I hate my job. How do I stick it out for at least 6 months?

Question

I took a reporting job knowing that my boss has a reputation for being slave driver.

It's true, but this is my first reporting job and I would like to make my troubles worthwhile.

I'm more than a month into it, and I figure at least six months will look decent on a resume. I moved away for this gig, and I miss my boyfriend. Sometimes I think that makes me hate this job more.

But really - we work up to 12 hours a day and I never have time for a life. I'm miserable. How can I stay motivated to report, write and do a good job when I hate it so much?

to skahh,
I worked for ten years slinging food as a waitress - and I was happy. Please do not assume I seek power and prestige. I just wanted to do something I loved. The money is not that good as you also seem to presume.

Maybe I am reading your repsone incorrectly, but it is hard to decipher.

Answer 1

Cut and run. The difference between one month and 6 months experience on a resume is negligible. It's certainly not worth accepting a lower quality of life for. If you're only one month in, you could leave the whole experience off of ypur resume and nobody would ever even know.

Answer 2

Welcome to the world of mass media! Regardless of the job you get, in the first few years your going to have to bust your butt to prove yourself. Even after that, to really excell, you're going to need hit it pretty hard.

Probably the best thing you can do is just try to stick it out for a while. As far as your resume goes, six months isn't a huge resume building job. Your time might be better spent getting your foot in somewhere else; an organization that isn't ran by a slave driver that you can work your way up through.

You may have to take a pay cut, but there are things more important than money. And in the long run it may help you out (slave drivers don't like to give raises).

Answer 3

Why do you hate your job? Is it the boss? Office politics? Or just reporting itself? If you hate reporting job then you shouldn't be in reporting. And think about it, if you are working for another reporting job, do you think it will be the same situation too? Do some research to see the nature of the work. But...If you stick it out for 6 months, finished all your projects with excellence, then you'll have something good to say to the next employer. That could be your biggest acheivment, say your boss has a reputation for overworking and you made it through and did all the jobs with passion or sth like that.

Answer 4

I averaged 10 hours a day 7 days a week for the last 30 years working, some of those times being spreads of 12 to 18 hours a day 7 days a week for months on end. Much of my work was quite mechanical and physical in dirty rusty steel tanks and in between small spaces. It was quite gloomy sometimes. My body ached. I had a family to support and was not recognized for my work because it was all way behind the scenes. I am a proponent that if you don't have your ticket punched and you are a survivor, you do what nobody wants to do and be the very best you can at it and build your life around it, and you survive. Your situation may be less potent, less about survival and more about seeking what is available to you, exposure, privilidge, prestige and power because you are a part of that social climbing scene, you have social skills from your privilidge. You are probably addicted to that and what material status it brings you. There are tradeoffs in life. You may become very successful in your endeavors, but you may become very unhappy and lonely in life besides.. That would be sad for you when you reflect upon it someday, but you will be rich?!... When you were created, it was in part for you to come to this cross in your life adventure, either way, it is your roller coaster ride. Enjoy.

Answer 5

Picture being in a drought-stricken Guatemala, and walking fourteen hours a day for two mangoes, to improve the grass soup meals for your family of five.
Twelve hours a day improving your career, slave driver or no, with a weekend day here and there?
You'll get through, I promise.
Good luCk!