Work sucks - I could use some advice/input?

[sbj405]

I'll try to make this as short as possible while including all the pertinent facts. First, let me say that I work for the government so dysfunctional right off the bat.

I've been at my office for about 3 years. The first year was fine. The work was rather mundane, so I took another position within the office that was supposedly going to lead to a "management" role and it paid more. 18 months of pure hell ensued. The problems (novel length) stemmed from another individual disliking the selection of me for the position based on my age, sex, and educational background. He refused to work with me or provide files that were essential to me completing my work. All this while, my management sat idly by and eventually gave him a promotion which would encourage him to play nice. Which I'm sure you can all guess how that turned out. This situation sucked and if I had the means I would have quit on the spot on several occasions.

I work in a fairly specialized field, so it took me awhile, but I was finally offered a position elsewhere doing slightly different work in the field. The pay was slightly less, the commute longer, and there was no job security. The director of my office found out and offered me a position with my office doing that same work. Stupidly, I decided to stay with my office with the promise of working on this new project and a few others. I was under the impression that the project was going to spin up later this year. I received a few emails regarding the work a few months ago and that was it. Since then, I've been working on a few small projects, but mostly completely bored out of my mind. Well, today, I discovered via a mass email that a new employee was hired to do that work. I was completely shocked and feel completely deceived. The project was one of my major reasons for staying.

I'm at a complete loss as to what to do. As I said, it's a small field and may take me months to years to find a job elsewhere, but I have lost all desire to continue working at this organization. Should I email or talk to the director who made the promises? He is not my direct supervisor and pretty out of touch with just about everything that happens. Or should I just get drunk tonight and try and suck it up until my bf and I can move from this area in a year.

Sorry this is long and mostly a vent. Any advice or hugs would be appreciated.

[qanda]

1. No advice to offer you, but....

:hug: Please know that it will get better.

[sbj405]

2. I hope so. I try to remind myself that having a job is a great thing now.

And I am very grateful for that. It's not too horrible in the sense that I do have a lot of freedom re: schedule and lots of vacation. But in terms of creating a long-term career, it sucks. I see so many people around me that are "trapped" and I don't want to fall into that.

[Joe Chi Minh]

3. sbj405

If you have any religious faith, begin to do whatever you have to, however humble the task, as if you are doing it for the glory of God. If you're not consciously religious, adopt the attitude that whatever you are doing, you are doing for the glory some imaginary God. Even sweeping the floor at home.

Don't even *think* in terms of rivalry or ambition for a higher position. If you can do what I suggested, you will really begin to enjoy your work again - better than ever, and although it won't mean squat, your attitude and work will surely commend you to your superiors for a more responsible decision-making position (where, incidentally, you may be able to help youngsters suffering in similar ways.

I never resented the idleness of young people, even when it meant I ended up doing much of their work, because it usually meant in my view that at some level they were trying to find a meaning to life. Better that than a precocious Mammon-worshipping go-getter.

Things had come easy to me, so that before long everything became too much trouble. Then a Polish cafe proprietor I got talking to, gave me similar advice I'm giving you. And starting from the next day, it transformed my whole attitude to my work and life generally.

To a lot of people, it's kind of common sense, but, alas, that's something that's had to be hard earned by me.

I can only hope this helps you.