I’m 25M.
This may sound a bit stupid. And it probs is. I apologise if it’s posted in the wrong place.
I’m an engineer. I took a job to gain industry experience. After 6 weeks I know it isn’t right for me long term. I know I can do better.
I’ve already had a shitty experience at another company. I have a masters in mechanical engineering and I will not just be stuck on data entry again. But they have
My boss asked how I’m finding it and I said i don’t plan on doing this for long. I’m sick of being used as a body. I have the qualifications to do better and I will.
He got upset at me and I don’t know what to do next.
This may seem too much and silly. But this is a year of frustration in another team building. I will not do it again.
How do I deal with this now? Thanks
Tl;dr told my boss I won’t stay long term and he’d upset
12 comments
I can understand both points of view.
It does cost time and money to hire someone and there is an unwritten expectation that you’ll stay a few years to make it worth it for your employer.
There is also an argument that younger employees should try to be loyal for a while, to build up your resume and to show yourself as a loyal employee.
That said, so fucking what, it’s a company, you’re a human being, do your best whilst you’ve still got a job, get paid, and find something better.
If the company was that great, you wouldn’t be thinking about looking elsewhere already would you?
Honestly it doesn’t sound like you expressed yourself in a professional manner. You could have easily said you don’t find data entry engaging and you are really hoping he can find a more challenging role for your skills, or something along those lines.
If you actually told him you were sick of being used as a body when he asked how you like the job, you really need to work on how you express yourself
I’d ask to meet with him, apologize for my harshness, and ask if we can discuss better roles for me
You did the right thing, at least you told him. Put in your 2 weeks before you quit and it’s fine
I mean you just showed your cards by telling him your plans. You won’t be getting promoted and there may be plans to phase you out now.
If you want to stay there, I’d tell him that you actually mean you don’t want to do data processing and would like to try other things while working here and move up in the company.
For someone so smart, that was a stupid move.
I don’t know the laws where you live, but where I live (most of the USA), he could fire you out of spite with no consequences.
Looking at your post history it seems like the problem is you want the world handed to you on a silver platter. You’re finding out that work requires work. Either suck it up and put in the work, our strike out on your own and put in the work for yourself.
It’s kind of like when someone asks, “How are you?” You don’t tell them about the gas you have from your burrito at lunch, you say, “Fine, thanks.”
I don’t think there’s much you can do to walk this back. Just keep putting in good work and stay humble. We all start somewhere. I’m sure you’ll get to where you want to be, but it typically doesn’t happen right out of the gate.
I don’t know about engineering and your specific field, so a more specific job reddit or board might be more helpful. Also might depend on what your goals are and what this company is like for that
Professionally you should probably talk to your boss and clarify your comments – otherwise they might mark you off in their book as an investment (not giving development, not assigning you to long term or important projects, not looking to promote) which sounds like the opposite of what you are after.
Honestly if more workers felt they could do this without reprimand employers would be a lot more accountable and unions would be stronger. He doesn’t get to use you as a dispensable subordinate and then be mad when you’re not happy with it. You have every right to seek better employment, and it’s exactly what your boss would probably tell poor people to do that can’t break the cycle of poverty working minimum wage.
Maybe apply for a post grad internship at a really good company that you can get hired into after. You’d have to work for free for a bit but it would get your foot in the door to a job you really want. Data entry? Ridiculous they are using someone with your education level to do a job that requires a high school diploma.
This is not the way this conversation should have gone.
Even if you’re not seeing yourself there long term you could have at least framed it positively. You could have said you’re not feeling as challenged as you would like and wanted to explore other possible job roles within the company. That or at least some other bigger projects ro work on.
Not to sound rude, but what is a mechanical engineer doing data entry?
If possible reach out to your college peers and see if the places they work have any open positions in your actually field of training. Reach out to your professors and see if they have friends/colleagues who can recommend u job positions that are in YOUR field.
Go on linked In and cold contact some hiring managers and recruiters for entry level positions. Visit college job stem fairs.
Meamwhile reach out to your current boss and let him know that what you said was not meant to hurt his feelings but you were just frustrated and hurt based on past experiences. Tell him that while you are grateful for the job experience (u did take this job for entry level exp, u don’t have to love this job or etc but also no need to be a d*** and don’t burn a bridge who can be used as a reference. I know u hate this job, but use it as a stepping stone), you want to maximize on your actual skillset and your skills are starting to deteriorate. Ask if he has other positions available, and if he doesn’t, that’s okay as well. At the emd of the day, he was the one who gave u a job, so u do owe some curtesy back. Meanwhile, brush up on your resume and start job hunting. Don’t quit on whim until u have a solid start date with the new company. Cause remember: u have money set aside for bills/rent/expenses.