22 Sep Should I leave a job that makes me miserable?
Should I leave a job that makes me miserable?
A secure job pays reasonably well, but the dread of going to work is becoming difficult to ignore.
Dear Uncle Matt,
I have a secure job and the money is reasonably good, but I hate it.
By Sunday afternoon I'm already thinking about Monday morning. I'm constantly watching the clock at work and I don't particularly like the person I've become there.
The obvious answer seems to be finding another job, but I'm frightened I'll leave something secure and discover the next place is even worse.
People keep telling me that work isn't supposed to be enjoyable and I should be grateful I've got a decent job. Are they right?
Sunday Night Dread
Work doesn't have to be the great passion of your life, but spending a significant part of every week somewhere that makes you miserable isn't something I'd dismiss as simply part of being an adult.
I also wouldn't turn this into a choice between staying forever and handing in your notice tomorrow.
You have the advantage of currently being employed. Use it.
Start looking at what else is available. Update your CV, apply for jobs that genuinely interest you and go to interviews. You can investigate other possibilities without giving up your current salary.
It may also help to identify exactly what you hate. Is it the actual work, the management, the hours, the culture or simply this particular employer? That matters because changing companies won't solve a problem if what you actually dislike is the career itself.
Security has value, but so does your time. You don't have to abandon one recklessly in order to improve the other.
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