If there is anything that millennials and gen Z kids have really mastered, it’s the art of striking a work-life balance, and/or remembering to choose their sanity above a job.
But, to be honest, that is a grand generalisation, a lot of people struggle with not knowing when it’s time to move on from a job (regardless of their birth years). So, if you’ve ever questioned why you’re still at your current workplace, or have done that in the past, these confessions we found on Reddit might just be what you need to read!
1. For me, it’s the whole recruitment process – applying for jobs, even if you apply to fifty-plus companies only two to three companies reach out, then it’s going through crazy interview rounds.
2. I can’t stand job hunting. I will get cut at the interview because I just don’t do interviews well. I can do whatever job they’re offering with my eyes closed but I have a real problem with interviews. The last time I was job hunting I was in the top ninety out of three hundred applicants, made it to the next stage which was down to twenty-one people, then made it to the next stage to the top nine. And, that’s when they did their first interview and then they were going to do one more after that with the top three but I was one of the six who got eliminated. Would have been a perfect job for me too. Quite a few that I haven’t gotten and I find out the people that do get it only stay a few months and then quit and that wouldn’t have been me. I would have stuck around unless they were real jerks or something.
3. My boyfriend went through fifteen (probably more) interviews for his job with a tech company. The first round was for one job and he came in second place, but they put him through five or six more rounds. Later, the recruiter called him and rejected him, and told him they had him in mind for a different role. He then went through five or six rounds for the next role. He didn’t get it. But they said they had another role they thought he’d be great for, so he interviewed for that one… five or six times. I would have dropped out, but he stuck with it.
4. I once interned at a job for ten months before they offered me a full-time gig. Except even after the written offer, they made me interview with five teams of two people each, just to say I “did the same process as everyone else.” I already knew and worked personally with every one of those damned people…
5. Same reason people have trouble leaving abusive relationships.
6. I was a fresh graduate looking for a job. The hate they have towards freshers is just ridiculous. Even for internships, they choose candidates with previous work experience (people who have done internships before). People just join because they are running out of money or have career gaps. When I was searching for jobs, I felt like I have ‘do not hire me, I’m a fresher’ written on my face. Like I have committed some crime or something. And then these employers go on to weed out candidates that have career gaps in their resume. It’s annoying when they say, ‘freshers should start their career by working in startups because they’re willing to hire them,’ but I have seen many startups hire people with one to two years of experience. And when freshers are applying, they’re like, ‘we have a position for an intern, will you work in our company as an unpaid intern for six months?’
7. Inertia. Bills to pay. Fear of the unknown. Lack of opportunities. Aversion to change. Personal identity tied to career/job success.
8. I left my last position because the work environment was so toxic, but throughout the job search process I kept thinking: Maybe it’s just all in my head, maybe I’m the reason the environment is trash, what are they going to think about me when I leave? And, I have to make sure to get everything done so no one is overloaded or complains about the reassigned work for me. It was definitely a strong sense of responsibility. and knowing how they talked… I didn’t want anyone to have anything to say! but at the end of the day, I did as much as I could. people come and go, work is reassigned, the business will (ideally) continue without me.
9. Honestly with the gaslighting and flipping back and forth between handing out rewards and unjustified anger, I feel like I’m stuck in an abusive relationship with my boss. Job search is underway. I have lots of skills, and I’m a quick learner, but on paper, I’m qualified for nothing.
10. I have financial commitments and I can’t leave my job without having another one lined up. It’s not quitting my job in itself that’s a problem; it’s that I’d need to have another one secured before doing so.
11. Because if you’re not earning money it’s harder to live, and in quitting your job there’s a huge risk of not finding another one for a long time, particularly now. That’s a huge risk to take when you might just end up in a job that’s the same or worse out of desperation.
12. Could be plenty of reasons. I for one feel bad that I may be letting my bosses down by quitting. A fucking silly reason, but gives me anxiety nonetheless.
13. I liked my coworkers, I liked how much the job paid, I liked the hours or schedule, or it was somehow convenient for me.
14. In my earlier jobs, I was hesitant to quit a job I hated if I hadn’t been working there long enough. Because I didn’t want future employers to see that short time span on my resume. I was worried they would think I was someone who quits easily rather than someone who just continued to work at a bad place.
15. Familiarity, you might still like the people you work with or work for so you put up with the job itself because you’re getting an income that at least pays the bills. And it’s hard to get a new job these days, that pays well, and is close to home. You’ve already invested so much time in building up your reputation that maybe you’re just not being challenged enough and perhaps this is why you’re hating that things are not progressing.
16. For me it’s an infinite loop. I desperately want to quit my job and relax for a bit, but I can’t. Because I know once I quit, I’ll pressure myself to find another job. And I can’t look for another job now while I’m still working, because I really want to take a break between jobs for a couple of months. Bullshit.
17. Personally, I hate my job. I make next to nothing, I have never felt any appreciation for the work I do and I’ve been planning on leaving it for years. But I keep putting it off because I’m worried that the next job I have won’t allow me the same work-life balance I currently have. And my current job is pretty low stress. Compared to my boyfriend who is literally losing sleep due to the amount of stress his work gives him. In fact, my last job really gave me a fear of bad work environments (strict management, not allowed to leave your desk/check your cellphone, no breaks, etc.). There’s just so much pressure in finding a worthwhile place where you spend the majority of your waking hours.
Probably the only situation Bunny’s dialogue truly applies to. ‘Sahi waqt par kat lena chahiye nahi to gile shikwe hone lagte hain!’
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