I f***ing hate my job.

You have a job and you have healthcare. $12 an hour isn't the end of the world. I make less than that, but I'm abroad and it feels like I'm on a long vacation, so I'm happy. If you think you're wasting your time, you probably are. Your twenties should be for exploring. It would be pretty sad if you spent your twenties in a lab at a job you don't like. Maybe you should go to school at night to become qualified to be a teacher, maybe an English teacher.

it sounds like a minor case of corruption if interns have insider relatives at the hospital.

if you were married, had kids, had more bills to pay, and more responsibilities, then would you have taken the other job offers?

did you turn down like $20/hour to stay at your current job?

you shouldn't feel threatened or extorted by this inept scientist. if he doesn't give you a letter of recommendation, then couldn't you write a public letter of reprobation? this could hurt his own career. i wouldn't feel any guilt at all if i left an incompetent boss.

Is this a state U?

"Basically, with this degree, there are two options: graduate school or medical school."

you said you started with an english major and then went to a scientific branch. have you pursued an editor job at a newspaper or magazine that deals with science?

from your description of your history there, it sounds like you're the one that should be the leader of the project. how is america going to turn its economy around, if lazy and corrupt workplaces are allowed to continue like this?

I know I sure wouldn't have stuck with that job for so long if it's making you this miserable, especially if you had better job offers along the way. How in the world are you supporting yourself on $12/hour? Do you live in a cheap area? Are you single?

I would suggest talking to your supervisor about the unrealistic expectations and lack of help you're getting. What's the worst that could happen? He won't fire you, because you're clearly so integral to the operation. People aren't mind readers and sometimes they can't tell when people, especially subordinates who will often go out of their way to suppress their emotions in front of them, are supremely frustrated (or what is causing it). He probably doesn't know just how bad things are on your end.

I think face-to-face would be the best but sometimes email is easier because you can take your time composing your thoughts, and more importantly can EDIT what you're saying to your boss. If you email him, I would suggest write it, then wait a day or so to cool off and then edit it again.

In any case, I feel for you and wish you the best.

what your boss won't tell you is that he has generously given himself a $30/hour stipend or whatever on top of his medical salary.

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/13/5624389-rich-people-have-no-idea-what-youre-thinking

i doubt his boss will fully understand. leaders are supposed to be charismatic and empathetic.. without you having to vent your frustrations in an email.

in an academic setting, the jobs are low paying. so look for another job in a commercial setting.

Like the vast majority of people in our capitalist system, you are a wage slave. A rat in a cage.

I agree with the above poster...

A wage slave.

I worked for 22 years for a lunatic..I could not quit my job because it was a good job.

I could not have ever done better in terms of wages and benefits particularly health care.

Group plan BC/BS..

It really came through when my wife was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme.

My lunatic boss retired last year and the working environment improved dramatically..yet it had a terrible affect on me both physically and mentally.

But what do you do?

Quit your job with the great benefits...

Get some job with hardly any health care benefits and resign my wife to being treated by the local witch doctors instead of MD Anderson?

You do end up in many cases being a wage slAVE..

Many more came before you and will follow after you.

They call em "jobs" for a reason.

Very few people that I have known like their jobs...I always envy those white lab coated medical professionals I see at MDA and if I could do over again...that's what I'd do..

But, I didn't, did the best at where I ended up and will retire in 200 days.

If "guilt" is the only reason for not pursuing a better job, leave immediately. Sounds like you owe them nothing, and they owe you $12/hour. Sounds like they might re-negotiate if you did try to leave, but you should think about what it would take to stay if you they did.

Organizations will cut you loose when it suits them, nothing personal. You should consider the same, of course do it professionally, and consider what various job changes mean for your overall career. Many people spend years and careers in unchallenging jobs with below market pay, large companies thrive on that kind of "guilt" and fear. People willing to take a little risk often do better and find better offers or start their own companies. You need to have some balance, so that you don't have 10 jobs on your resume by age 30, but that doesn't sound like it will be a problem.

On other thing, I though this was going to be a post about the type of work you do, however, it was a typical complaint about pay, co-workers and boss. These are common complaints, make sure you like the actual work you do day-to-day, because you will find these situations everywhere.

The person who said to get a job in a commercial setting has it right.

Even as a "Scientist I" most companies pay a lot more than $12 per hour.

Congrats bro! 12.00 an hour is not that bad. I'm a grad student and work my ass off, and don't make that equivalent. I won't be done with this shit until I'm 28-29. I do it because I love it though. If you don't, get out.

You can do this same kind of thing while working towards a PhD, and the pay will be better. Go to grad school; you've worked at this lab long enough to know that a) it's making you miserable and b) you will not advance further. With the experience you've gained and a strong letter of recommendation from you PI you should be able to get into a top program.

OP,

You should look for a new job while keeping this one. Once you find a better job, move on.

You lack the courage to do what you want and this makes you angry. Unfortunately, you internalize this anger and express it in useless directions (letsrun), instead of taking proactive measures. A successful person in your situation would've started looking elsewhere at the first sign of trouble.

My advice is to take control of your life.

Yours sincerely.

Another lab rat.

Sorry to hear you're miserable in your job. There are some useful lessons in all of this:

1) If you want loyalty, get a dog. Your boss is taking advantage of you, so screw him/her and get the letter of recommendation and get out.

2) Only you can be in charge of your career - don't whine. Get on with improving your lot. Life isn't fair.

3) You're 26, making almost no money and thinking of going to grad school, but want to waste some more time being a lab tech in another lab for a while? WHY??? If you do that, it will be almost worthless experience and you'll be AT LEAST 30 before you end up getting on the career ladder. Which means you'll be, oh, nearly 40 before you can afford a decent house and maybe afford to raise a family (if those are things you aspire to). Message - GET ON WITH IT.

I'm not saying I had the perfect career trajectory, but I left school at 18 , went straight to work and went to night school to get my degree at the same time. By the time I had finished my degree, I had bought my first house and was well on my way career wise. By the time I was 30 I had a good job with decent salary and responsibility and even better future prospects.

I'm not saying all this because I think I'm great - I'm saying you need to get a sense of urgency about improving your circumstances - you seem to be sitting around waiting for someone to fix it all for you. It ain't happening, my friend.

Good luck

terrible' wrote:

Too long didn't read all of it. Parts I read were you whining.

Conclusions stop making posts women make be a man and quit you beta f@gg0t.

No speak English?

Your only option is to go to med school.

There is a huge disparity in any field that combines professionals and non-professionals. By professionals, I mean LICENSED doctors, lawyers, accountants, architects, dentists, etc.. Scientists are generally NOT in that category.

I'm now an attorney, who used to work in a medical research office as a research associate at a large hospital. Forget about it. You will never get any pay, recognition, or authority unless you have your ticket punched.

Sad but true in the USA. Of course there are exceptions, but I speak of the general rule. It's all about credentialism, and a welcome-to-the-club mentality.

Even within the professions, there is stratification--Ivy league? Top 10%? Which hospital/firm? Etc.

Good luck!

I would line up another job quickly.

Then I would demand a substantial bonus for completing the report, like $10,000. If they refuse, I would quit and let them figure out how to finish the report without me. It is bad to burn bridges, but you already have a stack of good performance reviews, if they refuse a recommendation you can spin it as sour grapes on their part. If somebody in trying to f#$k you in the a$$, you have to grab them by the balls.

Based on your telling of the story you are being taken advantage of, at least in the sense you are being unfairly payed compared to the money that is being flushed on interns. Have you gone to your boss and explained your specific concerns, e.g. the interns do nothing and are a waste of money, but yet they refuse to give you (very productive) a raise, because they claim there is no money. Ask your boss point blank if he thinks the interns do 85% of what you do (they earn 85% of your pay).

BTW. I hate my job also, but I make $45 per hour, with a 401K and a pension, plus healthcare, and this year 4 weeks vacation. My point is that if you are going to hate your job, you should get paid a lot more than $12/hr. I am trying to leave, but it is easy to be complacent and just earn a comfortable living. I should be studying for my actuary exams so I can get a new job.

The New UncleB wrote:

Like the vast majority of people in our capitalist system, you are a wage slave. A rat in a cage.

That's better than being a slave with no wages. Capitalism ain't perfect, but it's the best option.