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| Should I Quit My Job? 11 Signs of a Dead-End Job in Disguise |
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| Written by Tiffany Ford | |
| Saturday, 09 August 2008 18:05 | |
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We all have conflicting voices in our heads that complicate the decision making process. It doesn’t seem rational to quit a job, especially one that pays well or is prestigious in one way or another. Then there is the voice that tells you that something’s just not right, and you know you’re better than this. So which one do you listen to? Which voice is right? Most of us choose to stay in a not-so-ideal situation because we assume that the voice telling us not to quit is the voice of reason. We don’t admit how rational our desire to quit is, because it starts with an emotion - the feeling that our job is making us unhappy and that we can do better. We forget that the whole reason we have feelings is to help us judge, and choose what we want and need in our lives. Feelings are signals of rationality and logic. Ironically, it is a separate set of emotions, namely the fear of change and unwillingness to admit we are wrong, that shield us from admitting the validity of our more logical feelings. We shouldn't be afraid to listen to our feelings, and act upon them in a reasonable way. You might be reading this article because your current job is not cutting it, and you need more control over your life. Why waste time even trying to make a dead-end job work? If you’re answer is “because it’s a learning experience,” then you’re probably fooling yourself. There are plenty of opportunities out there that are good learning experiences, and are also growth oriented. Plus, any dead-end job can’t really teach you as much as you want, simply because it ignores the fact that learning is about growth and development. Setting a challenge uncomfortably high is often the best learning experience you can ask for. But how do you know if you’re in a dead-end position? Many people assume that dead-end jobs are simply jobs that cannot lead to a promotion, like a paper route, or flipping burgers, or a file clerk. However, these days there are tons of dead-end jobs in the guise of good opportunities that are fooling Gen Y-ers. These positions look like great learning experiences in friendly offices that appear to be open to ideas, and care about making their employees happy. Sure, they are nice people, but as part of Generation Breakthrough you need to remember that you are more like an entrepreneur: you need more control than anything a merely friendly office environment can offer. Or perhaps the position is the 'low man on the totem pole' with a prestigious company that may put you in the same room with important people. It may even be a great mark on your resume. But you still have to ask yourself: could you get an as good or better experience and make good connections without torturing yourself and being taken advantage of? With such a position, you’re just asking to be pigeon-holed as nothing more than a lackey by everyone you come in contact with, and, believe it or not, often by yourself as well. If you do choose to go this bottom-floor route, you need to take aim at that glass ceiling. Continuously demand respect, no matter how inexperienced you are, because that’s the only way you’re going to get it, and the only way you can breakthrough that dead-end. I have already put myself in both of these dead-end job situations, thinking I was on the right track. However, I quickly realized I had been misguided, and was being taken advantage of. Of course both positions were valuable learning experiences, but at 21 years old, what isn't a valuable learning experience? Furthermore, the best thing I learned from those positions was actually what kind of job not to accept again in the future. So, what can you do to recognize a dead-end job in disguise? We have compiled a list of 11 red flags for a dead-end position.
11 Bright Red Flags of a Dead-End Job:
When it comes down to it, many jobs are going to have at least one of the problems listed above. Of course not all jobs are dead-end jobs, but the ones that are not are getting more difficult to find, especially for young people entering the workforce. Although it may not be for everyone, I urge you to consider the option of starting your own business, because that is the most promising route to having control over your entrepreneurial life. Gen X was the generation of job-hopping to the top of the ladder. Generation Breakthrough is the generation of ditching the slow, mundane, deceptive ladder all together, and controlling your own choices. You should not be mapping a strict path, but you should be figuring out what works for you when it comes to controlling your own choices.
Some other great dead-end job advice can be found at: QuintCareers.com: How to Leave Your Dead-End Job There is an insightful article on LawJobs.com, titled “Preparing to Survive a Dead-End Job.” Although we’re not all in the law profession, the article includes very applicable advice across the board. The author, Carrie Printz, says that “People who maintain a responsible approach to managing their own careers are quick to establish guidelines that they can use to evaluate their current situations and to assess whether they are on the right course to meeting their short- and long-term goals.” That is exactly what Gen Breakthrough needs to be doing. Merely watching out for the signs of a dead-end job is not enough. You have to reevaluate constantly and be proactive. The dead-end job sense will come naturally if you do what Printz suggests, and establish guidelines according to your personal needs and perspective. Just know what you want, and where you decide to draw the line.
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Comments (6)
  written by amy Alonso, August 10, 2008
I wouldn't put up with a dead end job for a minute!
I'm totally serious, the minute I concluded I was in a dead end job, I would walk into my boss/manager's office and maybe, maybe offer two weeks. But, if the suppression was malicious, I'd either walk out immediately without saying a word, or give my employer a little piece of my mind on the way out. I don't think it matters if you burn a bridge with disrespectful companies. Market forces will eventually limit their power. report abuse
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 written by Stella, August 21, 2008
5 out of 11. I guess that is what you get when you work in public education...
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written by Marilyn, August 28, 2008
Just remember, NO job is perfect and may offer qualities that appeal to you, other than climbing to the top, or earning more money. There are many valuable aspects to every job. I suggest evaluating what is most important to you at the time. Sometimes dissatisfaction is temporary, and often improves in the work-place or in your personal lives that can affect your decision to make a change You're correct in knowing you need to constantly review your priorities. They definately change as your life and career advance.
Ambition is a strong quality. Proceed with caution report abuse
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 written by sethsherman, September 05, 2008 Marilyn wrote "Sometimes dissatisfaction is temporary, and often improves in the work-place." I completely disagree... on a technicality. Aside from a complete change of the situation, like a department transfer or a promotion, true improvements are rarely made in the work place. Instead what appears to us as improvements is actually us just settling and learning to deal with it. She's absolutely right that dissatisfaction is temporary, but not because situations improve, but because we lower our standards. Don't let that fool you. Instead don't stand for dissatisfaction. Fix it immediately or what you think will 'go away with time' will actually just make you numb to it over time. report abuse
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 written by MikeFogel, September 05, 2008
In response to Seth Sherman, I agree that improvements are rare, and especially rare in huge goliath companies. And I would probably still disagree with Marilyn about taking a new job with a high degree of dissatisfaction, because a company of any size isn't going to want to adapt its methods for a brand new untested employee.
Especially if you are young, do you really feel the need to settle for a lousy situation? Have you truly explored all your options (including those you have to create yourself) to see if there is one with at least the same benefits and little to no torture? After you've put all your determination into figuring out an ideal situation, and didn't find it, then you can weigh your options to settle. However if you've been working for a company for a while and an admittedly temporary situation comes up that's no longer ideal, that's not a good reason to quit. (There might be other good reasons to quit though, like wanting to completely control your livelihood) I'd say the best situation in which you'd want to deal with dissatisfaction is in a business that you run, because you'll understand the necessity for the inconvenience and if/when you want it to change, no one will stop you. report abuse
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But that's just with my day job. My plan is to put up with it for just another couple months until I'm moving to a new city and a new career!