In our modern employment landscape, it's rare to find a perfect fit. Long hours, gnarly co-workers, commuting woes, thorny office politics, crabby managers; there are plenty of reasons a job can suck. Working from home can be a drag too—the only stimulation you get is from asking your cat if she's a good girl (she is), and tracking down payments from dodgy clients can be a massive, time-consuming headache. That in mind, we asked friends and co-workers why they despise their gig. Here's what they said.
"Boss's son microwaves tuna in pouches." - Ben, 31
"Despite hammering, glass ceiling still intact." - Joan, 31
"Full-time demand, part-time pay." - Emily, 26
"Old managers don't believe youths' experience." - Elizabeth, 30
"Boss calls me 'the little mommy.'" - Anna, 30
"Achieved satisfaction only pleasing higher-ups." - Jill, 27
"Baby calls the shots, 24/7." - Charlie, 27
"As an introvert, networking sucks ass." - Jill, 33
"Boss over shoulder all damn day." - Brittany, 25
"Because I have to wear pants." - Suzanne, 32
"Saying 'I tip well!' and don't." - Claire, 28
"My American boss thinks she's British." - Kate, 31
"Bros call shots, women stuck executing." - Clarice, 32
Illustration by Brandon Celi
"My phone is infested with cockroaches." - Shannon, 39
"The year-round A Christmas Story quoting." - Tom, 40
"Too much work, too little pay." - Jackie, 34
"Boss monitors my 15-minute breaks." - Beth, 23 "Late hours, long commute, idiot boss." - Kiki, 33
"Customers complain about EVERY LITTLE THING." - Joel, 34
"Forced into racially profiling people." - Zachary, 29
"Higher ups are out of touch." - Leo, 27
"Veteran employees have sense of entitlement." - Tony, 35
"Lawyers egos are off the charts." - Preti, 33
"Boss can't stand anyone who disagrees." - Annie, 36
"Baby boomers need everything on paper." - Francisco, 27
"Justifying my rate to the cheapskates." - Jill, 33
"Fighting fires relentlessly. Crying. No support." - Emma, 30
"Not paid enough for this shit." - Kate, 26
Follow Anna Goldfarb on Twitter.