I entered the work force at 18 years old in 2012 and it's been a nonstop nightmare ever since. I was being taken advantage of as a minimum wage hostess at Cracker Barrel and walked out on a bad day. The cycle continued at Steak n Shake as a server and Firehouse Subs. The cycle continued again at Applebee's and Belk.
I didn't get my first big girl job until ProctorU and I was so in love with my work. I took pride in it, enjoyed being there, and desperately wanted to grow within the company. Then they made all of us take personality tests and said that my assigned color, blue, was too abundant in my dream position. It broke my heart and shattered any will I had to keep working there knowing that they would never put me where I wanted to be in the company.
I went back out to the business world in my early 20s and still haven't found a job that hasn't taken advantage of me or just straight out lied to me. I'm so jaded that I really don't even care about the job I'll be starting soon that pays $15 an hour, which is good for my city. I just know more bullshit is going to come along and I will feel like it's my fault for “not being able to hold a job” and feel guilty for “job hopping.”
I can hope that things will be easier with my bachelor's but I don't even really feel confident in that method either, considering reading other people's experiences with getting a degree. My complaints to management, family, and friends was always met with the advice to just work somewhere else. So that's just how I've been living my life and now I'll be 29 this year without a retirement plan and I'm terrified. I want stability and to start a family so badly and it feels impossible.
Tldr: vent