- This topic has 3 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 8 months ago by
Carrie.
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February 27, 2019 at 1:54 pm #282059
FloveParticipantHi all and thanks for hearing me out!
I’m 25 years old now and I’ve been working at a creative agency for a little more than a year. When I got hired there I was extremely happy. It felt like my dream job, I’m responsible for PR and social media for interior design clients. I also have to write texts for folders our websites (I hate this part). The company has great looks and is “fun”. However I get paid under my degree. I have two already but that doesn’t seem to matter there. About 8 months in it started going sour for me. I noticed the company culture was quite.. toxic. My boss is a hothead who always pulls you down and never has anything nice to say. He also gossips a lot about his own personnel. His wife is also in the company pulling strings here and there but failing to keep up most of the time. Everything in this company is “perception”, a lot of fakeness, gossiping and “bitching”.
I work a lot of hours and have a lot of varying responsibilities. there’s no support whatsoever. And if something does go wrong, people act as if the world has imploded. Even the small things. I’m starting to hate this job and the people who work there. I feel like a puppet on a string that constantly being told she isn’t good enough. It’s tiresome. I never get rewarded for anything and it’s hurting my confidence and self worth. Maybe I really suck? Maybe I’m just not creative enough.. this is possible of course. But then why doesn’t anyone help or support?
Every week I feel like crying, or sick even. And well.. I started looking around and there’s this class. It’s a year long and it’s called International Business Management. 5 months training and a 4 month internship abroad. I went and did the intakes (out of curiosity) and got accepted. Doing this would give me another degree and more “edge”. I wouldn’t be at the bottom of the ladder anymore catching everyone’s bullshit. And it’s a chance to maybe remove myself out of “the creative scene” and lift me up to something more corporate, better paying and professional. However I’m having doubts about everything.
– Is studying the right choice?
– Should I quit my job and look for another instead of studying?
– People tell me, there are hurtful and shitty situations in every job. Might as well stay at this one
– Friends are telling me I’m just running away from adulthood by going back to school
– I’m a little scared of having bigger ambitions. What if I go back to school and I’m still not good enough. I still fail to deliver but this time on a higher level. What if I have to work even more ungrateful hours. I do love working hard, but I want a job where I feel comfy and confident. Where I get respected and go home at a normal hour without people looking at me as if i’m a horrible person. Is it that bad to want a 9 to 5?
What are your opinions? Have any of you had a similar situation?
kind regards,
Flove
February 27, 2019 at 5:23 pm #282109
AnonymousGuestDear Flove:
You wrote: “People tell me, there are hurtful and s**& situations in every job”- I agree that most businesses/ work places are dysfunctional, some more than others: management is dysfunctional and personnel relationships are dysfunctional.
If for you to feel comfortable and confident (“I want a job where I feel comfy and confident”), you need to work for a business that is functional, both management and personnel, then you .. may never find such a business.
Maybe a different job will suit you better. Maybe studying further will lead you to a better job, I don’t know. But part of every job, as I see it, is to figure out how you can do a good job, be ethical, and how to operate comfortably enough in the context of the specific dysfunctions of this or that workplace.
anita
March 2, 2019 at 10:04 pm #282577
MichelleParticipantHi Flove.
So having spent much time in typical business environments, I agree with Anita, you are unlikely to find a perfect working environment, regardless of number of degrees/education etc. Through my career I have gone from similar starting positions and into senior leadership etc and one thing is true for everyone – degrees/education will only get you in the door – unless for a very specific/technical job they will not short-cut you the learning experience of being able to navigate political situations and becoming able to influence outcomes and so on, the life-blood of what is usually deemed a successful career, if that is what is wanted.. Going back to school may well feel tempting as it is an environment you know, understand and can do well in – but unless you intend to set up your own company ( a very viable option which still needs business skills to be developed, often useful to learn first in a company.. ) you will still return to a junior position somewhere and will still need to go through these lessons and develop these kinds of skills. Honestly – the best advice I give my junior staff & mentees is to focus on these, not more qualifications. Trust helps if not the answer you wanted to hear.
March 5, 2019 at 9:20 am #283103
CarrieParticipantHi Flove,
I’m so sorry to hear that you have such a negative experience at work! It’s awful when employees feel that their workplace brings a ton of negative emotions to their lives. I work in HR, so would suggest speaking privately with the HR Department in your current company to address some of those issues.
On the topic of going back to school. Getting further education is always a tempting solution, but there are no guarantees that it will resolve the problems you are experiencing. Also, further education comes with its own risks and associated costs. Business and management degrees always attract a lot of interest, however, what to do with them after we graduate is the bigger question. I don’t know where you are from, but for example, here in the UK, around 120,000 people graduate with business and management degrees each year. It’s a very competitive field and also, many of the jobs are in big corporations where navigating the political landscape, dealing with gossiping and working long hours (sometimes on boring and administrative tasks) are all quite common. Also, please keep in mind that some employees might perceive you as overqualified for some jobs after having multiple degrees. The ideal balance is to hire someone who has a really strong potential for the job but still has some space for development. This means they would find the job optimally challenging, rather than boring, and will get valuable skills and knowledge from it.
I would suggest trying to find another job in a company, where the culture is your main objective. At the end of the day, offering fair pay, being supportive, providing development opportunities (like further education), and a good work-life balance all come from the right culture. Even if you have to do a sideways move, consider looking for companies that take really good care of their employees.
Please take all of the advice you receive with a grain of salt. We don’t have full details of your circumstances and would never be able to make the decision for you. Still, it’s great that you are open to hearing advice and ideas from others, hope we have helped a little!
Wishing you luck,
Carrie
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