Not just my job, but the entire industry I’m in. I get paid really well, and I like some of the fine details, but overall I don’t like it. My skill-set isn’t very transferable either.
Well, since you get paid well, can you make a plan to suck it up for a while, live frugally, invest, make a plan to move into something else, and start working on that?
Maybe just “eat the shit” for a few years knowing it’s part of a bigger plan?
This is something I feel we do a poor job explaining to kids - your options range from doing something you love to doing something you hate, and also making a lot to making a little.
Those two scales aren’t necessarily related They can be, often are.
A question I wish had been posed to me before college: “If you had a choice to work a job you hate for ten years, but when done you were set for life, would you do it?”
I’d put that idea at one end of the spectrum, with everything else a mix of love/hate, convenience/inconvenience, stability/instability, etc, etc.
Basically my plan. I’m bending over and taking it from corporate America until I have enough to do something more fulfilling. Shit sucks, but my family makes it worth it. Work to live, never live to work. As long as I get time with my family and friends I’ll be okay
I’ve sucked it up for 10 years, and I have enough in savings for several years. The work itself is fine, its more of the context of the work. If its not something new to me it feels like busywork and I don’t really see the point. I’m really not sure what I want to do. I have a personal project I’m working on, that I think I could make money, but I don’t know if after I’m done with the interesting technical challenges if I want to see it through. There are several jobs that on the surface seem to agree with me, but I don’t know if the reality would work out. I could more easily suck it up if I at least felt fulfilled, or that I did something positive, but I don’t get that feeling.
Just curious, what are the things holding you back from making changes to your current work situation and/or skillset?
Skill sets take years, you get pigeonholed pretty fast. Major changes to skill sets take years and can cost a bit of money. Pretty much the only companies that would want my skill set are companies that I wouldn’t want to work for.
That sucks. I had a job I used to like - then management changed and the job was suddenly not so great.
Luckily I am in a different spot now. Hopefully you can find something else too! There’s surely other positions out there you could apply for?
The problem is with my skill-set is without having an idea for my own company, I can either work for big tech, or defense contractors. Neither are appealing to me.
Programmable hardware (FPGAs) with a little bit of embedded software and miscellaneous associated technologies and needs.
You know that defence and space are pretty much the same industry, right? Do you like the idea of working on satellites/launchers? Not for spacex obviously. But there are others. It’s a pretty great career. Best bit is you get to fire the most annoying projects literally into fucking outer fucking space at the end.
You can’t do this with your boss though.
What about municipal jobs? They probably won’t pay nearly as well and I didn’t know your financial requirements and aspirations but maybe?
I loved my job, then we got a new manager and now the team is feeling stressed enough to consider quitting.
Did I mention my utter despise for managers? I think I’ve had ONE good one that was helpful, and like 15 that all sucked at what they are supposed to be good at. They all made things far worse!
Wile working for my previous employer, the people around me were amazing, the organization and high level leadership, not so much. Myself and many co-workers left within about 6 months of each other. My old boss is leading a new field office for a different company in the city, and many of my previous coworkers are still working for him. I’ve been lucky about good direct reports. I hate any meetings that are not technical; I find them draining and pointless. Blind obedience to the agile development process can go die in a hole.
I can relate. The course I took before graduating opened up a lot of job opportunities I realized went against my morals due to how corrupt the industries are, and what I ended up choosing just happened to be a more advanced version of something simple I did from my childhood.
I’m very good at what I do and people hire me for my skills and experience. They assume that I have this level of ability because I’m passionate about what I do.
I find what I do boring and pointless. As I’m sending a deliverable that I’ve worked for weeks on, my only thoughts are relief that it’s done and what a waste of time it was. My clients thinking what I do is important is what keeps a roof over my head. But I think it’s fucking stupid.
There’s a whole emperor wears no clothes situation going on. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. I find it hard to keep a straight face in meetings.
But I’m very aware of my privilege. I’m lucky I’m good at this and I’m lucky people pay me for it. But I’d rather just go lie in the backyard and stare at the floaters in my eyes all day than go to another networking opportunity, or conference, or listen to a podcast about my industry.
It’s boring and it’s dumb.
I have the nack I find what I do trivial and easy, but the people around me think I’m amazing at what I do. If its not a challenge, I find it hard to concentrate or do a good job. I’m missing the suck it up and just do it skill. It would be okay if I at least thought I was doing something positive, but I find it all pointless.
I don’t have any floaters yet, but sitting in the backyard watching birds sounds amazing.
