So you’ve been working at the same job for awhile. You haven’t been promoted or transferred. You’re doing the same thing you did when you started. You haven’t gotten a raise despite several favorable reviews. Worst of all, you can tell work is getting to you. You’re more anxious somehow. Maybe you’re even developing a bit of a temper. Basically, you’re in a dead-end job.

The problem is this: you know you’re in a dead-end job and yet you feel powerless to do anything about it. But why? Why not quit? Why not find something more meaningful? The purpose of this article is to examine some of the possible answers to these questions and to investigate how people like you can escape the mire of a dead-end job.

Ignorance

One of the most common reasons that people stick with dead-end jobs is precisely that they don’t recognize them as such. Maybe they think a promotion or a raise is just around the corner. Maybe they’re convinced that if they endure just a little longer, it will all be worth it. Frankly, this attitude is the same kind of wishful ignorance that accompanies most of the slot machines in Las Vegas, only in this instance they’re gambling more than just money — they’re wasting their professional lives, one quarter at a time.

Another variety of ignorance is the belief that there aren’t any better jobs out there. This kind of ignorance is based on the assumption that dead-end jobs are the rule and not the exception. (Sure, you’re in a dead-end job but so is everybody else, right?) People who think like this tend to be anxious and pessimistic — two characteristics which, not coincidentally, also happen to be symptoms of being stuck in a dead-end job.

Contentedness

As strange as it sounds, some people stay in dead-end jobs because they’re actually content — not with their work but rather with their compensation. These people value comfort and routine, and they love the consistency of a regular paycheck. As such, the prospect of venturing into the unknown or taking a temporary pay cut in order to pursue a new opportunity is unacceptable. Or, at least, it’s less acceptable than staying in a dead-end job.

Apathy

On the surface, the symptoms of apathy may seem similar to those of contentedness. The difference lies in the motivation: whereas contented workers remain in dead-end jobs because they value routine or because they feel adequately compensated, apathetic workers stay with jobs because they simply don’t care. Apathy is an absence of all feeling — for good or for ill — and as such, apathetic workers don’t have strong feelings of any kind toward their job or toward work generally. They simply exist in a gray twilight that stretches from nine to five.

Fear

Though ignorance, contentedness, and apathy share some of the blame, it is certain that the single most common reason for people staying in dead-end jobs is fear. One reason for its prominence is the shear of number of fears available — fear of the unknown, fear of risk, and fear of failure, to name but a few. People fear being under-qualified or under-educated for better jobs; they fear being unable to meet financial obligations; most of all, they fear ending up worse off than they were before. Is it any wonder that Henry David Thoreau declared that “most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them”?

So how do you escape this “life of quiet desperation” embodied in the notion of a dead-end job? How do you overcome ignorance, apathy, and fear? How do you learn to take risks when you’re predisposed to comfort and security? Alas, the answers to these questions, which are fundamental to the reasons why people stick with dead-end jobs, elude simple explanations. They are as complex and as varied as each individual. And yet, this is precisely the purpose of this forum — to pursue these questions and to identify strategies that will allow each individual to make educated decisions.

The key, of course, is knowledge. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to make choices about a potential career change or about furthering your education. The good news is that there’s hope. Figuring out that you’re in dead-end job is just the first step. Once you realize that you’re in a dead-end job and, more importantly, why you’re staying, then you can take steps to combat ignorance, fear, and even apathy and get out of that dead-end job once and for all.

At this point, your tendency might be to resist. Maybe you think your job really isn’t dead-end (ignorance) or that you really do like your job (contentedness). Maybe you’re not motivated (apathy) or maybe you’re feeling anxious (fear). If so, perhaps you should consider this final, telling question: if you’re really not stuck in a dead-end job, or if you really didn’t want to do something about it, then why are you reading this in the first place?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Benjamin Welch has been a college instructor in writing and composition for nearly six years. When he’s not teaching or playing golf, he offers advice for students seeking information about online education and online degrees.

We’ve all been there: it’s a beautiful day and you can’t bear the thought of going into work. So you call in with the lame-old excuse about feeling ill even though you know your boss doesn’t buy it. Besides, "feeling ill" is at best only a short-term solution that won’t win you any fans at the office. That’s why if you’re going to play hooky, you need an excuse that will help you save face as well as your sanity. Here are some ideas.

1. (For women) "I have really bad cramps." Now before you dismiss this one, think about it: Who can argue? It’s such an embarrassing topic that nobody will ever challenge you. It’s one of those things that men honestly have no clue about and women can sympathize with.

2. (For men) "I have horrible diarrhea." Again, before you dismiss this one, remember that it’s such an embarrassing topic — especially for a man — nobody will doubt your sincerity. Plus, it’s simple. You don’t need an elaborate back story because no one wants to hear the details. If anything, your boss and co-workers will admire you for your honesty.

3. "I’m having an allergic reaction to _______, and I need a day to recover." This excuse requires a few details about when and where it happened as well as the details of your food allergy, but Google should give you everything you need. The upside of this excuse is that you can use it more than once. The downside is that it requires a good memory and some vigilance: for instance, you can’t claim a peanut allergy and then gorge yourself on Thai food at the next company junket.

4. "My grandmother’s/grandfather’s memorial service is today." This excuse works for two reasons: first, because elderly people die everyday no one is going to think your excuse is unlikely; second, no one is going to question (or resent) a death in your family for fear of offending you. If you play your cards right, this excuse is good for four free days — one for each grandparent — with each new job.

5. "My wife/husband is extremely ill and I need to stay home and take care of them." The excuse is a gem not only because you get a day off, but also because it makes you seem sensitive. The only drawback is that it requires an accomplice — namely, your spouse. As such, you may want to save this excuse for a special occasion when the two of you can organize a special three-day weekend.

6. "One of my children got in trouble at school. I need to go meet with his/her teacher and the school counselor." This is only one of a multitude of excuses you can use with mischievous children. Just recycle the same formula — child gets in trouble, child needs help, parent to the rescue. This works with children of all ages, from children traumatized by irresponsible day-care workers to playground fights to errant teenagers. (Hey, this is one of the perks of having kids — they torment us 364 days of the year and we get 1 day off. Fair trade.)

7. "I took some work home last night and will be going through it today from home." Whoever invented telecommuting should be sainted. Just remember that in order to sell the "working from home" excuse you need to email or call the office a couple times throughout the day to maintain the ruse that you’re working. The best time to do this is at lunch — that way you get credit for the call but you don’t have to answer too many questions.

8. “I have a doctor’s appointment.” At the very least, this excuse is good for a half-day; however, you can get a full day depending on how you plan it. Remember that people are nosy and they will probably toss-out some open-ended questions about how you’re feeling when you get back. The key is to be vague on the details. Visits to the doctor are much more effective if shrouded in mystery, which allows you maximum flexibility if you need to use the excuse again.

9. "I got pulled over for speeding on my way to work the other day and I have to go to traffic school." The idea here is that you had minor trouble with the law (emphasis on minor) and you have to pay your dues. A variation on this would be letting your license expire — or at least claiming it did — which means you had to go to the DMV and take a written test as well as a driving test, which could easily take a full day. After all, the DMV has its reputation for a reason. And finally …

10. "My accountant made some clerical errors on my taxes and I’m being audited." In the wake of the Enron scandal and the demise of Arthur Andersen, this excuse is a sure-thing. The important thing is to make the accountant look like the bad guy — you just need to be there to make sure he doesn’t do anything shady. Once again, the key to this excuse is to make everyone feel sorry for you, not envy you. What are your best excuses for getting out of work? Better yet, what are some of your worst excuses?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kari Whitaker is a technical as well as creative writer. In addition to articles on education and careers, she also enjoys writing short stories, essays, and poetry.

Are you satisfied with your job? If not, you should consider getting more education. Education is one of the few tried-and-true methods of enhancing a career. Furthering your education increases your professional competency and makes you more marketable to potential employers. In material terms, this means you will be a better candidate for promotions and you will make more money.

The problem is that for many working adults, going back to school is simply not an option, not if going back to school means quitting their job. But there is an alternative — namely, online education. Online education allows you to go back to school without going anywhere at all. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.

This podcast explores the material advantages of furthering your education, specifically through online education, and then explains some of the ways online education differs from traditional education.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & NARRATOR

Benjamin Welch has been a college instructor in writing and composition for nearly six years. When he’s not teaching or playing golf, he offers advice for students seeking information about online education and online degrees.