this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2026
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You make $65,000 (USD 🤢) in a dead end career doing nothing but showing up sometimes. Guaranteed employment without change in intensity or salary until retirement in 15 years at age 62. You receive 3 weeks paid vacation, reasonably priced medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k matched at 2.5%, and virtually unlimited sick days as long as you don't call out too often (>3x month). You are given 6 college credits per semester to use at the local university. You're currently working on a PhD.

You live comfortably and have 1 year's salary saved. Zero dependents.

Do you ride it out, or do you seek a career change before it's too late.

I know, infinite unknown variables, but what would you do regardless?

UPDATE: I'm slightly taken aback by how many of you actually took the time out of your day/evening to reply to my personal crisis. I've think I've replied to everyone, which, in doing so, made this morning surprisingly sunnier. So thanks for that.

Adding some thing I've shared in replies. I'm a homeowner with zero debt aside from a very affordable mortgage. Purchased my car outright new in 2024, had household concerns addressed over past five years (new roof, HVAC systems, sump pump, water heater, shed, remodeled bathrooms), have three degrees, and a lifetime of piss poor fortune.

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[–] spectrums_coherence@piefed.social 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

You are working on a PhD, depends on the subject and your effort, you likely will have a better job in no time, right :)

[–] Tooks@piefed.social 2 points 2 days ago

You'll love this. Two years ago on the last cycle of promotions after our long time director finally retired, I was set to advance from an assistant director to a director role. This would either have been the primary CIO position, or a second in charge role. Well, the CIO position was given to a guy the former boss had been priming for the role (god fearing, white, christian) for no good reason aside from him having a PhD. Fine, earned, I suppose. Well that should certainly align me for the second in charge seeing as I have the next highest level of education completed (three degrees: AS, BS, MS). ~screeching brakes~ NOPE! The new director instead promotes his best buddy to director over me. Nepotism, not fine, but it exists. Here's the kicker, the guy he promoted not only has fewer years with our employer, his highest level of completed education is high school. That's right. It's all in who you blow. (they drive matching Subarus)

Immediate reply is probably, "Why are you still there?"