Does anyone else really dislike their job?

[kalogrias]

Maybe this belongs in ES, but career support works, too :) My question is: Does anyone else really dislike their job? Why? Can this be changed? Are you taking steps to change it? If so, how and what?

I work for a civil rights agency.

I hate my job. Well, I guess I should qualify that. I love the work that I do, but I hate my office. Hate is actually a light word. I ulcerate at the thought of going in every day because the atmosphere is so charged that a tuning fork would go off (DH calls it the "black sucking hole of unhappiness"). Favoritism is rampant, and because I stick mainly to myself and don't engage in love-fests, I'm not one of the favored ones. I do my job, and generally I'm pretty good at it. I produce (unlike other people in my office), and I don't ask for much. Usually I can power through the atmosphere here and ignore it because I enjoy the actual work so much, but lately, it's been burning me out. The reasons for this are many, one of the biggest ones being that a new person was just hired, at my exact level, with less qualifications (she has no MA, I do. She has no experience. I've worked here for 2 years), for $5000/year more than me.

I can't switch jobs right now because DH is active-duty Navy, and I know we're moving in 6-9 months, so it would make no sense. I need the money, so staying home isn't an option right now. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm totally miserable here, and, worst of all, I'm not being productive anymore because I simply don't care. At all. And, to top it all off, I am so damn tired all the time (probably because the atmosphere in the office is so depressing) that I can't even fake being interested. It's really bad.

So, any suggestions as to what I can do about this? I've started taking an LSAT course with an eye towards going to law school -- I figure it will at least make me feel productive and like I have a future -- which is good, but is also another ball of nerves because I am the only one in this class that's out of college and working (and has been for several years). So I'm in class for 8 hours a week with giggling 20 year olds who think I'm ancient at 26. It's laughable in a sense, but crippling at the same time. Plus, it adds to the tiredness because it's just so much sheer time involved.

Oh, and DH is deployed right now, so my support system at home is severely compromised.

So...sigh. I don't know what to do. Help?

[linekelei]

I hate my job. Not my office, but my job. I am an attorney-working in a law firm practicing employment law (defense side). Law is petty, mundane, and just plain boring. I really dislike working with opposing counsel who thinks it's his/her mission in life to be a jerk. I hate having to follow silly local rules of civil procedure that, if not followed, can cause your 50 page brief to be rejected. I hate billing hours and keeping track of my life in 6 minute increments. I hate working 9+ hours a day, and trying to fit a life into it all.

I can't leave this job. Our mortgage is dependent on my salary and with all of my law school loans, I can only afford to take a very small paycut. I am stuck here for at least 3 or 4 more years, and then if I'm lucky, I might be able to find an in-house job, where, while boring, I won't have to bill hours or work quite as much. I seriously despise being an attorney and each day I despise it a little bit more.

If I could do it all over again, I never would have gone to law school. Should have done something with my background, like City government/planning, or what I was really interested in (event planning). Unfortunately, there aren't many jobs that will pay what my current job pays, and therefore, I can't switch jobs. In the future, I hope I will be able to leave this job/profession. It may involve moving to another state (we live in the lovely and expensive state of California) where housing is more affordable and I can take a big paycut (and do something I truly enjoy), but I would be willing to do it to escape this profession. But right now, I'm just trying to learn to live with my job, and find other areas of enjoyment in my life.

BTW, there are lots of people aged 30+ in law school, but honestly, I wouldn't recommend attending. There are some people who might like practicing law, but honestly, they are few and far between.

[celticknotnut]

Just a note that I posted up in the ES board!

Take Care!
A

[islandgirlsj]

(DH calls it the "black sucking hole of unhappiness")

Hey, I didn't realize we had the same job! Hahaa. :cool:

Both my husband and I call my job just about the same... but possibly not as nice!

I hate my job. HATE!
I have never been so miserable in a job as now.
I can't quit either right now because my husband are in the middle of trying to get preganant via IVF, so I could not really expect a new employer to understand the countless appointments right now, much less that Hello... I'm GOING to be pregnant, thus possibly missing more work.
*sigh*

Thanks for letting me vent. I was beginning to think I was the only one who can hardly tolerate work. :(

[Little Angel '77]

I don't so much hate it, as I do the fact that I know I am 100 times smarter than 90 percent of the people here. I am under appreciated, and overworked (which I know.. I am not alone.)

I lkike what I "do" but don't like being in the basement, never seeing the sun. That sucks. Its probably bright and sunny out, and to me- I always think its raining.

There are a ton more issues.... but I don't want to go into them..... on a public forum and have it come back to hunt me :)

[jenji]

I need the money, so staying home isn't an option right now. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm totally miserable here, and, worst of all, I'm not being productive anymore because I simply don't care. At all. And, to top it all off, I am so damn tired all the time (probably because the atmosphere in the office is so depressing) that I can't even fake being interested. It's really bad.

oh wow, hi there long lost job twin

I have a job that I just kind of fell into and now have worked here for 6 years (minus a wonderful 2 year hiatus to do my dream job). I work for an accounting firm and absolutely detest numbers and tax law and accounting. the problem is we just recently bought a house and DH got a new vehicle last month and now we're completely dependant on BOTH of our salaries and there's NO WAY I would be able to make what I make now elsewhere.
I'm so miserable every day and I can't drag my butt out of bed in the morning to get here.
I feel useless because I'm always just so uninterested in everything. I like the people I work with for the most part, but it's just SO not me.

I could really use some help too, especially since I have to stay here at least through next tax season (9 more months)

anyone know how to make a miserable work life more livable?

[villanelle75]

Kal, I'm takign an online course through SDSU extended studies right now. It's agrantwriting course, which is somethign I've always wanted to get in to. It doesn't help with my crappy job right now, but feeling like I'm gaining skills and tools that might help me down the road goes a long way towards makign me feel better because I'm being pro-active about making things better down the road. I know you're probably swamped with the LSAT stuff, but the online classes are supre flexible and take shockingly little time (at least mine does) so it may be another thing worht looking in to.

[Little Angel '77]

I need the money, so staying home isn't an option right now. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm totally miserable here, and, worst of all, I'm not being productive anymore because I simply don't care. At all. And, to top it all off, I am so damn tired all the time (probably because the atmosphere in the office is so depressing) that I can't even fake being interested. It's really bad.



Wow- that sounds like me. I go home depressed everynight ... thinking there has to be more to life!!! This sucks!

The one thing with me is, we dont' need my income, we have enough of a savings to be fine if neither one of us had a job for 15-18 months. Its just that we NEED my benefits because DH refuses to pay out of pocket... and we are trying to get prepared for when I go full time with my photography,.

There has got to be more to life than this......I hate the way this place makes me feel.