Do You Hate Your Job but Continue Working It?

As I sit and take a brief break from what should be leisure time on a Sunday evening, I've begun to ponder how many people out there continue working a job that they don't like.

Fortunately enough for me, I don't begrudge working on a Sunday evening as I actually enjoy my job.

It got me thinking though: I've definitely known people in the past who have an intent dislike for their job but are still committed to it.

Do you hate your job? If so, how long have you stuck at it and why?

Poll Options

  • 433
    Yes, I'm in a job that I dislike but I do it anyway
  • 144
    A job is a job
  • 181
    No, I love my job!

Comments

      • That's promosing

        • This is a lot easier said than done. Unless you already have knowledge/skills you are able to confidently put forward to an employer, your going to have trouble getting paid minimum wage. This is just my thoughts, I have tried the construction on a few occasions & unless you can get into a big company like metricon or simonds. I honestly wouldn't bother

        • @PAOK11: Isn't that what apprenticeships are for, developing necessary skills for the trade?
          Or are you talking about the trade off of being paid min wage as oppose to a youngin's wage?

        • +2

          @Godric: I'm talking about employers in the construction industry willing to give a mature apprentice a go. I'm sure they will be happy to take you on & pay you peanuts. Everyone in construction knows you have to work for yourself to make a decent quid and if your starting at 25 it's a long road.

    • go for it! construction wages are insane. in 3 yrs, your office wage might go up by 10%. wheras if you did a 3yr apprenticeship your potential for wage increase, especially if you can get into tier 1 commercial is huge. just go on seek and look at some of the rates. very hard work tho, dont think for a second it will be easy or stress free. word also goes around quick, so if your known to be a crap trade, dont expect to get much future work.

    • I want to go from Trade to Office … It sounds much harder ..

    • +3

      Nah mate, I decided to become a sparky at age 25, did an apprenticeship and loved it and qualified just shy of my 29th birthday. Best thing I ever did. It was stressful as i had a mortgage and a few financial responsibilities but i made it work.

    • Once over 23 years of age they must pay you a higher rate than other apprentices - but this also makes it hard for people to actually hire you.
      A friend of mine was a 3rd year apprentice and was earning $28/hr which is exceptionally good for an apprentice.
      You can earn anywhere between $30-50/hr working for someone, but as others have said it is best to have your own company, but obviously that does mean more work to do.. unless you make it self sufficient.

      If I had to suggest to you a trade to get into it would be refrigeration, as it is the highest paid trade, followed by plumbers (somehow?) and then an electrician. Electrical and refrigeration are considered specialist trades, so they are a bit more serious, but also much more dangerous.
      If you do refrigeration, you can easily earn $300-$800 for a 1hr-4hr job installing a back-to-back split air conditioner. You do the math.

      • so your friend is on 60k as an apprentice? Anyway I know how hard trades are, if you think being a tradie is anything like working in an office. You will be in for a shock

  • +20

    I have disliked my "Job" for a number of years. I am 47.

    The kicker is that I get paid pretty well for doing not much, but it is soul destroying. This aspect of my employment has caused issues for me in my personal health and I have had to seek advice in this area. I now do what I am required to do but nothing more.

    I gave up trying to make a difference and thinking that doing your job well meant you got promoted and increased your salary some time ago after being continually shafted. I have seen so many less talented, lying, self promoting, selfish people climb the corporate "ladder" whilst other more talented, better workers, honest employees languish at the middle or bottom tiers. So much "make work" for no tangible return.

    Maybe it will be different for a newer generation of worker bees. Many of the workplace bullying and employment practices have changed and/or are changing. I really hope so. But its too late for me.

    I am planning to jump off the corporate employment scene in the next 12-18mths. I can't wait. I'm going to study, play & Coach sport and travel.

    Focus on things that I really like and not something that I have to do to pay the bills and support my family. Money won't be an issue luckily.

    Should be fun..

    • +10

      It's amazing, isn't it, how truly terrible it can be to not have enough work to do!!!! I had that in my previous job, and while i was being paid really really good money (better than my current job in fact), the monotony and boredom was making me physically ill and depressed

      Crazy that not having enough to do is just as bad for you as having too much to do

      • +1

        I thought I was the only one going through that. Doing nothing in my job the whole time caused me alot of depression and even how odd it is, it made me stressed out.

        • +1

          Nothing to do is an opportunity to work on yourself, or help those around you.
          Do some study, practice some skills, teach some skills.

        • @Radar: it's surprisingly tough. It's not exactly easy to just start learning French in the middle of your office. And my office only had 10 people with very little overlap to my role, so not much to learn or teach

        • @Radar: i have to agree, im in a similar boat yet I've tried to up skill where i can and learning something new along the way. Literally book meeting rooms for an hour or 2, here or there. Best thing to do in a situation like this.

      • Yep - this - thankfully after 7 years it looks like a nice hand shake is coming my way which gives me a free ticket to try something new.

      • I experienced both recently. In my previous job i was paid fulltime wages for 10hr to 15hr work and i realised it will distroy my career in long run so i jumped out without thinking much and took contract which requires me to work 60hr a week without extra pay and constantly demanding boss which is equally dipressing then my previous job. I am trying to change contract but hard to get new one as most recruiter see jumping job negativley.

        So if anyone trying to leave job should research @ new work place and never take advise from your work mate who might benifit if you leave job.

    • +1

      good for you! i went through around 6 months of having almost nothing to do, the days dragged on soooooooo slowly. i could read all the news, all of ozbargain and still have time to spare each day. now weve had a company restructure and i am the complete oppisate: 200% flat out! thats karma paying me back haha

    • +1

      I'm going to study, play & Coach sport and travel.

      Way to go bro!

    • You're about 5 years younger than my dad and he's got the same mentality. Work hard, get rewarded for it. Unfortunately for him and yourself it really hasn't worked that way and he just gets shafted.

  • +15

    I don't hate my job. I just hate some of the people at my job.

    • +1

      Agreed. There are some big (profanity) at my workplace.

  • +1

    10-15 minutes commute each way, always finish work on time, great pay, work is o.k if I block out all the religious talk from members of the business owners.

    • As a religious person, can you elaborate? I'd like to hear your perspective!

      • +1

        I used to be religious until I accepted that Islam and being gay cannot co-exist. So now whenever the business owners preach islam i get frustrated. Especially when they put the donation coin tin in reception for a mosque… "we all come from allah" etc etc.

        They know my difference and they just wash it out as if i'm no one just like what the extreme Christains are doing with vote No campaign very openly on TV.

        • Remember catholicism is/was not too fond of the lgbt gang also…

          But if your asexual that's ok, Eve was created from Adams rib!

        • Interesting; they are not mutually exclusive, however, as with any major sin, homosexuality is a major sin, but one could still be a sinning Muslim - between the sinner and God, really.

          Is it right, no; one just needs to open up the gastro-intestinal chapter of Gray's Anatomy to comprehend the function of the rectum. Couple that with the Islamic 'fitra', or innate nature of man, and you will understand that the physicality of your chosen lifestyle is in fact in transgression of the phisiology of man.

          Repent, while you have the choice.

  • +12

    I hate my job, but it pays the bills. How many people truly like their jobs? 10%? 20% maybe? Think of all the mundane jobs that must be done. The supermarket shelf packer, the guy behind the counter taking your money at XYZ business, the poor sap that must clean toilets on a Saturday night?

    Office jobs are an interesting microcosm of people fighting and backstabbing each other to get the few coveted management positions. 20 employees, one management position. Fight Club. No one talks about it, but it's there.

    • +3

      Yeah, don't like it or hate it, but pays the bills. Don't really have any passions, so dunno if I even have a dream job.

      Would not work at all if I had a choice!

      Nothing to back this up, but I reckon only 5% to 10% of people would like their job. Although this poll says otherwise.

      Percent of people who have their dream job? Dunno, maybe 1% or even 0.1%? I'm talking people who would do the job for free if they could. Someone like Steve Irwin came across like that.

    • +1

      18 and honestly do find my supermarket shelf stacking job to be satisfying ~80% of the time.
      How much worse does it get?

      • +1

        I worked a night fill position while studying at Uni and quite liked the job. Gave me spending money while also providing quite a bit of exercise. But imagine doing the shelf packing job at 30… and then 40.

      • +1

        shelf stacking/nightfill is one of the better no-skill jobs. Better than food prep and much better than dealing with customers.

  • +5

    I don't hate my job but I am unhappy working full time hours. I would love to reduce my hours and pick up a hobby on the side :)

    • This is me too, except I am trying to maintain too many hobbies at the same time. I enjoy my job and there's always new things to learn, but I really want to cut back my hours so I can focus on more of my creative stuff.

      I work for a small company and they rely on me. Gotta be done eventually though.

  • +24

    I'm a high school science teacher. There are so many aspects I dislike about my job, but it's one of the most rewarding things to be able to impact a young person's life and that makes all the difference.

    Not only this, but it's a privilege to open their eyes to the mysteries of science: millennia of human ingenuity, thought and progress condensed into a few short years of schooling.

    • +6

      I have a huge respect for people like you.
      Good on you for seeing the upside!

    • +1

      Can totally relate. This is why I miss teaching. One of my students even thanked me for being strict at the end of the semester. .

    • +2

      Props to high school teachers. They have to put up with kids going through tough stages in life, but as you say they can really set a kid up over a relatively short period of time

      • +1

        Agreed - I owe lots to a few great teachers and I was lucky enough to see some of them again years after finishing.

        Wish I was less of a profanity in high school though, they were nice people… And I wasn't…

        • +1

          it's not too late to apologise :)

        • @h4zey: This is true. Teaching is a very thankless job too. I'm willing to bet that many of the teacher's you hold in high esteem are unaware of the impact they made in your life.

        • +1

          @h4zey:

          I did, it was understood.

        • @ozbjunkie: Nice one! I need to track down my great teachers and do the same.

    • Also a HS teacher - Maths. Same position as you. A lot I don't like but a lot to enjoy making a difference. Not sure why people complain about the pay, I believe I'm well paid.

      • +1

        It depends with who you hang out with, dare I say it, what social class you associate with.

        I started out earning more than my friends… but now, most of them, as engineers, consultants, doctors or property developers are making big $$. When you know you have the same intellectual capability as they do, but are not earning the same, it can grate on you. The reward of making an impact in young people's lives is the BIG bonus I enjoy and keeps me here :)

        My parents, also teachers, are looked down on by the rest of my extended family. We are, by far, the poorest, yet we do well and have very happy/fulfilling lives. I grew up going camping instead of European holidays, like my cousins.

        On the other hand, my fiancé comes from a working class background - she's the only one to go to uni and she is out-earning even her parents in her first few years.

    • I really liked my high school science teacher. His name was Mr Green - still remember that decades later.

  • It pays the bills. Gets me out of the house and my missus can have her peace and quiet.

  • +2

    my job isn't the happiest place to be, but I'm happy because I'm here…. (in Ozbargain)

  • +2

    I dislike my job (or rather, many of the people involved, the work itself is good). The money is too good to leave though. I do have a long term exit strategy but it involves unknown rich relatives kicking off and/or lottery wins.

  • I used to love my job, not as much anymore but it's not bad. I definitely don't hate it. I've been with this workplace for a while and the environment is pretty good; more so, the people are great. There are a lot of long serving people like me and it feels like a second home and meeting mates everyday. The pay is pretty competitive compared to the market, there is good flexibility (working hours, work from home), good incentives and very understanding managers. So while, the work might not feel as interesting as before, I still love showing up to work here. I have thought about moving on at times but feel that I'd be lost. I'm very much in my comfort zone here.
    And given the good money, good incentives, flexibility and understanding bosses, I see no reason to move :)

  • +1

    i just dislike my job.. but, i would accept a job that i absolutely hate for more money.

  • +1

    I hate my job less than I have hated others… So i stay.

    I hate work in general, or rather, the fact that we are expected to work so much.

    Where are the decent jobs for people wanting to do 20 hours per week?

  • +1

    FIFO… 'Nuff said. (Commissioning sparky)

    Dont hate my job as such, but definitely over being away from friends and family. This newest roster has killed my fifo mojo and it's turned into just slogging it out to make the next few years a little easier before returning to normal life. Definitely not in it for the never ending pit of cash people get sucked into.

    • What's the compensation relative to being a regular neighbourhood /contract sparky not in a FIFO gig?

      Is it 50% better? 30%?

      • +3

        Anywhere from double, to triple. Get a half decent construction job in town though and the gap narrows. Plenty of variables though. Work for yourself like a slave can be proportionally rewarding. Domestic, lowest paying of the lot. Construction, less security (generally).

        Fifo is no different. You can be there one second and gone the next. It's all how you play your cards too. Earn big, spend big and you'll have nothing to show for the sacrifice. I'm glad I'm at least not in that boat.

        I could keep chasing the money to get even further ahead but we'll be starting a family soon, plus I've set ourselves up pretty well with what I've earned this far. I'm only 30 and been on FIFO for 2 and a bit years but definitely do wish I had managed to 'get on' earlier!

        $90k in tax (and that's reduced from my previous year) might give you an idea…

        • +2

          Prior to this, I was the only sparky in a comms company. 3 years, project manager after just over a year… Average wage and nowhere to grow/go. Gave it up with nowhere to go just before our honeymoon… Came back and within weeks got offered a FIFO gig a friend offered me with no guarantee of longevity and 2 years later, here I am. Definitely met lots of good people as far as my career goes and some genuine friends, BUT I've definitely met some strange, sadistic, conniving, ignorant, arrogant, selfish, backstabbing, etc. etc. people in the meantime. You definitely need to have a good filter and thick skin on these jobs (now my 2nd site).

        • +1

          Wow, sounds like you've done well for yourself!

          All the best with starting your family - honestly, it's more rewarding than anything else you could ever do :)

        • @Catchy:

          Thanks! Definitely looking forward to the next chapter!! :)

          Take the good with the bad.

    • I dont care for friends and family and want to work Fifo, Swap with me lol ,2st year electrical apprentice … no one wants to employ me :/

      • It's not all as it seems. Money is great, definitely… Money most definitely isn't everything.

        I tried getting on 5 years prior to my first start and never heard boo.

        Head down bum up and just keep an eye out and one day it'll come knocking if it's what you want. You definitely want to take all of the good out of it you can and use that to block out the abundance of negativity that is found on these sites.

        I'm not painting the best picture for it, but it's definitely an eye opener. People tend to hide/cover that up to help them get through and make it sound like a dream job…. Just remember that.

    • What's your new roster like? I did 8/6 as a vaccie engineer and will be doing 8/6 again starting next year. I personally felt that 8/6 was amazing.

      • 4/1 construction roster……

        Last gig was 23/10 (days) and was much more home-life friendly. This 28/7 (6 effectively) is definitely a mood killer.

        • Damn man, that's rough :/ 8 days on, 6 days off seems like a dream compared to your rister.

  • +1

    My job is awesome, pay and hours not so much. Lucky the missus makes almost triple what I make.

  • -3

    I'm a very very good looking male model and I hate it that I am often too sexy for the clothes I wear. I'm so too sexy for New York and Japan.

  • +5

    I hated my old job, everyone very superficial and passive aggressive. Ended up going back to uni and doing something completely different, more in line with my personality and haven't looked back. It was a big financial hit but when you love your job and are conscientious with it, you end up streaking up the ladder and making up for it anyway.

    • +1

      My passion is sleeping and watching youtube, I know there isn't a job i would enjoy.. so I thought getting a shit ton of mechanical/electrical qualifications would get me hired for Fifo or a decent company … yet i couldn't get shit

  • Not so much HATE the job,but definitely lost an awful,awful lot of passion for it.Stress in my career has seen myself reduce my hours by three days a fortnight (and change drastically the area and hours i work),whilst many others i either worked with / known via other workmates or were friends with,have taken their own lives due to the same stress triggers.An almost 30 year career,so something keeps me there (it sure as hell isn't the money or team i work with),but i no longer have that "fire" i once had.Having said that,i still do enjoy when i make a difference to someone's life (it's just that my and my family's life is more important these days).With my reduced hours,i am looking at doing a day or two in an area i really do still have passion for,and the rest will be time to just "live".

  • +2

    Yup for the money. And pretend I like the job during performance reviews

    • +2

      And pretend I like the job during performance reviews

      Manager: Are you enjoying yourself?

      Me: puts smile on face. I'm loving the atmosphere and the friendly people. Love the friendly managers and cool equipment we get to use. I think I say the same thing to every manager I talk to.

  • I like my job, I am doing it on a lower wage.
    I am not going to continue it because there is a salary position for it and it will not be enough.

    Boss wont let me change positions in the company.
    It's a shame, I am working on getting a job at another company.

  • I love my job. :)

  • My job is kinda boring, nice facilities, free food sometimes, less pay than a sydney cbd job, friendly people, long ass drive (90 minutes sometimes) and lots of nepotism.

  • +3

    I loved my job until recently when a new general manager came into play, who lies, bullies, brings friends in and shows favoritism to them. Unfortunately HR do everything they can to sweep it under the carpet.

    Oh well, just have to put up with feeling like shit every morning I wake up for work until u get another job.

    • +1

      Talk to his boss? The boss's boss?

      • Well his boss is new and things have been said to him, but he goes back to the GM/HR to confirm and of course they both shut down the things that have been said.

        If only I could be bothered mentioning what the GM gets up to, you'd understand.

        • +2

          we will wait until you can be bothered

        • @h4zey:

          +1

        • @Dreamcast: bothered yet?

        • @Dreamcast: we want the whole story so we can understand what's going on. do this for a fellow ozbargainer will ya..

  • used to love my first job. then the ridiculously awesome manager (who was completely on the same page as me) left for a career change. the new manager couldnt have been a worse cultural fit if they tried. after this i pretty much gave zero f's and left shortly after. shame.

  • +3

    Only reason Ozbargain has so much traffic is because most people hate their jobs…

    • +1

      I love my job because I'm allowed to browse Ozbargain. We sometimes post links to deals to each other at work.

  • +1

    I read a report from the US recently, that 80% of survey respondents were looking for another job, most because of a lack of appreciation from their boss, not because of money or other conditions. Sad really, all that's needed is a thank you.

    My work is ok and I get some appreciation (depends who your boss is) but it's not much money for the level of responsibility.

    I'm at the bottom, but if I screw up something, people could die and the company could lose millions. I could also be held personally accountable and imprisoned.

    But professional engineers are a dime a dozen and not valued.

    • Any recent examples of an engineer going to jail in Australia for a stuff up?

      Doesn't your employer need to pay for professional indemnity insurance coverage for you?

      • If you sell your product to the US, then engineers can be held personally accountable. We had training on this. Insurance doesn't get you out of jail or repair the company's reputation.

        • Yes but it covers you for civil negligence/liability.

          Even those traffic modelling engineers who cost investors over $1 billion after they stuffed up the Brisbane Clem 7 tunnel forecast traffic aren't going to jail.

  • +2

    Getting to the point where I hate my boss enough to no longer justify the salary.

  • +2

    Yes I hate my job. Sometimes I want to kill myself - but - having a partner and responsibilities keeps me going.

    My first job was okay but I was young and didn’t appreciate it. My second job was a nightmare dealing with a head office on the other side of the country and very political divides between offices.

    My third job was nice. My fourth job was the same as the third job but post acquisition - and it became very awful (fighting for the customers to be treated right against uncaring managers who only cared about money).

    My fifth job was okay but there were some very dark moments fighting against a superior (who was later fired, but that firing ended the entire department shortly after). My sixth job started well but - I was very under appreciated and by the end I had to get out before I committed suicide.

    Thankfully the seventh job was great - for a year - then things started to go downhill. Years later they’re very downhill. I use every sick day and leave day I can combatting depression. I want out of there as soon as possible - I stay to pay the bills - but the economy isn’t in a hiring phase right now.

    Basically most jobs started okay but eventually something ruined them and has generally made my life more miserable than you’d imagine. In breaks between jobs I’m actually a happy person.

    • +3

      Sorry to hear about the bad experiences you've had at various workplaces. May I ask what is your field of work?

      Also, it appears that you are under immense stress and anxiety. I hope you are getting some help & support and that you'll find more happiness soon.

      • I'm a specialist in a field of IT.

        • Thanks. If your job or work in the field of IT is the primary cause of stress for you, have you considered career change? I know it is easier said than done, but a lot of people I know have successfully done a career change to be happier.

    • Just a reminder for those who need it to check our mental health page. We're always up for chat if needed.

  • +7

    From nine till five I have to spend my time at work
    The job is very boring, I'm an office clerk
    The only thing that helps pass the time away
    Is knowing I'll be back at Echo Beach some day

    • Is that you Mark Gane?

    • Hmm the beach. But leisure and pleasure can be superficial and temporal, no?

    • 🎶🎶
      Echo Beach
      Far away in time
      Echo Beach
      Far away in time

      That steel guitar intro, Sleeping Dogs?

  • +1

    I figured out many years ago that working for an employer was not for me. I'm now self employed working for myself whenever I want and for as long as I want. If I don't like the client I let them go.

    Yes the income security isn't there so I've learned to live on as little as possible and with the help of sites like this one it is very easy to live on a low income without missing out.

    • +1

      Same idea here. 33 and longest full time work I've done is 3 months.

      Work for myself, pay is ok, I do get jealous of mates on 150k+, but they get jealous of my 20hr work weeks and flexibility.

      No security, but saving leads to security.

      All in all its a choice for mental health. Can't stand politics backstabbing or sucking up.

  • +11

    From being a jobless and hopeless migrant 4 years ago, I now work in education sector as a senior developer. Love my job. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment whenever I finish a project. Its an easy going, little/no pressure environment, very nice boss, perm job with $120K package. Often get calls from recruiters offering me long contracts (upto 12 months) with $800-900 daily rate which I always turn down, as I am extremely happy with my job. Fortunately, I happen to know a niche software which I learnt at my first (low paying, part-time) job here in Australia 4 years ago as a junior developer. I never wanted to do that job as it was so low paying and to make matters worse, my manager was very short tempered. He even once objected why I took 40 mins lunch break instead of 30 mins. When I asked for a 3 weeks leave after working for 2 years, he came up with thousand reasons to deny the leave request. Now when I look back, I feel so good that I did it and did it for good 2.5 years. Learned and mastered the software like the back of my hand. It sort of changed my life. It's developers are always in demand. I believe God has a plan for everyone, we sometimes fail to see it. Just give your best in whatever you do and leave the rest to God. That bad job and bad boss was a blessing in disguise.

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