I (25F) am miserable at my job. I work as an incoming quality inspector (the only inspector for whole company) for a manufacturing company and I hate it. I know it’s the kind of work some people would kill to have, and I have tried to be grateful for this job but I just can’t convince myself.
I am either so busy I cannot keep up with demand, or I am so slow that I genuinely have only 1 hour of work a day. That’s it. The rest of it is just trying to make myself look busy and pacing around for 7 hours. I refuse to ask for more work because I know that there will be no pay increase and I am not going to get taken advantage of. They have mentioned cross training me before and I asked if I would receive increased pay for cross training, and then management went quiet about it and never asked again. I am not looking for anything large, but I deserve something for gaining more experience and being versatile in numerous departments. There are not many here like that at all.
I have now been in this role for over a year, and had no prior experience. I took over the role from someone who had worked in the same position for 15+ years, and then they finally quit for a different company last year. My first red flag should have been when I was offered for this position (I was already working at the company in a different department) my now-boss said the other applicants were all asking for too much money. In my job offer, my boss said the other applicants were asking for too much money so he hired me, who had zero experience, and so he hired me on at 17.50
This was 1$ more than I was already making as a general production worker, with way less decision making/stress. When this job gets stressful, it gets stressful because everything is on my shoulders. At the time of the job offer, I was happy to change departments and understood I had no experience. However, now that I have a year of experience
I have had to explain things to my boss, who trained me in the beginning and has worked in the company for over 10 years. I find this just appalling, maybe I am being too harsh though. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t the fact that my direct manager is the quality manager for the whole company and is supposed to know all of these things.
About a week ago, I asked about my annual review (which is 2 months late). I got one 50 cent raise when my boss heard I was looking for another job, and I stayed. This was eight months ago. I was hoping I would at least receive another 50 cent raise at my annual review. The cost of living has skyrocketed and if I wasn’t co-renting an apartment with family, I wouldn’t be able to afford to live. Just something to show that I am appreciated and that my work is good.
When I asked, my boss basically told me he is “putting it off” because he doesn’t like giving people reviews when he knows “there’s no money increase”
So in a polite, condescending way he basically told me I’m not getting a raise. At all, not even 5 fucking cents. This has enraged me and made me hate my job even more. Ever since this conversation I have grown more bitter, and the fact that the last three weeks I am coming in, sitting at my desk and doing nothing all day, enrages me more. What am I expected to do? I can’t imagine being here even in a year, let alone 5 or 20.
Now, for the benefits- this job has really good benefits, that I haven’t even used and I’ve worked here with the company over 2 years. If I leave, I won’t have benefits at all and will need either a new job with benefits or to pay out of pocket for cheaper insurance. I am 25, about to be 26 in a month.
I am essentially my own employee because my boss is so hands off. I come in, sit at my desk, and direct myself and do my work. It is a great system when I actually have work to do. I’m autistic and so being able to do work this way is awesome. I am never watched- as in, I have full freedom to move around and do as I please. I spend half the day talking to people just to make the time pass. My days feel 2x as long as they really are. They won’t let me just do 4×10’s either. They insist I must be here for the full 5×8.
Also, there are rumors that because we are so slow, there will be layoffs coming in the next year. I believe I would be safe but I have no way to know that for sure.
I am the only person with any knowledge of my current role besides my boss, who seems to only know a portion of what he initially trained me.
I am a creative soul at heart, who loves animals and wants to spread joy to people. Not stare at dusty warehouse floors and inspecting the same parts day in and day out. This job would be great for somebody else, I just don’t think it’s for me anymore.
I also don’t know where to go from here though. I have done my time in fast food, and while fast food workers around me are making more than me (the McDonald’s down the street is hiring on at 20$, I make 18$) I just don’t think I could do that again. I don’t have any higher education, just a high school diploma. Ideally I’d like to go back to school next year or the year after, so I can start a new career by my 30’s.
I have tried looking for work from home jobs with no success. (This would be really nice, even if I did have to do a call center job!)
I am at a loss and everyone I have tried to converse with irl won’t hear me or my genuine complaints. They just shut me down and tell me I’m being too picky, I have two siblings who work at the same company and have for a long time and they both just shrug off my complaints and say the company has always been good to them. Neither of them are very hard workers though and both are complacent.
I’m afraid I’m becoming complacent and in a rut and I don’t want that.
It is a nice enough job overall, I am tending to just focus on the negatives in this post.
Any genuine advice would be great. Thank you. Sorry if I seem flustered.