I am always unhappy with my jobs

[Lovelavie]

I'm 24 and graduated in fashion design two years ago. Ever since I've worked in 4 different companies and all 4 of them made me frustrated and unhappy in some way. Some of them I felt like there was nothing to do, others didn't get paid enough or even had the basic benefits. All the companies I've worked at made me feel like I had to be thankful they were even paying me, as if I had to do my job for free.

 

I hate routine and I'm tired of this 9-5 every single day and doing things I don't enjoy. Next year I plan on moving to Australia (I currently live in Brazil). I don't aspire to build a carreer in a company, I aspire to travel and explore the world and having this office routine is driving me crazy day by day. I am trying hard to find a meaning in this but as the years go by the more I realize I don't see any meaning at all. I feel upset because in these 3 years working there hasn't been one job that I could say I was happy at, it's like I have this really bad luck in finding something that makes me feel happy and confortable in.

 

I need the money, that's the only reason I work, but the rest of it I just hate it and the more time goes by the more I panic about how I'm supposed to lead this lifestyle for the next 30 years of my life.

[Jibralta]

It’s not always possible to find a job that satisfies your every wish. In fact, most of the world works just to survive and doesn’t have the luxury of saying “I’m unhappy.” They have to deal with it.

 

That’s what you have to do, too. Since you can’t currently have it all, you have to prioritize. What do you want more: happiness or money. Also think in the long term. What you choose now will have an impact on your future happiness or wealth.

[shessofly]

Are you working in an area related to your degree?

[DancingFool]

Well....I mean people work precisely because they need the money to pay the bills, to eat, but also to be able to afford to do the things they actually enjoy. Most people don't live to work, they work to live. Meaning work is not their passion, it pays for their passion.

 

That said, if sitting 9-5 is not something you can handle, that's good to recognize. Maybe consider work that is actually active - either more of a physically active work or a job that involves a lot of travel time so you are busy doing things or going places and aren't tied down to a desk. There are a lot of so called active professions and jobs out there. So maybe time to rethink that aspect of what you can do for a living.

[j.man]

What's your actual plan in Australia? Being eligible to work there can be a real pain if you're visiting and unsponsored. If you're worried about being underpaid and underappreciated right now, I'm not sure if putting yourself in a financially risky situation in a foreign country, where you may have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for under-the-table jobs would be the best solution.

 

Not to sound too cynical, but at the end of the day, we're all cogs in the machine of greater society with our labor. Not at all to suggest you can't or shouldn't work toward a career that makes you happy, or at the very least content, but finding that sense of purpose outside what you contribute in exchange for a paycheck will greatly benefit you by increasing your threshold for contentment within the workforce, appreciating your paycheck as a supplement for you and your purpose rather than the other way around. Once you've done that, you can better tolerate a job for longer than a year and give a company that's offering a well paying and personally fulfilling position a real reason to invest in you. It's a vicious cycle if you keep jumping ship after a single year, and end up only being considered for jobs that justify that sort of turnover.

 

I'm in the States, so I can't speak for the exact environment in Brazil. But I contract with a couple of the biggest fashion schools in NYC. One of the harshest realities a lot of fashion students and recent graduates face is that they will almost invariably be required to put years into retail... like, on the actual floor, minimum-wage retail, or badly paid and overworked floor-level management to get the baseline required to effectively apply their degree. It actually takes a lot of grit, and it's something to be admired if someone can make it, but it's definitely not what the majority who go to school for it think it is or thought it would be. Again, can't speak to your own personal experience, so forgive me if I'm entirely off-base, but there could well be some truth to what DF suggests if this simply may not be a favorable industry for you (assuming these are the jobs you've centered on).

[abitbroken]

All the companies I've worked at made me feel like I had to be thankful they were even paying me, as if I had to do my job for free.

 

Welcome to the fashion industry - where many people want your job, but few are able to get a job in the fashion industry. You have to start at the bottom and pay your dues on the way up. Do the best job you can do, try your best to make good solid connections and absorb as much as you can, then when the time is right, take a job that is the next rung up or a better opportunity. What is it that you ultimately want to do in the industry? Only move to another country if you have a job offer or a school enrollment. That's just me. There will be difficult people everywhere. Or if you design things, go on the internet and see if there is interest in what you have to offer.

[thealchemist]

If you try to take on such a competitive field like fashion you are going to have to bust your butt a long time before you get something that doesn't suck.

[Wiseman2]

Have you considered seeing a doctor for the drug use, self medicating and anxiety/depression issues? Running won't help you, no matter where you run from or to..

[Lovelavie]

one of the reasons I want to move to Australia is because I'd rather work as, say, a waitress and be able to earn enough money to pay my rent and still travel around the country and do things I can't afford to do here. Seriously, I'd have to earn at least 3 times what I earn to be able to pay a rent alone to live in this city. Everything here is overpriced, you have to depend on your parents' money until you're almost 30. I have no perspective here. I do love my country and my city but I just see our economy going downhill and don't really see an early way out.

 

I also have wanted to live in another country for years and I have brushed it off for a really long time but it's gotten to a point whether I either do it or regret I didn't for the rest of my life.

I work with marketing in fashion but I just feel so drained at the end of the week, if I saw a perspective here I'd be more than happy to stay, but I seriously feel like my life is on pause and nothing really moves forward. I want to study abroad, get a degree on digital marketing and make plans to stay there and keep on studying.

 

I don't have a problem with working my ass off, I have a problem with having no perspective in my career.

 

Also I am a lot better with my anxiety/drug problem... this year has been emotionally crazy for me but things are starting to get better in that sense

[Jibralta]

Have you been to australia?

[JaggerJim]

Moving to Australia won't fix the problem, you'll still have to work the average 9-5 job. Unless you have heaps of cash under your belt to roam the country you may aswell stay in Brazil.

[dias]

The problem is, can you legally work in Australia? Landing on a country doesn't mean anything. You will never gain enough money to travel in Australia with washing dishes.

[Rockchick26]

This post could have been written by me, except I'm 45 and have bounced around to about 14 or 15 jobs in my life, ending up hating all of them because either they suck in some way or they take up too much of my time. I totally understand about dreading this lifestyle for the next 30 years of your life...I dread the next 15 of mine, lol

[Starlight925]

The fashion world is brutal. I was in it for almost 15 years. Very "Devil Wears Prada", where they act like they're doing you a favor to keep you employed. I did reach a point where I was earning enough, traveling all over, fashion shows, the whole "glamour" thing, yet the happiest career day of my life was the day I quit and did something completely different. I'm telling you this because unfortunately, it doesn't get any better, the higher you climb. You just get to wear more expensive clothes.

 

One of my turning points was when my direct boss was chastised by her boss for leaving to take a call during a meeting with a very famous designer in NY. We were all in the meeting, and my then-pregnant boss had to take a call, which turned out to be her doctor, as she had suffered a miscarriage that morning. She never said a word to anyone, just suffered the miscarriage in silence, took the call, and carried on through the meeting, explaining the situation afterwards. She was chastised, as how dare she get up and leave that particular designer for any reason. I silently planned my exit.

[Cope]

All the companies I've worked at made me feel like I had to be thankful they were even paying me, as if I had to do my job for free.

 

 

I'd say welcome to capitalism. You're living in a country similar to mine when it comes to it's economy. This is how everyone treats their employees, it's disgusting. Minimum wage paying jobs and the attitude "if you don't like it, leave, you are disposable."

 

Moving to Australia doesn't sound like a good idea, since everything there is expensive too. Since you are interested in digital marketing, there are good news. You don't need a degree to start. Not that it won't help, but everything you need to know and do is already online. There are some great forums that can help you get started, so start reading! You can combine digital marketing and fashion, I'm sensing that's your goal. A fashion blog, youtube channel, something around that. It's hard to achieve but if you really love it, stick to it.

 

If you can't stand freelancing, because, yeah, you pretty much make your own schedule but it's so hard to make enough money to live off in the beginning, there are a lot of companies that are looking for people who can work from home. This is probably why you need a degree in digital marketing.

 

So if I were you, I actually was you 5 years ago, I would stick to looking for an online job. I did get into digital marketing for a bit and realised it wasn't for me. Still, I was determined to find an online job due to it's flexibility and I made it. Now working for a foreign company where it's paying minimum wage, but living in a country where it's minimum wage is half of what I'm getting.That is plan you could aim for.

 

Also, as it was already pointed out, no waitress can travel off their salary. If anyone told you that "In Australia the tips are FANTASTIC and MINDBLOWING or whatever, I think they forgot to inform ou about the living expenses. I'm not aware of them, but I"m guessing their are very high.

[1tym]

I tend to base my comments on personal experience and I will do the same here.

 

I went to college for film and animation. I ended up elsewhere for work afterwards but did end up using what I used sparingly while I was with this organization. During my time there I did look into things and how the industry was changing. I was at a disadvantage due to the fact that I really didn't have a portfolio and didn't really do any free lance work. I needed a stable job. So when it was time for me to leave I ended up getting a stable job that paid a salary. It sucked, I had to work a different shift and the place I ended up was in the auto industry.

 

Here is the thing, I spent 9 years here in the industry but I am now actually making money. As I moved up the ladder things free'd up a bit more and I feel like I have some room to do things that I have always wanted to do. I feel like if I stay longer than I could move up more to make more money and the work itself gets easier and easier but the responsibility gets bigger and bigger. The pressure also gets a bit bigger as in this industry something is always changing at the last minute and you have to be on top of your game. During my time here there were many times even now and this year where I thought a career change is needed. However, if i moved companies I would have to sacrifice my experience and pretty much start over or go some where that i can transfer my experience all together to get the same equivalent job. I weighted the pro's and con's of it and at this point in my life, the high demand sucks hard but the actual job is fairly easy. I basically just train my staff and they report to me. I have so much free time, literally, I am currently on this site almost all day while I am at work. Who get's to goof off most of the time and everyone still thinks you are working? Am I productive sure, am i going above and beyond, absolutely not. Still because of my performance is still up to standard I havn't missed my promotion opportunities. Even now as I speak, this year, I am set to get another promotion due to the person not being able to perform his basic job.

 

What you really need to focus on right now is try to figure out what you want. Stick to one field and if you want to switch do it fairly early. I want to move but the circumstance that come with staying like money and benefits I can not leave. Not for the right reasons. So figure that out early and even 5 to 10 years you can sit at the boss' chair and make that money but on the plus side you will be doing what you like. All I am saying is what you are looking for you need to be in position as you climb that ladder. If that means following the rules even if you don't like it, but try to find some positives about having a that certain job.