Don’t Like Your Job?
So, you went to school and graduated with a great degree and got right into the workforce in record time only to find that you don’t like your current job. Now what? Do you just throw your hands up and decide to be stuck in a job that you don’t like forever? While it’s never a settling thing to change your career, it’s better to do it now, than to wait five, ten, or even fifteen years when you feel even more trapped in your career. This doesn’t mean that your degree is a waste; it just means that you need to find something else to do with it. Luckily, there are very few degrees out there that will only get you started in one career so start taking steps today to identify what you can do to find a job that you love.
Is it really the job?
You might want to consider whether you really dislike the actual job that you are doing before making a career change. Yeah, it seems like you don’t like the job but there are many things that could contribute to the way you are feeling about it right now. Perhaps it’s not actually what you are doing, but the environment in which you are doing it? Is the work setting not all that motivational? Do you work with people that are negative or condescending? Do your supervisors not value your work and the time you put into it? If you believe any of these things are contributing to your current dislike of your job, you might want to consider speaking to your supervisors and letting them know that you are unhappy.
Believe it or not, there are many executives and managers that don’t realize that moral is low in their companies. If you bring this to their attention in a positive way you might find that you can change the work environment considerably. If you believe that just one or two people are the root of the problems, you can usually find a political way to approach such topics as well. Sometimes you just need to bring the problems to the attention of someone that can help you work through them and you’ll find that your whole attitude and outlook around your job will improve almost immediately.
If you find that the people just don’t appreciate you, it wouldn’t be advisable to quite, but consider applying with other companies. You can do the same job with other companies and find that you are very happy in the same position if the people respect your work and really value you as an employee. You might find that each company offers a very different work environment and you just need to find the one that matches what you expect and feel comfortable with. Just about everyone has had an experience in the workplace that leaves them questioning their actual job choice, when it’s not the job, just the environment that needs to change.
When it really is the job…
Sometimes, it really is the job that you just do not like. And, as hard as it may to be to admit that you’ve gotten into the wrong line of work, it’ll be even more difficult to stay in the wrong line of work. You need to consider what else you would like to do and what is doable with your current degree. Luckily, you’ll find that there are many choices out there for people who learn that they are in the wrong profession!
It will serve you well to think outside the box when you are considering what else you can do with your degree. Most degrees can be used in a variety of settings. If you didn’t like working for a large corporation, maybe you can think about getting into business for yourself. Self-employment isn’t easy, but some people find that it’s more suited to the way they think. When you work for yourself you can establish the importance of everything you do and how you do it, and you don’t have to deal with the attitudes or expectations of others. There is much to consider when you think about going this route, but it is doable for many.
If you’ve been working for a large company or corporation, maybe you should think about working for a smaller organization that is more in line with your way of thinking. Of course, the opposite is true for other people, they have been working for a small company and their thought processes and work ethic is better suited to the larger companies. Oftentimes, you just need to find the structure or environment that is aligned with your way of thinking and you’ll be ready to start a new career.
There is always the option of going back to school if you think that you are in the wrong business altogether. Sometimes, when you start college a certain career seems like the perfect match, but by the time you actually start putting that education to use, you’ve grown out of it and it’s no longer the perfect match. There is no shame in going back to school again and getting another degree, instead you should be proud that you are taking charge of you life and working towards a job that you love instead of one that will leave you frustrated and unsatisfied.
If you don’t like your job, you aren’t the only one as there are thousands of people that cannot stand getting up and going to work each day. The one thing that will hopefully separate you from a good portion of those people is your willingness to do something about your unhappiness. You don’t have to hate your job; in fact, many people love their jobs when they find the right working conditions and line of work that suits them the best. Don’t waste another day in a job you hate, start making attempts to get away from the job that makes you unhappy and into a position or career that will be much more fulfilling.
