The 8 Reasons You Hate Your Job In Corporate America
Corporate America: the place where the majority of post grads will find themselves, for better or for worse (but, for the most part, the worse). There is no college class or prep course that can help you prepare for the reality you are about to embark on for the rest of your life. There’s no smooth transition as you begin your life as a corporate slave. You go from having the best four years of your life into a world of misery and greed.
There will be highs and lows, ups and downs if you are going to devote yourself to this career path. Sometimes you will love your job but more often than not, this probably will not be the case. It’s hard to find the “right” job when you first exit college. Just because you had a certain major does not guarantee its respective career path will be right for you. Life in the real world versus what you learn in a classroom are two vastly different entities.
Unfortunately in many cases, you will sacrifice your happiness and freedom for a paycheck; you become a slave to the man. What are the other complaints about working for corporate America…
1. No Freedom
The lower you are on the office totem pole, the more people you have to listen to when completing tasks. You have a rigorous schedule filled with tasks that your manager most likely assigned you. You cannot choose which tasks you would like to perform nor which order you want to complete them in as you are most likely taking orders from someone else. Until you run your own company, you are always going to be listening to someone else’s directions.
2. Office Bitch
For the abuse you take, you don’t make nearly enough money -- especially after taxes. You will take an endless amount of sh*t from upper management that can and will drive you insane. If your boss is having an off day, guess who is going to feel the worst of it? You are. You are at the bottom of the barrel and no feelings will be spared since you really do not serve an integral role in the company’s success.
3. Obsession With Money
You think your first job will be an enlightening experience in which you will finally contribute something meaningful to the world. The problem is that upper management doesn’t want to waste their valuable time on someone that much below them. They would rather focus their attention on whatever task they have on hand. They don’t care about you, all their focus is on whatever can make them the next dollar.
4. People Are Miserable
The majority of people care about one thing about their job and that’s the figure on their paychecks. This is one of the biggest reasons people settle into a career path that makes them miserable. Sure, having the ability to afford luxuries is great, but is it worth your happiness?
Wouldn’t you rather work in an industry that brings you happiness and comfort than work at a career you hate just because you make a lot of money? Of course a paycheck is important, without it you couldn’t live -- but at the end of the day, that paycheck isn’t going to bring you the fulfillment that doing what you love does.
5. The People You Work With Suck
Chances are you aren’t going to be working with people you would choose to associate with outside the office. Sometimes the person closest to your age is 10 years older than you: #fail. It’s horrible to be stuck inside an office from 9-5 without one person you can talk to. Thank the lord for G-chat.
6. You’re Bored
The repetitive, mundane life corporate America offers you is not one of excitement. Life is full of surprises and opportunities; this is where happiness will manifest. You know where it will not flourish? Within the restraints of a 4×4 cubicle, staring blankly at a computer screen. Routine behavior will numb your mind whereas unpredictability will engage it. “Happiness is a state of activity,” as Aristotle has so famously said.
7. You Realize This Reality Is A Lie
Unfortunately, as a generation we were raised with the idea that if we go to school, get a typical job and make a lot of money, we will be happy. Happiness should be a reflection of your personal ambition and success, not by what kind of car you have in your driveway. I would rather be struggling to make ends meet, working towards something I love than relishing in money working at a company that makes me miserable.
8. No Creative Outlet
How can you grow as a person if you are stuck doing the same meaningless tasks on a day-to-day basis? This type of environment will literally suck the soul out of you. Living your life in suspense is exhilarating; variety is what keeps things entertaining and exciting. Spending eight hours trapped in a small space reading over excel spreadsheets is not going to get your creative juices flowing.
