Don't Hate Your Job - Get a Plan!

At some point in our lives we all have a job we hate.  We hate it for a number of reasons:  The assignment; the boss; the co-worker.  Whatever the reason, there is always a way out of a miserable job situation.  The most important thing is to get a plan.

Like a butterfly fighting its way out of a cocoon before it can fly, miserable job experiences are a necessary part of career development.  To deal with a bad job situation, you’ve got to diagnose the source of misery, formulate a plan and execute it.

Diagnosis the Source of Misery

To diagnose a specific source of job misery, ask yourself a few questions.  Are you outside of your skill level?  Do you have a bad boss? Do you hate your co-workers?  Answers to questions like these will help you determine your next steps.

If you struggle to answer these questions honestly, seek help from trusted friends.  Ask for insight from an objective perspective, but be wary of sharing your feelings with co-workers, unless you are certain your “business” will not be placed on the office grapevine.  (Quick Note: One sure way to sabotage your career is to become branded as "miserable.")

Formulate the Plan

The specifics of a plan may vary based on the diagnosis.  The paragraphs that follow describe possible strategies for common sources of job misery.

1. Outside of your skill level – There are several reasons you might find yourself outside of your skill level.  The job is new.   You are new (to the company or the workforce).   The job is not what you expected. Whatever the specific reason, the plan for this scenario is similar. 

•  Determine if time is on your side.  If you are new to your role, don’t put too much pressure on yourself.  Take a deep breath and start working on your personal development plan.  The first six months on a job are considered the “honeymoon” period.  Use this time to get to know your co-workers and talk with important stakeholders to get perspective.  Develop a 90-day or 180-day plan and share it with your boss for input.  Getting input gives you clues about the things you should be focused on in your new role.

• Don’t over-react to negative feedback.  Feedback is a gift.  Take the time to analyze the feedback and make every effort to correct it!  Ask for help when you need it.  If the feedback is outside of the scope of our ability, be honest with yourself about that (see the next point).

•  Find an exit strategy.  If the skills required for the job are no match for your talents or interests, make plans to find another job.  Avoid quitting if you can.  It’s usually easier to find a job when you already have one.   However, if you find yourself at the end of your rope, ask for a transfer or even a demotion to bide your time until you can find another job.

2. Incompetent Boss – This one’s tough, but you can survive.  First of all, remember that everybody is human, and wants to be loved - even a monstrous boss!  So get through this situation by analyzing your boss and figuring out what makes him or her tick.  As long as your boss is in charge, make it a priority to meet her where she is.  This may require major sucking up, but remember, the only thing constant is change.  Your boss will not be your boss forever.  One of you will leave eventually, but if you are the one leaving, you want to be sure it’s on good terms.  

Be wary of “turning in” a bad boss because it can backfire.  However, if your boss’ behavior is illegal or against company policy, do tell someone. Contact your human resources representative, the compliance department, or another member of management as soon as possible. Retaliation in employment situations can be considered illegal and/or against company policy. 

3. Obnoxious Co-worker – This one’s easy.  Remember that you are at work to do the best you can.  If you have a co-worker who seems to get in the way of this, find a way to make your own work expectations clear.  In other words, put your co-worker on notice about your boundaries without malice or contempt.  Keep in mind, most people don’t try to make a habit out of being annoying or obnoxious.

Execute the Plan

Executing a plan is much easier after diagnosing the source of misery and formulating a plan.  However, don’t expect overnight results.  Executing the plan to address job misery can take time and patience.  Find comfort in the fact that you are taking steps to address the situation.  If you fail, try again.  Continued misery is certain if you do nothing!

Finally, everyone goes through tough times on the job – EVERYONE.  The important things to remember are:  1. Keep your head up.  2.  Professionalism matters and 3. This too will pass!  The best thing about difficult times at work is that we learn, we grow, and we always survive.