Five things you can learn from a job you can’t stand

by Amber Rolfe

You can learn a lot from a bad job…

Let’s face it, we’ve all had to toil away at a job we hate at least once in our lives. And as miserable (and downright soul destroying) as it may seem – that doesn’t mean it doesn’t count for anything.

To help you see the silver linings, here are five things you can learn from a job you can’t stand:

1. There’s always a bright side  

Unfortunately, you won’t always get what you want.

But the key to being happy isn’t to avoid everything potentially difficult (see also: seemingly impossible) – it’s to make the best out of a bad situation.

And the good news is, the more you do what you hate – the better you become at seeing the positive. After all, the only way to stay sane in a tough situation is to put the pros above the cons (no matter how few and far between they are).

Not only will you become the master of looking at the bright side of things, you’ll also be able to apply this newfound skill to your next job. Because even the best role in the world is going to have its downsides.

Also, something about lemons.

2. Big changes don’t happen overnight

So you’re in a job you hate right now – and it sucks.

But still, you drag yourself into work every day – no matter how much you play out dramatic resignations in your head. Sure, it might be reluctantly, and of course, you’re constantly looking for something better – but the point is, you’re sticking it out.

Although the road to getting a job you love might seem endless, the patience, commitment, and dedication you’re putting in on the journey to finding it are invaluable skills in their own right.

And you know what they say, unless you’re one of those lucky people you secretly openly despise – the perfect life won’t get handed to you on a plate.

You actually have to work for it.

3. Small issues aren’t worth worrying about

Bad moods can get the best of all of us.

Say you’re filling in the worst spreadsheet of all time. You’ve been looking at the same piece of data for four hours – and to top it all off, Tim from finance won’t stop fiddling with his pen. Whose idea was it to order the clicky-tops anyway?

But what you’ll realise from daily frustrations like these – is that there’s no point in sweating the small stuff. And lashing out about something minor when your work is the real problem won’t help anyone.

Because of this, you’ll learn to let the little things slide. Who knew you could be so tolerant?

4. All experience is good experience

OK, so you might not be in your dream job right now. In fact, maybe you’re not even in your preferred industry.

But luckily, you don’t need to be in your perfect position to learn something. Transferable skills can be gained from any job – no matter how different it is from the direction you want to go in.

Whether you’re working in retail whilst looking for a job in media, or you’re still at your bartending job because you didn’t realise your degree in classical studies wouldn’t be all that useful (who knew?) – you’ll be gaining everything from communication and time management skills to resilience and adaptability.

All you have to do is communicate them effectively to future employers.

What are transferable skills?

5. You’re stronger than you think

You know what they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

And providing your terrible job doesn’t kill you (step away from that open window) – it’s going to teach you how to stay tough no matter what.

Whilst old you would turn and run at the thought of evening stock takes, new you is able to grin and bear it. In fact, when you’ve had the rudest client on earth spitting in your face, you can handle just about anything.

So aside from giving you a newfound confidence in yourself – the job you hate is also teaching you how to deal with difficult situations.

Take that skill to your next interview, and you’re bound to impress.

How to prepare for an interview

Ready to find your perfect position? View all available jobs now