I don't want to work anymore, what do i do?
I'm 26F about to finish my Electronic Engineering degree, been working for 4 years on the same small but very linked to the field company, but i't basically all just doing excel sheets with engineering words. Thing is, i hate work
i don't want to work anymore, like i truly don't want to waste my life working all day and then getting home too tired to do anything. Uni drained me completely dry and jobs suck.
everything i see is either electricity (which is NOT electronics) or programming (again a WHOLE other thing to which i'd have to start studying from scratch to reach the same chances as a junior programmer), or even worse, AI training. And not only is it that jobs fucking suck, but i also don't want to do it anymore, i cannot even fanthom doing this until i die basically.
and for what? i will never get to buy a house or live a comfortable life where everything pays off cause nothing pays off, everything is a constant burning of energy to not drown in this current economy
it feels like work will be like a syphon forever, might as well mush me up and use me to feed a machine, it's the same
i'm disheartened at having studied such a hard career that i love but seeing it's absolutely fucking useless.
is it childish to think this way? do i need to suck it up and shut up and keep my head low while i spend most of the day working for someone else? what do i do?
Jobadvisor
What you are describing is not childish, irrational, or unusual. It is a coherent response to prolonged exhaustion, disappointment, and a perceived lack of agency. Many people reach this point, especially in their mid-20s after years of sustained effort with little emotional or material payoff. The fact that you can articulate it this clearly suggests insight, not immaturity.
Let me separate a few things, because right now they are all collapsing into one overwhelming conclusion: “work is pointless and I cannot do this for the rest of my life.”
1. You do not hate work in the abstract — you hate how work is currently structured
What you describe is not a rejection of effort, learning, or contribution. You:
Chose a difficult degree.
Stayed four years in a field-relevant company.
Clearly care about what electronics actually is, not just buzzwords.
That tells me the problem is not laziness or entitlement. The problem is alienation:
Work that feels disconnected from real engineering.
No visible path from effort → autonomy → security.
Energy drained with no recovery time or meaning.
Humans tolerate hard work quite well when at least one of these exists:
Autonomy
Purpose
Fair compensation
A believable future payoff
You currently have none of them. Anyone would feel hollowed out by that.
2. Burnout distorts the future — but the pain itself is real
Right now your brain is doing something very common under burnout:
“If this is what work is, and it never changes, then life is a siphon forever.”
That thought feels logical because your nervous system is exhausted. But burnout collapses time. It makes the present feel permanent.
Important distinction:
Your exhaustion is real
Your certainty about the future is not fully reliable right now
This matters because you are making existential judgments while depleted. That does not mean your concerns are wrong — it means they need to be evaluated when you are not running on fumes.
3. About electronics being “useless”: it isn’t — but the market is fragmented and badly labeled
You are correct about something many people gloss over:
“Electrical” ≠ “Electronics”
“Programming” ≠ “Engineering”
Many roles misuse titles and underutilize skills
This does not mean electronics is useless. It means:
Entry-level roles often abstract away real engineering.
Small companies frequently use engineers as spreadsheet operators.
The work that feels like engineering is often hidden behind experience gates.
This is a structural problem, not a personal failure.
4. The real question is not “Do I need to suck it up forever?”
That framing traps you in a false binary:
Either accept misery for life
Or reject work entirely
Neither is workable.
A more useful set of questions is:
What level of work can I tolerate without it consuming my identity?
What constraints do I actually need to meet (money, stability), and which ones am I assuming?
What would “work as a tool, not a life” look like for me?
Some people answer this by:
Working fewer hours at a lower income
Switching to adjacent roles that trade prestige for autonomy
Treating work purely instrumentally and building meaning elsewhere
Taking a deliberate break to reset before choosing anything
None of these are failures. They are strategic responses.
5. What I would not recommend right now
Given your state:
Do not force yourself into a new specialization out of panic.
Do not decide “this is my life forever.”
Do not moralize your exhaustion as weakness.
You are at the end of a degree and four years into a draining job. That is a known psychological cliff.
6. Concrete next steps (not life decisions)
Short-term, stabilizing actions:
Acknowledge that you are burnt out, not broken
Treat this like an injury, not a personality flaw.Create distance from the “forever” narrative
Your only task right now is the next year, not the rest of your life.Decide whether you need a pause
Even a temporary reduction in hours, a gap between graduation and the next role, or a short leave can materially change how you think.Talk to someone outside the productivity frame
A therapist, counselor, or even a trusted older engineer who left the standard path. Not to “fix” you, but to reality-check the hopelessness.
7. One honest truth
Most people do not find work fulfilling.
Many people find ways to make it less consuming.
Your task is not to love work. It is to prevent it from eating your entire life.
You are not wrong to question the system. You are just too exhausted to see your room to maneuver.
If you want, we can:
Map realistic paths that minimize work’s dominance in your life
Explore electronics-adjacent roles that are not programming-heavy
Talk through whether a pause is viable without wrecking your future
Or simply unpack the anger until it stops feeling so total
You do not need to “shut up and accept misery.”
But you also do not need to solve your entire existence while depleted.
I got fired today, where should I be looking for new employment?
Today I came into work and got fired 17 minutes later. I was told it was due to "inappropriate conduct towards other employees" but I was not given any documentation nor what I written up. Just fired. My boss refused to tell anything and just told me to call HR, who of course, didn't answer.
It's mid December and I'm very afraid that I cannot get something until February due to the holidays and tax season. I've tried indeed in the past but I feel like Indeed is nothing more than a needle stack trying to find the single hay. Last time I applied for 500+ jobs and only got 7 interviews and 1 hired me.
What is the best way for me to find something ASAP?
So everyone known, I worked in IT help desk. I worked in customer repair like staples, Office depot and best buy. and I worked in corporate IT. Provided IT support to callers and internal assistance with computers, printers, tablets, cell phones, passwords. Anything you would call your IT team for. I did it.
Jobadvisor
I am so sorry this happened to you today. Getting fired is traumatic enough, but having it happen abruptly with a serious accusation like "inappropriate conduct" and no prior documentation adds a layer of shock and confusion.
First, take a deep breath. While the timing (mid-December) is challenging, it is a myth that nobody hires in December. Many companies are desperate to use up their 2024 budget before December 31st, or they need people seated and ready to work on January 2nd.
Given your background in IT Help Desk and Corporate Support, you are in a high-demand field. Here is a tactical plan to get you employed ASAP, avoiding the "black hole" of Indeed.
Phase 1: Immediate Damage Control
1. File for Unemployment Immediately
Do not wait. Do this today. Even though they cited "misconduct" (which can sometimes disqualify you), the burden of proof is on the employer. If you have no prior write-ups and they cannot prove the conduct, you have a strong chance of winning an appeal. Make them prove it.
2. Contact HR via Email
You need a paper trail. Send a professional, calm email to HR (cc your personal email).
Draft: "I was terminated today by [Manager Name]. I was told it was regarding conduct, but I was not provided any documentation, nor have I ever received a warning regarding this. Please provide my official termination letter and the specific reason for separation for my records."
Why: You need this for your unemployment hearing.
3. Reference Control
Do not list that manager as a reference. If potential employers call that company, HR usually only confirms dates of employment and job title. They rarely discuss "cause" due to liability reasons. Find a sympathetic former coworker from that job who can vouch for your technical skills instead.
Phase 2: The "Fast Track" (Skip Indeed)
Since you need a job ASAP, applying to random postings on Indeed is too slow. You need to leverage IT Staffing Agencies.
Why Agencies?
They have access to "hidden" jobs not listed on public boards.
They are incentivized to place you quickly (that’s how they get paid).
Contract-to-hire roles move much faster than direct hires.
Who to contact:
Look up the local branches of these specific technical recruiters in your city and call them tomorrow morning:
Robert Half Technology
TekSystems
Insight Global
Randstad Technologies
Kelly Services
The Script:
"I am an experienced IT Help Desk professional with a background in corporate IT and hardware repair (Geek Squad/Staples style). I am immediately available for contract or full-time work. I have experience with ticketing systems, Active Directory, and hardware troubleshooting."
Phase 3: Target High-Churn/High-Need Sectors
Since it is December, you need to look at industries that do not sleep and have high turnover (meaning they always need bodies).
1. Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
MSPs are companies that handle IT for other businesses. They are absolute grinders, but they are constantly hiring because the burnout rate is high. It is the fastest way to get back on a payroll.
Action: Go to Google Maps, search "Managed Service Provider [Your City]" or "IT Support Company [Your City]." Go directly to their "Careers" pages.
2. Healthcare & 24/7 Operations
Hospitals and Logistics companies (Amazon warehouses, shipping centers) are at peak capacity right now. Their IT systems cannot go down.
Look specifically for "Desktop Support" at local hospital networks.
3. Schools/Universities
While schools are on break, their IT departments are often busiest right now, imaging computers and fixing labs before students return in January.
Phase 4: Handling the "Why did you leave?" Question
This is the hardest part. You cannot lie, but you shouldn't volunteer the "misconduct" label if it is unsubstantiated.
Option A (Safe/Vague):
"My position was terminated. It was an abrupt decision, but I am looking for a culture that focuses on [mention a tech skill you like, e.g., resolving ticket efficiency]."
Option B (If you suspect they will find out):
"I was let go. There was a disagreement regarding an interaction with a peer. I was surprised as I had no prior disciplinary history, but I respect their decision and I learned that [Positive Spin] communication is key."
Option C (The Pivot):
Since you were there a short time (if applicable), or if you have a long history elsewhere: "I’m looking for a role that better utilizes my hardware and corporate support background, similar to my time at [Previous Successful Job]."
Summary Checklist for Tomorrow
7:00 AM: Update your LinkedIn profile. Set your status to "Open to Work."
8:00 AM: Google "IT Staffing Agencies [Your City]" and call at least 3 of them.
10:00 AM: File for unemployment.
12:00 PM: Search for local MSPs and apply on their websites directly (bypass Indeed).
2:00 PM: Reach out to 2-3 former coworkers (from Staples, Best Buy, or the corporate job) and let them know you are looking. Referrals skip the line.
Should I have verbally accepted my job offer?
So, I got it. Five interviews, one skills test, around two-month process—I got the call today. Position offered. I accepted.
I'm having a bit of a dispute with my sister about this, though. She thinks I shouldn't have verbally accepted the job. My sister (a CEO, by the way) thinks I should have said, "I'd like to see the offer letter with everything written down before I formally accept." She said I gave away my bargaining power for things like salary and equity and signing bonuses.
However:
They offered me the exact salary I requested, which was only $2,000 below their max salary listed in the job description's salary range. So I'm not exactly sure what there is to negotiate there..?
The benefits sound great. Health insurance is a 90% employer-paid benefit. What is there to negotiate there?
It's a nonprofit, so there aren't any stock options or equity to negotiate there.
It's basically an entry-level editorial position. So, a signing bonus would have been an absurd ask, I feel.
The start date was fine with me.
I accepted during the call because I've been unemployed for ages and the job offer was exactly what I wanted. What is there to play hardball about? Am I wrong here?
It sucks because I'm really excited about this job, and she was the first person I told, and her first reaction was to roll her eyes at the fact that I accepted it over the phone. She made me feel like an idiot. So, I guess I'm wondering if I am an idiot.
Jobadvisor
First things first: You are absolutely not an idiot.
Congratulations on the new job! You survived a brutal two-month process, secured a position that meets your financial needs, and ended a long period of unemployment. That is a massive win.
Your sister is giving you advice that is correct for her world, but not necessarily for yours. Here is the breakdown of why you were right to accept, and why her "CEO perspective" doesn't apply to this specific situation.
1. The "CEO Lens" vs. Entry-Level Reality
Your sister is a CEO. At the executive level, compensation packages are incredibly complex. They involve stock options, deferred compensation, performance tiers, golden parachutes, and intricate legal clauses. For her, accepting an offer immediately would be a mistake because the base salary is just a fraction of the deal.
For an entry-level editorial role at a nonprofit, the compensation structure is usually rigid.
Salary: There is often a fixed budget. You got within $2k of the absolute maximum.
Equity: As you noted, nonprofits do not have stock.
Bonuses: Signing bonuses are virtually non-existent for entry-level nonprofit roles.
By applying C-suite negotiation tactics to an entry-level nonprofit job, you risk looking out of touch or difficult. If they gave you exactly what you asked for and you still stalled to "negotiate," it could have soured the relationship before you even started.
2. You Got "The Yes"
Negotiation is about getting to "Yes" on your terms. You already won.
Salary: You asked for a number. They gave it to you. If you ask for $50k, they give you $50k, and then you say, "Actually, I need to think about it," you look unprepared or dishonest about your requirements.
Benefits: 90% employer-paid health insurance is excellent, often better than corporate packages.
Leverage: Your sister mentioned "bargaining power." Leverage comes from having the ability to walk away. Since you have been unemployed for a long time and this offer met all your criteria, your goal was employment, not squeezing an extra $500 out of a nonprofit.
3. Verbal Acceptance is Not a Blood Oath
Here is the secret your sister might be overlooking: A verbal acceptance is always contingent on the written offer matching what was said.
If you get the email tomorrow and the salary is lower than discussed, or the benefits are different, you can absolutely say:
"I accepted based on our conversation that the salary was $X. This letter says $Y. I cannot sign this until it is corrected."
You haven't signed a contract yet. You simply indicated your intent to sign if the paperwork matches the phone call.
Summary
Your sister rained on your parade because she is playing a different game than you are. In her world, employment is a transaction to be optimized. In your current situation, employment is security and a career start.
You read the room correctly:
You secured the bag (the salary you wanted).
You secured the benefits.
You showed enthusiasm (which managers love).
Don't let her reaction steal your joy. You did exactly what you needed to do to secure your livelihood.