Stuck in dead-end job and feeing like I’m out of options
Hey everyone, I’m a 24yo marketer in San Diego. I’m stuck at a job I hate — I applied for a marketing job at my current employer (I have a marketing degree and several years experience) but got bait-and-switched into accepting a bullshit paid media writing job (basically stretching out Wikipedia articles into 30-slide slideshows). Long story short, I took the job because I’d just been laid off and I was engaged (now married) at the time and needed a job so my now-wife and her family were comfortable that I’d have an income when we got married. My boss strung me along for months, promising me I would be able to switch over to a more relevant role, but instead he hired 5 outsiders for the open roles. Then he left the company. I desperately want to leave, but my wife doesn’t want me to leave because she’s afraid I’ll be seen as a job-hopper in future interviews. TL;DR I’ve worked for 3-4 terrible employers in my 2-3 years since graduation, and I’m stuck in a dead-end job because my wife is afraid future employers will think I’m a job-hopper. Any advice on what to say to get my boss(es) to give me a chance or how to convince my wife this job isn’t getting me anywhere? I’d greatly appreciate it. Current TC: $42k base, virtually no benefits Wife’s TC: $80-90k (she’s a nurse)
Add some tech skills to your portfolio and find a hybrid marketing / tech job. Start building a portfolio and doing your own marketing work online. Get creative. Don’t leave your job without having another one in hand. If you have a better job lined up then stay at that one for a while to avoid looking like a hopper. Your finding yourself and how you fit into the career world. Your TC could be a lot higher. The internet is an open door for all kinds of marketing opportunities. I have a friend that started off on a similar path and his company brings in over a million a year now.
Hey I'm a sw engineer and I had shitty job at your age. I didn't have anyone telling me what to do (good and bad). My advice make sure you make good friends wherever you are, especially at shitty companies since people empathize with each other. Seek out people who you admire in terms of career and ask them what you should do. At your age you definitely need to hustle and take risk. It is true that you shouldn't job hop but if you find a very attractive opportunity by all means make the damn leap.
Bro, get out of SD is the first step.
Everyone I know and love is here. Love everything about this city minus the lack of opportunities. Gotta play with the hand I’m dealt, unfortunately
Couldn’t you earn more just doing that job for your own website?
It’ll definitely come up in interviews — but can you explain it away? What made each employer untenable? I had two instances where consulting firms got rid of any sense of work/life balance, so that was understandable to future employers. It also depends how “in demand” your skills are. I’m lucky enough to be in a field with low talent and high demand.
Employer 1 promoted me but put me on night shift, which I didn’t want (personal life outside of work was really tough to deal with due to the hours I was awake/asleep). TC was awful and I was trying to get out of writing and into marketing so I quit. Employer 2 laid me off less than a year after I got hired, right after my boss (who was with the company for 10+ years) left for a better opportunity. They were looking to cut costs wherever they could, and my TC was $32k (essentially not a living wage in San Diego) so I honestly didn’t mind. Is there a way I should/shouldn’t word those experiences in a job interview? Thanks
Cloudera what field do you work in that has high demand and low skill?