I genuinely don't know if I hate my career, corporate jobs, or just working in general.
I've been in B2B sales for years. I used to sell industrial products, and now I work for a company that assembles wiring harnesses. I handle everything from RFQs and quoting to order management, delivery, and post-sale support. Every job I've had has been "better" on paper than the last: better pay, benefits, and title; but I've hated every single one.
The only job I can honestly say I enjoyed was being a server in college.
What I hate most is the constant ambiguity. Every task feels like a scavenger hunt through Outlook email chains, forms, approvals, and unwritten processes. I'm always worried I've missed some small detail that's going to create a bigger problem later. My managers have even told me that a lot of the technical work I do should normally be handled by our plant's engineers, but they have me do it to speed things up and reduce back-and-forth emails.
I don't think I'm lazy. I actually like working when expectations are clear. Give me a checklist and defined responsibilities, and I'll work hard. What drains me is never feeling completely sure I'm doing the right thing.
On slow days, I still have to sit at my desk for eight hours pretending to be busy instead of being able to relax or work on something meaningful.
I also feel underpaid, but I don't even feel qualified enough to ask for a raise because I'm constantly second-guessing myself.
The thought of doing this for another 10 years, let alone the rest of my career honestly scares me. Sometimes my brain just wants to escape the feeling of being trapped.
Has anyone else felt this way? Did changing careers help, or did you realize it was the office environment or corporate culture that was making you miserable?