What to Do When You Hate Your Job

What to Do When You Hate Your Job What to Do When You Hate Your Job I hate my job. I hate my company. I hate my boss. Many people hate something or other about their work- each of us probably hears one or more of these observations from at least one source nearly every day. What to Do When You Hate Your Job Going to work every day when you hate what youre doing or who you work for can be a huge challenge, but broadcasting the fact that you hate your job in the office, out to lunch or- even worse- all over the Internet compromises the level of professional integrity you convey, and can risk you getting the boot if the wrong person picks up on your vent sessions. You dont have to stay in a place you simply feel is not a good fit. There are steps you can, and should, take to move on if you hate your job and youre not happy at work. Too many people spend too much time working to stay in jobs or work environments they dislike or even actively hate. Besides being happier, we all perform better when were working at jobs we love, or at least like and at which we feel we have room to grow. Keep Your I Hate My Job Thoughts to Yourself If you do hate your job, keep it to yourself and your family or close friends. Dont blast it out to the world on social media; the more you broadcast your distaste, the more likely it is that the wrong person will come across your complaints and share them with co-workers, supervisors or even company executives. But employees arent the only ones using social networking sites; employers do, too. Tweets, for example, show up in Google search. And, if you arent careful about your Facebook privacy settings, youre opening yourself up for the wrong person to stumble across your frustration there, as well. Losing your job before you start looking for a new one, just because you complained about it, is easily avoidable. It makes more sense to strategically plan your exit from the company. Know Its Not Just You Being the person stuck in a position to say I hate my job can happen to any of us. It happens. The job might not be what you expected. Or, the job itself may be okay, but your boss or co-workers are awful. Perhaps you dont like the schedule or your customers, or something else about the work environment. Reaching the point where you have acknowledged that you hate the job actually isnt a bad place to be. At least you know, and you can plot a course for next steps. Dont Just Quit Dont just quit your job. The frustration of walking five days a week, 50 weeks a year through the doors of a place you cant stand can be weighing, but resignation in haste and repentance at leisure simply isnt an option for most of us without another job sitting at wait in the wings. Begin by considering options for making the job work. Are you sure you really need to quit or could you just be going through a tough time? Is there anything you could be doing differently to be happier at work? Could you ask for a transfer or a shift change? Is there anything that would make a difference and convince you to stay? Perhaps theres a way to turn things around so you at least like, if not love, your job.  Consider the alternatives before you make a decision to leave. Finding a new job isnt always easy, if theres a fix, its worth pursuing. Get Ready to Job Search If theres no way you can stay, thats fine, too. Again, at least you know. Still, dont quit your job yet. Its easier to find a job when you have a job, and you probably wont be eligible for unemployment if you quit. The better prepared you are before you actually start looking, the easier your job search will be. Take the time to create or update your LinkedIn profile. Write a great LinkedIn profile summary that will get noticed by hiring managers.  Update your resume. Get some references lined up. Build your network by connecting with everyone you know on LinkedIn and the other top networking sites. Start Your Job Hunt Start a job search, quietly and discreetly. Dont broadcast the fact that youre job searching for the same reasons youre keeping quiet about hating your job. You dont want your boss or someone else to know that youre planning to leave until youre ready to share the news. Job search engines are the perfect platform to see what jobs are available for candidates with your background. Spend some time perusing a few, then test the waters. Start applying for jobs and talking privately (via email, Facebook, LinkedIn messaging, etc.) with your contacts about your intentions to make a move to a new job. Still unsure how to proceed? A few helpful pointers may be all you need to get your job search started and to keep it on track. Do keep in mind that it might take a while to find a new position, so be prepared for the long haul. Be Careful About What You Say and To Whom When you think youve finally found that new plum position and youve been asked to interview, youll probably want to shout it from the rooftops. Still. Dont broadcast the fact that you hated your last job. Companies check references. They ask about previous employers in interviews, and what you say matters. Recruiters and prospective employers look for people who are going to build their businesses and reputations up through engagement and contribution; not tear them down. Going into an interview with the idea that you can spend even a fraction of the time ripping into the company for which you currently work (or formerly worked) often says far more about you than the company. Whats more, you never know who your interviewer might know, or even if the company youre trying to leave could hold associations with the company to which youre trying to move. Resign With Class Resign gracefully, giving two weeks notice. Offer to provide assistance during the transition and leave, as best you can, the company behind with no hard feelings. Aside from not being worth what it might cost from a career perspective, a scorched Earth approach to separation isnt worth the time and energy, and such overtures compromise your professional integrity. Youre better served by focusing your energy and perspective to your new job and improving your experience this time around.