I Visited My Old Job; Here Are 5 Reasons Why Working For Someone Else Sucks
Surprise! Jobs aren’t ‘safe’ either.
I was a manager for the Food and Beverage Department of a major hotel brand and it was by far the most miserable job I’ve ever had. To put it into perspective, I’ve only ever worked for three different places in my life. And I complained about all of them, but that one destroyed me.
Misery loves company though, right? So, the bonds that I formed with my coworkers at the most miserable place to work are standing the test of time. It’s been three years since I was laid off when I was pregnant, mind you, and we still get together for dinners.
When I visit the few that remain, and it’s only a few, I’m even more appalled at the work conditions. If I thought it was bad when I was there, it’s atrocious now. The amount of rooms in the hotel hasn’t changed but the skeleton staff I thought we had has been diminished by 75%. I don’t know what the new owner's plan is but I don’t think that’s any way to run a business.
A hotel with no room service? The restaurant that’s not open for dinner or lunch, and only one manager runs it all. Banquets, the cafe, the restaurant, the bar, and the kitchen? If you have no experience in hotels you’re probably thinking, so what? But when I thought we had no help we had four managers.
You think it’s the safe route but it’s not.
Sure, you get a regular paycheck. Usually for approximately the same amount unless you earn from tips, but you can be gone tomorrow. And I was gone in a day. Of course, they waited until I finished my shift to tell me to pack my bags but one day I was employed and the next I wasn’t.
I wasn’t fired, I was laid off. They no longer required my position. And I guess they weren’t lying, my position doesn’t exist there anymore. Yet, it does. It was morphed into one role that is run by the woman I trained.
Yes, they had me train my replacement, as well as my boss. And then they gave me the ax. I knew it was happening too and I was livid during it. Slowly, I saw all of my coworkers being replaced by the people they trained to take their job. The only staff that I worked with that are still there are my staff who are in the union, so they are not likely to lose their position any time soon.
Here are my top 5 reasons why working for other people is terrible.
Let me clarify, it can be awesome. I’ve had the time of my life in each of my jobs. My coworkers, the customers, and the people I interacted with are never to be replaced. Heck, my husband was my coworker at one point, and I plan on keeping him around forever. But…
- You and often will be replaced tomorrow. The days of spending your career with one company and retiring are over as far as I can see.
- Someone is in charge of your life 40 hours a day, and sometimes even on your off time.
- Need a day off? I was denied a day off for the days that I was moving, my baby shower, and my wedding. (Obviously, I rearranged it but seriously).
- Do you have a long commute? Add that to the hours of your life you can’t get back, right next to all of the events in your life you would have loved to attend but couldn’t because you had to work.
- Stress kills. Literally. Stress and stress-related illnesses are one of the leading killers in the world. So you’re just going to work, miss all the fun things in life, and then die.
I just don’t see how it’s worth it. Do I miss the security of a paycheck? Yes, of course. But it wasn’t secure. That’s why I don’t have it anymore.
And I understand being entrepreneurial isn’t for everyone. But there’s something about having choices that means a lot more to me than a regular paycheck. Even if the choice is just how can I hustle my way to pay that next bill?
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