I’m struggling in a career that is a waste of my degree: what should I do?
I’m in my mid-20s and graduated with a 2:1 in English and creative writing three years ago. Though my dream career is to be a writer, my initial intention had been to go into teaching as a more sustainable path, but it didn’t work out and I was then unemployed during the economic downturn.
I did, however, find my current job 18 months ago. It’s taken me all that time to see it’s not what I really want to do or be in at all.
The other issue is that, when I started in my role, I was taken on for a project that is still technically my main department, but which has been effectively sidelined because of a series of marketing flops made by the head of that project – something that has now exacerbated itself this year more than ever.
Another department was moved to our office in the summer, and to say that the workload has been relentless and all-consuming is to put it mildly. Just to keep up with it all I’m exhausted in my evenings and weekends, and seem unable to leave work at work.
My boss and the company MD have since had meetings with me in which I have told them I’m struggling, and they are offering me support, but I feel like it’s not enough and that I’ve failed since graduating.
I am looking around at new jobs, but I don’t know what to do next. I feel that because I’ve spent so long now in a career that is not fulfilling and a waste of my degree, it’s too late to move into something more suited to my skills and abilities. But at the same time I know full well I am not in a position financially to just walk in and hand my notice in tomorrow, nor would I dream of doing so. I feel so stuck and I don’t know what to do.
Jeremy says
Before you can begin to sort out your future, I strongly suspect you need to take a break from work. At the moment you are so exhausted, so despondent, so disappointed and so confused that you’re incapable of clear thought. If you’ve got any holiday entitlement left take a week or 10 days away from the office and be absolutely scrupulous in making a clean break. Tidy up your work as best you can, but take none with you.
Start by examining one sentence in your letter to me: “Because I’ve spent so long now in a career that is not fulfilling and a waste of my degree, it’s too late to move into something more suited to my skills and abilities.”
Looked at dispassionately you must surely agree that this just cannot be true. You’re still only in your mid-20s. You had the ability to earn a place at university and the talent and discipline to gain a 2:1 in English and creative writing – a more than respectable degree. Nothing that’s happened to you since then negates these achievements. Writers often enjoy longer-than-average careers so you probably have 40 or 50 years of working life ahead of you. To despair at your age, only three years out of university, makes no sense at all. I’d guess that quite a high proportion of people who have gone on to enjoy fulfilling careers were still wondering and floundering at the age of 25.
If being a writer continues to be your goal then you should be writing. You need to develop your own “voice” and make certain styles and subjects your speciality. The internet allows everyone to be their own publisher. It’s entirely possible, if you write engagingly enough, to begin to attract followers and build a reputation.
If you write regularly other decisions follow. Your present job will have to go. It’s exhausting you and leaving you no time to write. Think of jobs, such as internal communications, where writing skills are appreciated. Then come back from your break with a load off your shoulders and a steely optimism about your future.
Readers say
• I only really learned how to deal with other people (and myself) in the work environment when I was in my mid-20s, and these are the most important (and transferable) skills. You’re at the start of your career, not deep in the trenches of it. Tough it out while you think of a ladder you’d rather be climbing, But don’t despair. TommyRogers
• Your degree is worthless, hence not something you can really waste. Writing is not something they teach in uni. If you do write, consider it a hobby. Your best shot is to stick to the job and to look for a crack in a corporate mechanism that will suit you more: a management lane, or some specific line of work that will provide you with unique qualifications. Switching jobs with 18 months of real work experience after years of unemployment with no real skills is insane. Sargv_
• I’m 57 and just gave notice at a job I hate. Do I have another job? No. But I don’t wish to be miserable. Take control of your life – if you don’t feel comfortable quitting, at least register with staffing agencies in your chosen field and look in other places for jobs to apply to as well. You’re only in your 20s. If you’re not going to take risks now, when? Choose to be happy! readhead13
• Don’t quit until you have found another job. As bad as your current position seems to be, unemployment is worse. Nash25
I have upset my manager by performing really badly in a job interview
Today I had a job interview for a permanent position at a company where I work as a contractor.
The interview went really badly – I couldn’t answer some of the questions. The worst thing was that my manager, who was one of the interviewers, was really upset with me (judging by his face). How should I recover from this as I fear it could affect my future work here as a contractor and, of course, any hopes I had of a permanent job?
Jeremy says
I expect your manager was upset because he’d sung your praises to the other interviewer(s) beforehand and so felt, a little illogically, that you’d in some way let him down.
Just remember that your manager’s opinion of you, and the company’s, won’t be based entirely on that one unfortunate interview. They must have been sufficiently satisfied with your work as a contractor, presumably over some time, to have interviewed you for the permanent post – and that should certainly count in your favour. Unless your manager brings it up, I’d put the interview behind you and just get on with your work as usual.
Readers say
• Clearly you didn’t take the time to think about what you might have been asked in the interview. Next time make sure you do your research, of both the company and the people interviewing you, and think about what questions you might be asked! TomBridges
• When you don’t know an answer, it is helpful to say “I’m not familiar with that BUT …” and explain how you’d find it out. Give an example of how long it typically takes you to pick something up. Flash Bristow
• “Leak” information that something dramatic happened just beforehand. “The love of my life who I haven’t seen for X years died suddenly and I got the call 10 minutes before the interview.” Or something along those lines. caramel10
