabe's, the dumb people, the bureaucracy...

I've moved around IT a lot... been the all mighty PC Tech, System admin (on both win and unix), DBA, developer (on many different languages/systems). Network tech, the computer telephony guy.... you name it, I've done it... and I've hated it.

Now I stepped down to system analyst (generic title) doing some monitoring of systems on the night shift. I'm basically a highly technical secretary. When something brakes, I pick up the phone and call somebody to fix it. I don't fix it, I don't touch it, I don't even look at the box that's broken.

With all my experience and skills it sucks to stand by being the secretary. But it pays really well and I'm not on-call, ever.

My advice, if you don't like what you do, move on! Do it before you spend 15 years and end up having no skills to do anything else.

don't keep a job you hate. it will kill you from the inside.

and end up having no skills to do anything else.

That's me right now... Only 8 years, but still. I would love to do other things but have no technical skill set for them. Although I don't know what they would be, but it isn't here.

Alas, it pays well, is stable & the people are for the most part good. Plus my boss pretty much leaves me alone & I can take an afternoon off whenever I want.

... It feels so much better knowing you slayed the dragon. :)

That would be slewed. :thumb: Just sayin'. :p :D

Alfster - she does have a point. Look for little, sensible ways you can make a difference to either the company, to the workers, or both. I imagine the job may well be 90% drudgery, but if you can make even a small improvement somewhere along the way, it won't be as bleak as you're seeing it to be now.

Don't use your creative juices and help for "the man" anyway, use them for yourself. Since you don't have to waste your creative juices at work now, use them for something at home. Make and invention, become a wealthy entrepreneur.

So recently I was promoted to a higher management level within my company. Comes with great money, great bonuses, etc, etc. The only problem is that I categorically hate my job. I have become someone who simply manages people, schedule, etc. I no longer feel like I'm contributing to the end product. Not sure what I'm going to do in the near term, however I am certain that I won't be doing this job for more than 3 years. That was the minimum length of time I committed to during the interview. BIG mistake!!!

Anyone else hate their job? Do you just stick it out or are you actively looking for another opportunity inside our outside of your company? How do you deal with the stress?

I wouldn't say that I ha.... wait, yeah I would.

No, not hate. I am bored out of my freakin' skull though. Hate coming in because of the boredom. I intentionally don't do work so that I have a rush at some point in the week / month.

I won't leave though, the benefits are too good, I've got time in, and I do enjoy the work when I actually do it instead of cruising the interwebs ....

If we all loved our jobs.. would we still be inclined to kill to time on BF? My current choice at this very moment. Prioritize tasks for team members and cross reference them with my co-worker --- or --- read this thread. I almost always go for the latter. And eventually do the former.

Anyone else hate their job? Do you just stick it out or are you actively looking for another opportunity inside our outside of your company? How do you deal with the stress?

You don't read my posts very often, do you?

Comparing and contrasting the jobs I've had in the last two years and the job I have now, I've figured out that I really love being a tech support guy. Even though people (especially in corporate) generally are ungrateful, I love being able to help people in what I know.

It doesn't pay much, but I'm beginning to realize how little having lots of money really means to me. So long as I have enough money to get me by (and some), I'm happy.

Don't use your creative juices and help for "the man" anyway, use them for yourself. Since you don't have to waste your creative juices at work now, use them for something at home. Make and invention, become a wealthy entrepreneur.

There's nothing wrong with going that route, but be prepared for MASSIVE SUPER EPIC amounts of work to run your own business...

There's nothing wrong with going that route, but be prepared for MASSIVE SUPER EPIC amounts of work to run your own business...

I wasn't even "necessarily" talking about running a business. I was meaning perhaps coming up with a cool idea and trying to make money off it, not necessarily a full-up business.

I wasn't even "necessarily" talking about running a business. I was meaning perhaps coming up with a cool idea and trying to make money off it, not necessarily a full-up business.

I see what you mean. Took it out of context!

What I am really interested in doing is working at a bike shop to see what that's like. However, if I really want to put a solid hold on me finding a job when I get out, I might want to work one more internship at a HUGE firm and take three months of suffering.

Though now that I'm closer to mastering the art of waking at 5am, it may not be as bad.

I'm not sure, but it might just be a case of chasing the carrot on the end of the stick..

Check the backside. Usually moldy and musty.

Less is more, more is less.

fwiw, every time I have taken a job for the salary increase, I've been miserable...every time I followed my gut instinct (which usually involved lateral move or cuts) I've been happy...draw yer own conclusions

Thanks for all the replies and advice. To be honest I returned home yesterday after an incredibly rotten day at work, so perhaps my post was a bit over-the-top. I'm not saying I like my current job, however I'm willing to put up with it until 3 years are up. The 3 year target is a promise I made before taking the position, however it's also tied to some critical work that will be coming to a completion at that time. I'm the type of person that needs to see things through to the end. Of course if I'm always stressed and truly hate my job I'd start applying elsewhere.

Siu, I took your advice today and went to work thinking a bit more positively. Seemed to work. Thanks!

Check the backside. Usually moldy and musty.

Less is more, more is less.

:lol:

Don't use your creative juices and help for "the man" anyway, use them for yourself. Since you don't have to waste your creative juices at work now, use them for something at home. Make and invention, become a wealthy entrepreneur.

I tried, but the velcro condom didn't go over too well with the general market. Maybe it was the brand name "Extra Sticky" :innocent:

I once had a semi-white collar office job and I wound up hating it more than I can put into words. Toward the end, I actually considered crashing my truck on the way to work so I wouldn't have to go. I know, that makes no sense but that's how much I hated the job. It made me think stupid things like that. For two and a half years my life was completely miserable. Finally I "stepped down" to a warehouse job. It wasn't perfect of course, but it was like heaven compared to the previous job. Most people find that hard to believe but it's true. Now I'm a warehouse manager at another place and for once in my life I actually don't dread going to work. I don't love this job but it will do until I can do what I really want to do some day. And when I'm having a bad day all I have to do is remind myself of that two and a half years of hell.

Finally I "stepped down" to a warehouse job. It wasn't perfect of course, but it was like heaven compared to the previous job. Most people find that hard to believe but it's true.Yet you're at least the third or fourth person so far in this thread alone to have taken the so-called "lesser" position and been much happier as a result.

It's almost a variation of the Peter Principle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_principle), in that one is promoted to his or her level of unhappiness.

do what ya love, da money will follow.....eventually

maybe

About seven years ago, I gave up a job after only six months that more than a few of my peers would have killed to have had. I was working in the marketing department of a large engineering firm helping to build the company intranet site. The work itself was fun and all things considered the money was almost too good to be true. But the atmosphere in the office was almost toxic. Bunch of gossip and backstabbing, and since I was the only person working there born outside of a 20 mile radius of the office, I ended up in the crosshairs more than a few times.

I moved back home and took a job at an insurance company in town, and for about two years the job processing claims was good enough. Part of that was because we had a very high quality manager. I got a small promotion to a more specialized team after two years. After about six months in the new position we were given a generous market adjustment raise, so I was ok. More stress, but the first year of that position was at least tolerable due again to a superior authority figure in the team. But she got a promotion to another team and the job became more hellish day by day. I finally all but shut down, not working at full capability but too beaten down to try and go somewhere else. On my forth anniversary almost to the day, I quit under pressure and felt as though a load was off my shoulders as I walked out of the place even though I didn't know what was going to happen next.

In the interval, I've completely re-examined all aspects of my life and am going in a completely different direction. It's a gamble and will never pay as much as the corporate world could possibly do, but I believe it will give me a higher degree of personal and professional satisfaction.

Sorry to have gone long, and I didn't mean to hijack the post.

Yet you're at least the third or fourth person so far in this thread alone to have taken the so-called "lesser" position and been much happier as a result.

Yep, and even more ironically, as soon as I started that first warehouse job I was making more money than the previous job. Although I would have still done it even if I had taken a pay cut, too.