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At some point, most of us have to work a job that we hate. It’s just part of the deal. It has to be because paying bills is a reality and working your dream job is, well, I don’t want to say unrealistic, but often doesn’t come right away. Getting to a dream job usually means working several nightmare jobs on the way up. Add to that the fact that many people don’t know, for a long time, what they want to do for a living (that’s perfectly okay), and in the interim, they need to do something to pay the bills. It’s no wonder so many people complain about work. I’m lucky enough (so lucky!) to love what I do, but I haven’t always. And I have compassion for those working jobs they hate. I don’t judge them for complaining about it—a girl’s gotta vent! I don’t see them as people who just like to complain—they’re probably just doing what they need to do until they get to work their dream job. That being said, it can be hard to find the motivation to do a stellar job at a job you don’t like. Sure, you’ll do a good enough job such that you don’t get fired—but an outstanding job? That is something you see as more appropriate for those who love their job. If you’re not even currently working in the industry you someday hope to work in, you could really struggle to understand why you need to be a star employee. You plan on leaving this whole world behind one day. You hope to never have to see these colleagues or bosses again! But, not so fast. Life’s rarely ever that clean or simple. There are very good reasons to do an outstanding job, even at a job you hate. And you never know, maybe you’ll fall in love with your work afterall.
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First, you do need a job
First off, you do need a job—any job. You need an income. And the job market is such today that there are a hundred applicants waiting in line to take your place if you leave. Your boss knows that, too. So only those who are really good at their jobs get to keep their jobs. Don’t think you get to do a mediocre job because nobody else would do a better job—they would. Somebody out there wants your job right now.
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You do need a reference
You need a reference one day. Even if you go into a totally different industry after this, you’ll still need references, as those from this current industry are the only ones you have. If your current boss gives future prospective employers a bad review of you, what will you say? “Oh yeah well, that’s just because I hated that job.”
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Your coworkers could be future colleagues
Everyone around you could be your colleague one day. You don’t know that they aren’t going to jump ship and go into the exact industry you plan to work in. They’re going to remember what your work ethic was like. If you were uncooperative and unhelpful in this industry, they’ll assume that’s how you’ll be in any industry.
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Or future people in power
Anyone around you now could also be in a position of power in your future industry. You’d be surprised how often your path may cross with those of your current coworkers. Imagine if someone you work for or with now becomes somebody who could influence your dream career. Now imagine how you’d feel if that day came, and this person just remembered you as a slacker.
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You may work with this company again
Let’s say that you work at, for example, a software company. You hope to work in fashion one day. Well, the fashion and software worlds overlap all of the time. Fashion companies need software. You may work your dream job in fashion, and then need to collaborate with or hire this company where you work right now. You should have a good relationship with them.
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Outsider contacts notice
Maybe you don’t care what your immediate coworkers and supervisors think about you. Okay. Well, your company interacts with other companies, don’t they? Outside contractors, partners, vendors, etc. They notice your personality and work ethic. They may even work in the industry you hope to work in. They’ll take notice if you’re a good employee and if you’re…not.
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There will be grunt work in your dream job
For the record, there will be grunt work that you don’t enjoy doing even within your dream job. There’s no such thing as a job that has absolutely zero intolerable tasks. You should build up your tolerance for handling work you don’t like because you’ll still have to do it, even within a career that you generally love.
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Practice keeping your head up
You also need to practice keeping your head up. That’s how you’ll get through this job that you don’t like. And when you have a dream career, you’ll need to keep your head up more than ever. That’s when the setbacks will actually hurt and when you’ll need to dig deep inside of yourself to find the belief that things will work out. Strengthen that mindset now.
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You’re helping someone else’s dream
Maybe this company isn’t your dream, but it’s somebody’s dream. The CEO may have worked three menial jobs, lived on a shoestring budget, and taken out several student loans just to earn the skills and gather the resources to be here. Don’t disrespect her dream by treating it like it’s not worth your time. When you have your own company, you want your employees to treat it with respect, right? So pay it forward right now.
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Your work is a reflection of you
Your work ethic doesn’t stay at work. It’s a reflection of who you are. If your friends, dates, or family members catch wind of you putting in sub-par work at your job or having a bad attitude at work, they’ll think less of you. You don’t get to be a terrible employee but a stellar wife or friend. The other people in your life lose respect for you when you disrespect your job.
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You never know who anyone knows
The world is smaller than you think and people talk. Right now, you think that nobody you work with knows anybody that you’ll one day work with all because they’re in different industries. Well, you have friends outside of your industry, right? So, too do your colleagues and supervisors. They may know people you hope to one day hire you. What would they say about you to that person?
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Or when you’ll need help
You may straight up need help from a colleague or supervisor one day. Let’s say, you need to get a few days off work to visit your mom who is in the hospital or for something fun like your best friend’s wedding across the country. Do you think that your boss will be inclined to do you that favor if you generally do less-than-great work?
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Mistakes hurt your self-esteem
Even though you tell yourself that you don’t care how you do at this job, you do. Having a boss regularly tell you that you messed up weighs on your self-esteem. It starts to affect your feelings around how you could do in any industry—including in your dream job. If you’re always told you’re a mess-up at this job, you’ll lose the confidence to pursue other jobs.
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Don’t be a burden on your coworkers
Your coworkers may not want to be there any more than you do. They probably have other dreams and aspirations, too. And when you do a poor job, they have to pick up your slack, which takes away some of their precious free time they could have spent sending out applications for jobs that they really want. Why should they do that for you? Why should they lose out for you?
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You may need these skills one day
You may actually need the skills you’re acquiring at this job, at a dream job one day. It may be some software you’re learning how to use, some coding you’ve picked up, or even customer service and/or sales skills. Many skills actually transfer over between industries. Think of it this way: right now, you might be getting paid to learn a skill you’ll need in your dream job.
