Unfortunately, the following story does not have a happy ending. I first met Vanessa in the summer of 2003 when I started my new job at a hospitality management company. She had already been there a little over a year and one of the first conversations we had was her explaining to me in great detail how awful the company was and how much she hated it there. She, like so many, was doing the job of multiple full time employees, underappreciated and under compensated.
Although I don’t recommend venting to someone you just met and who just started at the company, I do however understand where she was coming from. There were many factors why this was a classic job from hell. First off was her commute; over two hours each way. I know this was her own doing, but it contributes to your daily health and mental fatigue especially added to the rest of what I am about to describe. Second, the hours she worked, or better worded, the hours she was expected to work. This job from hell also included a boss from hell. Even though she was hired for a forty-hour work week, that never seemed good enough for the boss and it was insinuated that if she didn’t at least work ten to twelve-hour days, five to six days a week that she would be fired. No job should force or expect you to work overtime. Overtime is something that is up to you, the employee, if it is offered. If you want to do it, great, if not, nothing will happen to your job and no one should treat you differently. Sadly, Vanessa felt like she needed this job and abided by these ridiculous expectations.
The third and final straw in my opinion, was not even one “Thank you” or “You’re doing a wonderful job! Thanks so much for your hard work”. She was basically working herself to death for a boss and company who did not appreciate her. When her second annual review came around, she received a zero percent increase in her salary. Raises were commonplace for everyone else at the company, except her. But alas, she was too tired to fight.
It has been over sixteen years and Vanessa is still at this job, working overtime and still not getting compensated properly. Her personal life has also suffered from years of work abuse; divorced twice, no relationship with her children and physically taken its toll on her. You have the power to do anything and if you are this miserable a job you hate, then quit. She is now an empty vessel, robotic in nature, just going with the flow with no life left to live. I couldn’t even begin to surmise why she has stayed there this long. But please, I beg of you, do not let this happen to you! Don’t let a horrible job take over your life until it has sucked your soul dry.
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