[RamblinClementine]

I have two part-time jobs, both city government jobs. I am lucky, I know, but my job involves a lot of repetitive work. They are both entry-level jobs and I have been working the first one, with no promotions, for 7 years.

I started my second of these jobs about six weeks ago, thinking I would be able to eventually get promoted, and then promoted again, to a decent salary. Currently I have loads of debt and no assets- at all. I'm at the beginning of my 30s.

So I come in to the new gig six weeks ago with no preconceptions of the staff or work environment. And it's even worse than in my first job. Employees hide all around the office avoiding doing any work, people are miserable all the time, and my new boss hasn't said one positive thing to me yet-- not even that it is nice to have me there. I am taking all of this personally especially when between the two jobs I am now working full time. I don't feel like either job will lead to anywhere and I feel like hardly anyone, if anyone at all, is inspiring to work with. I just want to go home and do anything else besides work, namely have a beer. Then I have to wake up all morning and do it all over again.

I'm not sure what I want, none of the foreseeable jobs with significant growth in the future appeal to me. At this point my main objective is to pay off my debt and then work less but have no luxuries, because I can't think of a better career. I know I am smart but can't understand how that would translate into the real world.

[Travelinglady]

Hi! I am sure your situation could be discouraging. How about looking at the courses at a community college to see if any appeal to you? You could try a night school program. I'm not sure folks these days can get too far without some college.

[regretful]

Take this from someone that left one of those government jobs about a year ago...keep it. The costs of self-employment, which I'm involved in now, are immense. I have no hope for my future...back when I was working, I had something to do, and a group of people around which I could work. It was not the best working environment; I saw people scurrying around to avoid work. What I should have paid attention to was what I could control - my work effort. Instead, I focused on what everyone else wasn't doing. At the end of that short time there, I quit. It was the biggest mistake that I ever made in my life. I'd give anything to turn back time. There's something to be said for being employed, even if it is not exactly what you like doing. And please take this into account - which is certainly something that I knew but did not apply in my own life - it is easier to find a job when you already have a job.

[jenniy122]

Originally Posted by regretful

it is easier to find a job when you already have a job.

Amen! It took me 3 years to even get an interview after losing my last job, since getting the new job and then applying for second jobs I've had offers for 5 interviews, and got a second job and then third job with barely any effort.

[RamblinClementine]

Thank you for the reminder, regretful and jenniy122. It is easy to take things for granted, it's true. I'm going to focus on building relationships at the new city government job.

TravelingLady, I already have a BA just FYI. I've had it for 8 years now. Depending on the subject, in my case humanities, a college degree doesn't guarantee employment.

[hvert]

When you look at the job ads, are there any that stand out as attractive to you, even if you aren't qualified?