Is this really how big corporations operate? Because I’m honestly shocked
Maybe I’m just naive, but I spent eight years working for a small boutique IT consulting firm with fewer than 100 people globally. It was intense. We were always under pressure to deliver, hit targets, bring in cash, and execute well. Everything revolved around performance and profitability.
About a year ago, I moved to a large corporate firm. This company has tens of thousands of employees worldwide. It’s a big American corporation, but I’m based outside the US. And honestly, I’m completely shocked by what I’ve seen.
If you look at their stock price, it’s been going up steadily for 20 to 30 years. But internally, the way things work just makes no sense to me. For example, my boss keeps telling me to stop thinking about profit and focus only on revenue. So even if we sell a product for $500,000 that costs us the same amount to produce, they still count it as “$500,000 of revenue” and celebrate it. Nobody seems to care that there’s zero profit.
The biggest shock is that when we sell a service that costs maybe $50,000 and involves three or four different teams, each team can claim the full $50,000 as their own revenue. It’s like shadow accounting or double-counted revenue. That completely blows my mind. A lot of teams, including mine and our neighboring ones, seem to just bank what I’d call internal or recycled revenue. They’re not actually bringing in new business. They’re just claiming credit for internal contributions to the same project. It feels like everyone’s cannibalizing the same pot of money and pretending it’s growth.
I’ve always been a hard worker, someone who values the work I do and cares about delivering real value to clients. But I’ve never been this bored in my life. Even though I’m earning good money, I don’t feel like I’m doing anything meaningful or adding real value. It all feels so pointless. I honestly don’t understand how people can operate like this. I’ve been lucky enough to have real, hands-on experience before this, but I feel sorry for people who grow up in this environment and never get to build any true skills or real-world perspective. I don’t feel like I’m growing as a person; I just feel like I’m playing internal politics all day.
To me, that’s absolutely wild. Coming from a smaller company, I can’t wrap my head around it. On top of that, there are people here earning $200k, $300k, even $750k who don’t seem to do much at all. They sit in meetings all day and seem to add almost no real value.
When I brought this up, my boss just laughed and said, “Welcome to the real world. This is how every big company works.”
So I’m curious, is this really normal? Are most large corporations like this? And for anyone who has been in my situation, how did you make it feel more meaningful or find purpose in an environment like this?
Jobadvisor
That sounds like an incredibly jarring transition, and it's perfectly understandable why you're shocked. Moving from a lean, high-pressure, performance-driven boutique consulting firm to a massive, stable American corporation is like moving from a speed boat to an oil tanker—the operating principles are completely different.
To answer your core question: Is this really how big corporations operate?
Yes, what you are describing is surprisingly common in very large, mature organizations, though it's not a universal rule. Your boss's cynical "Welcome to the real world" is, unfortunately, a reflection of a widely observed corporate phenomenon.
Why Large Corporations Sometimes Operate Like This
The operational style you're experiencing is often a consequence of the scale and maturity of the business. Here's a breakdown of the shocking elements you described:
1. The Focus on Revenue Over Profit
You are absolutely right that in a small business, profit is life. Every dollar of expense is scrutinized because it directly impacts the owner's and employees' ability to survive and grow.
In a massive, established corporation with a stable, decades-long stock price, the priorities often shift:
Wall Street Metrics: While profit (Net Income, EPS) is always important, for publicly traded companies, revenue growth is often the single most-watched metric by analysts. A company that consistently increases its top-line revenue is seen as "winning market share" and is rewarded with a higher stock valuation, even if profit margins are temporarily flat or slightly dipping.
"Land and Expand": The goal can be to get the product or service into the client, even if it's a break-even deal ($500k cost for $500k revenue). The profit will come from selling follow-up services, maintenance contracts, or the next generation of the product, where the margins are much higher. In short, revenue is seen as an investment in a future profit stream.
2. The Internal/Shadow Accounting (Double-Counting Revenue)
This is perhaps the most mind-bending element, and it's a structural problem unique to siloed organizations.
It's Internal Credit, Not External Reality: The "revenue" your team and others are claiming is often not a GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) revenue figure for the company. Instead, it's an internal credit, a metric used for performance measurement, budgeting, and bonus allocation for that specific division, department, or individual.
Silo-Driven Behavior: The company is too big for the CEO to personally manage every project. Instead, it delegates responsibility to different divisions (silos). To incentivize these silos to work together on a large client project, they are often allowed to "claim" the value of their contribution, even if it means three teams claim credit for the same $50,000. It leads to the perverse result you noted: teams focus on cannibalizing the internal budget instead of driving true, external new business.
3. The Lack of Meaning and Slow Pace
In your small firm, every action had a clear, immediate impact. In the large corporation, you're a single cog in a machine with tens of thousands of parts.
Risk Aversion: Large companies have too much to lose. They prefer process and stability over agility and innovation. You might spend six months planning a change that your old firm would have implemented in a week.
The "Meeting Class": The highly-paid employees "sitting in meetings all day" are often the system operators—the people who manage the complex web of internal politics, drive consensus across silos, and ensure the machine doesn't break down. Their value is in their ability to navigate the organization and sign off on projects, not in hands-on execution.
How to Find Meaning and Purpose in This Environment
It's a genuine struggle to maintain motivation when you feel like your work is pointless. Here are a few ways to reframe your role and your goals to make the transition work for you:
1. Shift Your Definition of "Value"
You're used to adding value by delivering a tangible product or service to a client. In this new world, your value might be:
Process Improvement: You see inefficiency everywhere. Your new "value" can be using your small-firm, lean mindset to quietly, surgically improve a broken process in your corner of the business. You may not get public credit, but you'll be fixing something that actually matters.
Internal Consulting: Think of your job as being an internal consultant. Instead of focusing on the company's external revenue, focus on helping one of the internal teams you work with be truly more effective.
2. Focus on Skill Acquisition and Networking
Stop focusing on the external meaning of the work and start focusing on what you can take away.
Master the System: Learn how this corporate machine really works. Understand the budgeting cycles, the political levers, and the decision-making processes. This is an invaluable skill if you ever want to run your own large division or business.
Network: The high-level people earning $200k+ have the power. Instead of being shocked by them, learn from them. How do they navigate politics? How do they communicate? Use the slower pace to build a deep internal network that will serve you throughout your career.
3. Leverage the Freedom
You're earning good money and are bored. This is a massive opportunity that your old firm could never offer: Headspace.
Focus on External Growth: Use the low-demand environment to take online courses, learn a new language, get an advanced certification (e.g., a PMP, cloud certification, etc.), or even develop a passion project outside of work. You have been given the gift of time and financial stability—use it to grow your skills for your next career move.
You don't have to stay forever, but you can choose to see this time as a fully-funded masterclass in how a multi-billion dollar entity manages to survive and thrive despite itself.
My mom keeps using AI to create false resumes what should we do?
For background; when I was unemployed with no experience, my mom used ChatGPT to modify my resume and then she applied me for jobs without telling me. She even got me an interview.
Then I saw the resume she used was full of lies: a fake internship at my alma mater, made-up roles, the works. When I confronted her, she said, “I asked ChatGPT to make your resume the perfect candidate resume.”
I refused to take the interview and withdrew my application. She was furious. How do you explain roles and responsibilities you never had?
However, now she’s doing the same thing for my dad; applying to jobs with an AI-generated, heavily embellished resumes. He has an interview and is planning to go through with the interview anyway.
I’m frustrated because she acts like we should be grateful for interviews built on false info. My dad doesn’t want to use AI, but she keeps rewriting his resume instead of using AI to improve the real one.
What do you even do in a situation like this? “Fake it till you make it” only goes so far.
jobadvisor
This is an incredibly difficult and stressful situation, blending ethical concerns with a complex family dynamic. It is completely understandable that you are frustrated and worried. Your concern is valid—there are serious risks involved, and the foundation of trust in the job search is being compromised.
Here is a breakdown of the problem, the risks involved, and concrete advice on what you and your dad can do.
1. Understanding the Core Conflict
Your mom is operating from a place that is likely intended to be helpful, but it is deeply misguided.
Her Mindset: She sees the job market as a game with a high barrier to entry (the resume stage). She believes she is using a modern tool (AI) to beat the gatekeepers and give her family an "unfair advantage." She sees the interview as the only thing that matters and is willing to risk a lie to get to it.
Your Mindset: You see the job search as a process of building an honest, professional reputation. You understand that the lie on the resume creates an impossible situation in an interview and carries significant professional risk.
2. The Risks of Using a Falsified Resume
You need to clearly articulate the specific, professional risks to your mom and your dad.
| Risk Area | Specific Consequence |
| During Interview | Your dad will be asked behavioral questions about a role he never had. The employer will quickly recognize the vague, generalized answers, leading to an immediate rejection. |
| Background Check | Most mid-to-large companies use third-party services to verify dates of employment, job titles, and educational degrees. A fake internship or made-up role will be flagged, leading to a job offer being immediately rescinded. |
| Employment Termination | If he is hired and the lies are discovered after he starts, he can be legally terminated for misrepresentation of qualifications. This can sometimes be recorded as a termination for cause, which complicates future job searches. |
| Professional Reputation | This risk is especially high in niche industries. If a small group of recruiters or industry leaders discover the lie, it can blacklist him in that sector. |
3. Advice for Your Dad (The Urgent Situation)
Since your dad has an interview based on a falsified resume, he is in the most immediate danger.
Action Plan: How to Address the Upcoming Interview
Have a Private, Direct Talk with Your Dad:
Focus on his experience, not your mom's actions. Start with, "Dad, I know you really want this job, and I'm worried about what will happen in the interview."
Explain the Mechanism of the Lie: "The AI-generated resume is going to be the main topic of the interview. They will ask you to give examples of when you led a project, or you managed a specific system. You can't honestly answer those questions, and they will know right away."
Propose a Corrective Action: He needs to take ownership and control of his candidacy immediately.
Contact the Recruiter Before the Interview:
The safest and most professional option is for your dad to contact the recruiter/HR contact before the interview and state he found an "error" in the resume. He should send the honest, correct version.
The Script: "Thank you for the interview opportunity. Upon reviewing the application, I found that the resume submitted by my administrative support (or simply 'a family member') contained several inaccuracies that misrepresented my roles and experience. Please disregard that version. I have attached my true, most recent resume. I am still highly interested in this role and believe my actual experience in [A, B, and C] is a great fit."
Result: He might lose the interview, but he preserves his integrity and professional reputation. If they still want to interview him based on the real resume, that is a genuine opportunity.
If He Insists on Faking It (NOT Recommended):
If he absolutely refuses to correct the record, you must strongly advise him to withdraw the application instead of attending the interview. The risk of embarrassment and professional blacklisting is too high.
4. Advice for Dealing with Your Mom (The Long-Term Solution)
You can't change her personality, but you can change the process.
Establish Clear, Non-Negotiable Boundaries:
Your Job Search: You've already done this, but reinforce it. "Mom, thank you for trying to help, but I absolutely cannot have you touch my resume or apply for jobs for me again. It creates a professional risk that I am not willing to take."
Your Dad's Job Search: You need to stand with your dad and present a united front. "Dad's job search is his responsibility. Only he can submit his resume and talk about his experience."
Turn Her AI "Enthusiasm" into Genuine Help:
Instead of letting her use AI to lie, tell her she can use it to improve.
The Assignment: "Mom, I appreciate that you want to help with the resume. I want you to take the true and accurate resume and use the AI to do two things:
Improve the grammar and language.
Reformat it to look more modern.
This channels her energy into a helpful, productive, and ethical task, while keeping the facts straight.
Validate Her Intent, Challenge Her Method:
She is seeking to be helpful and relevant. Acknowledge that first.
"Mom, I know you were trying to give us a boost, and I appreciate that you care so much. But in the professional world, a lie is not a boost; it's a disaster. The only way we get a job is by proving we can do the work, and we can only do that if the resume is 100% honest."
Anyone else struggle to stay motivated when work feels pointless ?
Lately I’ve been doing everything I’m supposed to at work showing up, hitting deadlines, staying organized but I can’t shake this feeling that none of it matters. The projects are repetitive and no one seems to care as long as the boxes get checked. Its weird because I’m good at what I do, but that almost makes it worse like I’m wasting energy on stuff that doesn’t mean anything. I’ve tried taking on side projects, learning new skills, even volunteering for extra work, but the spark’s just not there right now.
Is this a normal career phase, or a sign I need to seriously change direction? How do you tell the difference between boredom and burnout?
Jobadvisor
This is a very common and difficult feeling to navigate, and it's understandable that you're struggling with motivation when your work feels pointless. What you're describing is often referred to as a crisis of meaning or lack of purpose in your work.
It's likely a combination of a normal career phase and a signal that something needs to change, though not necessarily a complete career overhaul.
Here's a breakdown of your situation and how to approach the distinction between boredom and burnout:
1. Is it a normal career phase or a sign for change?
It can be both.
Normal Career Phase (The "Trough"): Many people experience periods where the initial excitement of a job wears off. As you become proficient, the work becomes routine, and the challenge fades. This is especially common a few years into a role or career track. It's the point where you have to find intrinsic motivation (from within) rather than just extrinsic motivation (deadlines, praise, promotion).
Sign for Change (The Warning Light): The fact that you've actively tried to solve the problem (side projects, learning, volunteering) and the spark is still absent suggests the issue might be deeper than just temporary boredom. This pervasive feeling that "none of it matters" points to a mismatch between your values (what you believe is important) and the impact of your day-to-day work.
2. Boredom vs. Burnout
It's crucial to distinguish between these two because the solutions are different.
| Feature | Boredom (The "Ugh") | Burnout (The "Can't") |
| Core Feeling | Lack of challenge, repetition, underutilization. | Emotional exhaustion, cynicism, reduced personal accomplishment. |
| Energy Level | High potential energy, but lethargic due to lack of interest. You are good at the work, but don't want to do it. | Critically low energy. Exhausted, drained, little left to give. |
| Response to Challenge | Seeking out or welcoming new, interesting challenges. | Seeing any challenge as an overwhelming burden. |
| Effect on Life | Work feels slow, tedious, and a waste of time. You may feel fine outside of work. | Work stress bleeds into all areas of life, affecting sleep, relationships, and health. |
| Your Description | Feeling that "none of it matters" and wasting energy aligns closely with boredom and a lack of purpose (often called "boreout" or "brownout"). You're showing up and hitting deadlines, which suggests you still have the capacity, but not the passion. |
The Bottom Line: Based on your description—being good at what you do, hitting deadlines, and still trying to find a spark—you sound more like you are experiencing deep dissatisfaction/boreout due to lack of purpose, rather than clinical burnout (though sustained lack of purpose can lead to burnout).
3. What to do now: Three-Step Approach
A. Reflect and Clarify Your Purpose (Internal Audit)
Identify Your Values: What truly matters to you? Is it creativity, direct impact on customers/users, mentoring others, innovation, solving complex problems, or freedom/autonomy? Write down your top 3.
Map Impact: Look at your projects. Can you reframe the "box-checking" into something meaningful?
Example Reframing: "I'm not just processing paperwork; I'm ensuring the data integrity that allows the sales team to accurately predict next quarter's revenue, which secures everyone's job."
If you genuinely can't find a meaningful link, you confirm the work is misaligned with your values.
Define Your Ideal Role/Project: If you had total control for one month, what project would you create? What problem would you solve? This points toward what you're missing.
B. Seek Change Within Your Current Role (Small Experiments)
Since you're good at your job and have capacity, use your competence as leverage:
The 20% Rule: Ask your manager if you can dedicate 20% of your time (one day a week) to a project that genuinely excites you, even if it's outside your normal scope, and that also benefits the company. Focus on innovation, efficiency, or mentorship (e.g., automating a repetitive process, training junior staff, researching a new market trend).
Shift Your Focus: Instead of focusing on what you produce, focus on who you help. Can you work more closely with the end-users of your projects? Seeing a user's problem solved can inject meaning.
Request a Different Assignment: Ask to be part of the strategy or planning phase of a project, rather than just the execution. This shifts you from a "doer" to a "designer," which often provides more meaning.
C. Plan Your Next Move (The Big Picture)
If the internal audit and small experiments fail to move the needle after a few months, it's time to seriously consider a change.
Look for Role/Company Fit: The problem might not be your career (e.g., marketing, finance, engineering) but the context (the company culture, mission, or industry). Your skills might be valued more and used with more purpose at a smaller, mission-driven organization, or a completely different industry.
Skill Transfer Audit: Start documenting the transferable skills you've refined (e.g., project management, complex data analysis, cross-functional communication) and research roles where those skills are needed to solve problems you do care about.
You are not alone in this feeling. Use this period of dissatisfaction as powerful information guiding you toward a more fulfilling path.