[superstar18]

I have been at my job for a year and a half. Before working their I was happy in life. I was doing good in college and I wasn't doing things I shouldn't have been doing. Now I'm depressed and can't take it anymore. Yesterday at work showed that nobody cared at all. My managers only care about themselves they don't try and help me. I am being ripped off at work and I'm emotionally and physically drained out. I'm not sure what to do. I want to just leave without having a back up job, that's how bad it is. Then on the other hand I am scared that I won't find another job and I do need the money. Before working their I was financially fine and then now I'm not. I don't have time to find another job while working their because they can't even work around my schedule. I barely get enough days off to look for one and when I do have a day off I'm am drained out. I'm sick of the bs. I want to be happy again and I want to be a successful person and do better in school. I can't do that because of my job. Someone give me some advice please, thanks

[Fr_Chuck]

Sorry but you gave no example of how they are ripping you off or being unfair to you. You do sound like the normal high school or college student, who found that work is,. well work. And that bosses often do not care for the worker but want to meet deadlines, requirements and want you to do more work all the time.

Often lower level work is not rewarding, and it is hard and demanding. You will not feel fun and enoyment doing it.

[smoothy]

Welcometo life... as an employee of only a year and a half... you are a LONG way from being indespiensible, or critical to the business. YOu just don't have the experience yet.

You are a peon. And are lower on the ladder than supervisors, managers, directors are much less the executives.

Another reality check... you've got a year and a half work experience... you are still going to be entry level anyplace you go and are unlikely to be worth a lot more to anyone for years to come.

What you do is understand your job becomes a big part of your life... you embrace it because it keeps you from eating out of garbage cans and sleeping under bridges.

And most of all... employers don't "work around your schedule"... you rearainge your schedule to fit around your job. THat shows a great level of immaturity and naiveness on your part. Time to grow up and start acting like an adult... you sound like a spoiled child that's had everything handed to them their whole life. Sorry but it really does.

YOU work... and when opportunities come up IF you have shown the initiative... you advance in the career. Nobody ever makes it to be the boss by doing as little as they can get away with and complaining about even that little bit.

If you really want to work hard and break your back... start your own business... you won't have anyone to blame but yourself then. And you will have to work twice as hard at half the pay hoping to grow the business to something that can reasonably called a success. But you won't get paid sixk days or paid vacations either... and days you don't make any money you don't get paid... but its all about having fun... right?

WHich planet would this be anyway? I'm 53, I worked my butt off for over 10 years before I made enough to be reasonably comfortable... and 20 more years before I was fairly comfortable... but all of it was a job I had to do... and not what I 'd rather be doing. But I like nice things, and eating food someone else hasn't thrown out first. So I work.

[odinn7]

This is how the real world works unfortunately. You work for people that most of the time don't care if you live or die. I have worked at places and gave them my all but then found out that I really didn't matter much to them and then I lost my drive. Very few places care about you and managers do not get paid to be your buddy, they get paid to make sure the work gets done either by you or someone that they can replace you with. It's sad, but that's how it goes.

If the job is affecting your life and your health, you need to find another one. You keep making excuses as to why you can't find another job but it doesn't sound like you are really even trying...just making the excuses to avoid trying. Look for a job, get one, and then quit. What else can we really tell you?

I don't want to sound mean because I have been there before but, welcome to the real world.

[superstar18]

Ok well first off they have been ripping me off with pay. The union filed grievance on my behalf saying that I wasn't getting paid the amount I was supposed to be getting paid. At the beginning of this month I get another letter back saying they were not going to go through with the case because I was being paid over. Doesn't make any sense but that's what they said. Even after that I'm still getting ripped off with money and I went up to the person who pays me and makes an excuse. So now I'm going up to my union rep. The other day I did something to my back and was in a lot of pain I could barely stand up straight and it was making my arm go numb and tingling. I went up to one of my bosses and asked very nicely if I could go home because I was in so much pain and I was literally crying. He says no it's Memorial Day you have to stay. I was in pain all throughout my shift and made it worse. He comes up to me after and gives me two store coupons and says see wasn't it worth it. I thought that was completely rude of him to say. I was going to say I don't think the pain was worth it. It's not just me either. 5 people in the last week put in their two weeks notice. It's not like I'm quitting just because I want to. There are reasons behind it. Nobody likes it their everyone keeps telling me to get out as quick as I can. You should be happy at your work place and you should be able to feel safe. My grades were slipping because they would give me midnight shifts and I would say well I have finals and homework and they wouldn't care or listen. If you were back in college and was working almost full time plus going to college full time I think you would rather pay more attention to your studies than a job that's not going to be your career right?

[odinn7]

Of course studies are more important...but that wasn't really part of your original question. You asked what you should do about the job. As for ripping you off, that whole thing is a little unclear and there isn't much we can tell you about that but really, if the job is affecting you this much, find another one.

[superstar18]

It's not making excuses it's the truth. I changed into a totally different person ever since working their. Even my parents say I have changed. I have done things I shouldn't be doing and I regret doing them. I have never felt so down in my life. I had everything going for me and now nothing. I have been to the lowest point in my life because of working for them. I need time away. Just to get out and explore the world and what options I have. That's why I just want to quit and take a 2 week vacation and then start looking for a new job. That way I'm not so stressed out and have time to think what I really want to be doing in life.

[smoothy]

You aren't going to be exploring the world unless you have money... you don't get money unless you works and save enough of it.

Seriously... I see a very lax attitude about work... one that's not going to get you ahead anythiing in the future. And I see other people that have that entry level mindset.

Everyone with a job does things they don't want to do from time to time... sometimes you have to work harder than you want to... and there will be days we just don't feel like being there... but the business has to be open, and the work needs to be done...

Example... my job had me visiting customer offices frequently to be installing and testing things... that involves dragging around equipment... I spent nearly a year on crutches with my leg in a cast and found a way to do it. Why, Because short term disability paid enough less I couldn't afford to be out for very long on it. In my case it was 66.. 6 % of my regular pay... it would have been 50% if I had not paid for the better option.

If you think hopping around on crutchs is hard enough.. try doing it with a 50+ lb backpack. Where there is a will there is a way.

If you want to impress your superiours... you do it by consistently rising not only to the occaision... but above it.

Yes... everyone changes when they have to enter the real world... particularly if they step into it with unreasonable expectations to begin with.

that's because...


When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me


You aren't suddenly an adult when you turn 18.....its a long process you never really finish until you've mastered being able to FULLY support yourself without someone elses assistance. COllege only prolongs that further out. And its the biggest life changing event you will experience up until that time.

Learning how to accept and deal with stress is part of being an adult... you will never get a high paying job or become a success if you avoid it... and don't learn to cope with it.

There isn't a job out there that at some point you don't absolutely hate... And I've worked at enough employers in my climb up the ladder that I can say that from experience.

with a position that pays better comes harder work (meaning more value for the dollar and more productivity), With money comes responsibilities, with responsibilities comes a lot more stress...

They are all interconnected... you can't have one without the others.


And to be fair......I don't know anyone who made that transition from child to self supporting adult without some pain or problems during the process.

[Wondergirl]

I just want to quit and take a 2 week vacation and then start looking for a new job. That way I'm not so stressed out and have time to think what I really want to be doing in life.

That won't be enough time and opportunity for you to reevaluate your life and what your want to do. You'll probably just veg out and have fun, and then the two weeks will be over with nothing resolved. You need to be in the work world to experience possibilities.

You take whatever job you can get, work hard at it, learn everything you can, and job hunt while you are still working. Volunteering somewhere on weekends might give you ideas of what you are good at and figure out what kind of business you might want to work for. Taking the Myers-Briggs and various interest tests at your local community college might also help. And you can do the volunteering and get career counseling/take tests in the evenings and on weekends.