What To Do When You’re Unhappy in Your First Job

You may be a college grad who has struck gold. You’ve landed a job right out of school, despite the fact that entry-level jobs are few and far between. There’s one little hiccup, though: You hate your first job.

You’re not alone. Studies show only 2 percent of employees over 40 are working in occupations they planned when they were 18. Sure, on the outside, it may have seemed like nabbing a job immediately after you’ve walked the stage was a huge blessing. You have something to do each day and you can pay your bills. However, you now struggle to stay engaged and dread going into work. What do you do when you hate your job, especially in a job market where landing one is a challenge in itself?

Separate guilt from unhappiness

You may have a hard time separating guilt from unhappiness. That is, you feel bad about hating your first job in an economy where you’re lucky to have one at all. However, it’s important to distinguish feeling guilty from feeling unhappy. Although it’s a tight job market, staying at a job you don’t like or don’t perform well in undermines your professional career and hurts the organization you’re working for.

Assess why you’re unhappy

Unhappiness stems from somewhere. Is your boss overly critical? Do you have too many projects on your plate? Are your team members rude? Are you failing to use your degree or the skills you thought you needed for the job? Understanding where unhappiness comes from is a good indicator of what you can change and what you’ll need to tackle head on.

Seek alternatives

Let’s say you hate your job because you aren’t working towards goals you know you can achieve. While it can be intimidating to sit down with your boss and ask for alternatives, it may be the best way to boost your engagement and get you excited about your job again. Plus, once management knows where you’re the happiest and what will keep you working hard, they’ll place you with projects in which you’ll excel.

Restart the job search

If you’ve assessed why you’re unhappy, done something about it, and are still finding you’re disengaged, you may want to look for a new job elsewhere. But before you do, figure out what you’re looking for in an employer. You don’t want to make the same mistake twice. Instead, jot down a list of wants, needs, what you can give up and what you can’t give up. Do you want a more flexible schedule? Projects more aligned with a cause than company profits? What about opportunities to advance your skills, or a more positive company culture? Consider every angle, then apply this to your job search. You’ll likely find more employers and opportunities that will be in line with your overall career path.

Be patient

You already know it’s a tight job market out there. Recognize that as a worker with entry-level experience, it may take some time to find new work. If your current job is seriously impeding your mental health or making you sick, it may be time to put in your resignation. Otherwise, you can stick it out as you tackle the job search, applying and interviewing in new places. Just remember — a job doesn’t have to be forever. If you’re diligent, you’ll find something that better suits your needs, skills and desires sooner rather than later.

When your first job sucks the life out of you, remember to separate guilt from unhappiness, assess why you’re unhappy, seek alternatives, and if all else fails, start the job search elsewhere and be patient. By doing so, you take yourself out of the majority of workers who dislike their occupations and put yourself in the category who love what they do.

What do you think? What are some other things to do if you’re unhappy in your first job?

Photo courtesy of Yasser Alghofily; Flickr