Im not really sure how to start this, and I have a lot of details I’d like to include but many I’ll probably forget to type out so bear with me.
I graduated almost 2 years ago with an engineering degree. I haven’t been able to find a job willing to hire me. It’s been very frustrating. Finally, I got an offer for a position that wasn’t really in my area, but close enough. However, the company was obviously very desperate to hire someone (the last guy left in October) and promised they’d train me. However, before accepting I took a look at the reviews online – complete dogshit.
Many reviews were exactly what I was worried about. Longer hours than you signed up for once you start. Very little training provided. Shit management all around. The works.
Of course, I can’t find a job in the first place because no one wants to hire someone without experience. I had to give it a shot at least to get my foot in the door. Everyone was happy for me that I finally found something.
Cut to yesterday, my orientation day. The day itself wasn’t that bad actually. It went by fast despite the fact that I was there 2 hours after I was told my schedule would be. Turns out, I actually left EARLIER than I usually will. Even though I’m supposed to be salary and working 7:30-4, of course once I got there and filled out all the paperwork they tell me “well, most people come in before 7. And if you leave before 5-6 everyone’s gonna look down on you”. Great. On top of that, apparently I’d sometimes have to take second or even NIGHT shift to train people. None of this was mentioned before I came in.
Want to know what else was off? Almost all of the benefits offered were slightly different from what was listed on my job offer. The 401k plan was incorrect as well. Obviously, I know these things change often and something wasn’t updated on their end, but it just showed me they weren’t very organized.
Also, when I say in the orientation room there were two HUGE boxes filled with paperwork, and other stuff thrown across the desk. The managers laughs and says that’s all for me because nobody has been doing it since October when the last guy left, and now they’re 2 months behind on reports that are apparently my responsibility now even though I’ve never done them before. I literally might as well have just graduated yesterday.
Anyways, basically just a lot of red flags about the work culture and environment, and I began to think to myself why would I want to give my life away for these people to be working 12 hour days 6 days a week? The pay wasn’t even that great. If I was in a standard role I probably wouldn’t mind, but this was a MANAGER role. I would be the only person in the plant in that role, be responsibility for EVERYONES safety, all kinds of reports, trainings, and 100 different things the manager told me while I was there, AND I’d have to make monthly presentations to every manager there AND the president all in the same room.
I wanted to work there so badly. I need the experience. I went home and discussed with my wife and we decided to just let it go and move on to try to find something else. Eventually, I realized why in the hell would I suffer working at this company for shitty pay just to get experience and health benefits? I know this is what previous generations did and you have to do what you have to do to support your family, but cmon. I’m not trying to be a slave here.
So my way of rebelling against the system I guess was to just quit after the first day. I felt good about it. I still do. But knowing almost every company I apply for with probably have the same rules in place, I’m not so sure I’m cut out for this work anymore. After the pandemic, I’ve gotten very used to spending a lot of time with my wife and I don’t want to give that up. Hopefully we’ll be having kid soon and I’d like to spend time with them too instead of being at work all the time.
That’s all I guess. I’m just frustrated and disappointed.
TLDR: I quit my new job after the first day even though I really need it because the job was different than what I was told on paper, and I’m not willing to slave my entire life away for a company. I’m disappointed because I really need the experience and benefits but happy overall since quitting.