Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
Mar 15th 2012, 4:47 pm
#46
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I'm done with America. I need to get home. At this point my sanity is at risk. She's just going to quit and we're going to be homeless. Land of the free my arse. I need to leave or my life is over. I don't want to be homeless in a country where many people believe the poor should simply starve. Screw this place.
Mar 15th 2012, 5:17 pm
#47
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Mar 15th 2012, 5:26 pm
#48
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I have just come back from the UK and heard the same stories.
Mar 15th 2012, 6:16 pm
#49
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
Mar 15th 2012, 6:56 pm
#50
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I wanted to add to this thread that I'm more concerned about my wife. She had a massive panic attack yesterday because her attorney boss screamed at her and berated her for something she didn't do wrong. It's not the first time it's happened either. She's too terrified to go back today.
Mar 15th 2012, 7:32 pm
#52
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
My last boss in the UK was a complete ****, he lied about everything & just generally treated his staff like crap.
Mar 15th 2012, 7:53 pm
#53
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Joined: Apr 2011
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Posts: 251
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I don't mean from an actual work perspective. I believe in working hard and not slacking off. I have simply found that working here in the US has been too bitter of a pill to swallow. These are my reasons, some may sound odd, but I wanted to put this "out there" to see if I'm either bonkers or if others feel the same way:
- Corporate people here are generally very uptight and talk about nothing but work (I was actually openly reprimanded for discussing the Vikings!). My humour also has never gone down too well and I miss the banter of British offices and the broader mix of people.
- Living to work, not working to live.
- Less team work, more "throw you under the bus" and CYA than the average UK office environment.
- Sheer bloody incompetence everywhere.
- The harder you work, the more you get taken advantage of.
- I hate cubicles and prefer the open office layout where I don't have to IM my boss or rely on email too much.
- Lots of backstabbing.
- Managers who act beyond unprofessionally.
- Too many silly corporate functions, no "hey let's go down the pub after work and grab a couple of pints".
- College degrees required to work $12 an hour menial jobs that a trained chimp could do blindfolded.
- Too many snappy overachievers.
- Cruelty galore.
- Awful dress code, particularly women, some of whom come to work dressed like streetwalkers. Dress down doesn't mean dress like a ho'.
- Few employee rights mean that employers can get away with treating employees like crap, engagin in behaviour that's borderline harassment (as is the case with my wife, who could go to ACAS or CAB back home to lodge a complaint).
I have worked for 4 different companies here, one medium sized, one small, one nonprofit and one large. All the same, you're very much thrown to the wolves and left to sink or swim.
- Corporate people here are generally very uptight and talk about nothing but work (I was actually openly reprimanded for discussing the Vikings!). My humour also has never gone down too well and I miss the banter of British offices and the broader mix of people.
- Living to work, not working to live.
- Less team work, more "throw you under the bus" and CYA than the average UK office environment.
- Sheer bloody incompetence everywhere.
- The harder you work, the more you get taken advantage of.
- I hate cubicles and prefer the open office layout where I don't have to IM my boss or rely on email too much.
- Lots of backstabbing.
- Managers who act beyond unprofessionally.
- Too many silly corporate functions, no "hey let's go down the pub after work and grab a couple of pints".
- College degrees required to work $12 an hour menial jobs that a trained chimp could do blindfolded.
- Too many snappy overachievers.
- Cruelty galore.
- Awful dress code, particularly women, some of whom come to work dressed like streetwalkers. Dress down doesn't mean dress like a ho'.
- Few employee rights mean that employers can get away with treating employees like crap, engagin in behaviour that's borderline harassment (as is the case with my wife, who could go to ACAS or CAB back home to lodge a complaint).
I have worked for 4 different companies here, one medium sized, one small, one nonprofit and one large. All the same, you're very much thrown to the wolves and left to sink or swim.
Now I am working from home on my own, and would kill for the opportunity to get some banter going. Heck i would kill for some sniping, back biting and an aggressive boss who yells at me right about now.
That said, how many jobs will let you skive and play Xbox during an important conference call that you have no interest in. ha ha ha
Mar 15th 2012, 8:08 pm
#54
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I would agree with that but both places have good and bad. The last job in the UK was a rather large global organization and the politics was unreal. The bosses were as thick as planks and our manager was technically well out of his depth: result: team morale non-existent, work output low with a manager who blamed everyone but himself for the problems he created.
To be fair, I can't think of a single manager I've had over the last 20 years that should have been allowed to manage a tea pot, never mind people and complex technical projects.
My present manager here is like a breath of fresh air (are you reading this Bob? I need that raise now!
): technically proficient, fair minded and vastly knowledgable about the business. A pleasure.
Doesn't matter where you are, there are wankers everywhere.
To be fair, I can't think of a single manager I've had over the last 20 years that should have been allowed to manage a tea pot, never mind people and complex technical projects.
My present manager here is like a breath of fresh air (are you reading this Bob? I need that raise now!
): technically proficient, fair minded and vastly knowledgable about the business. A pleasure.Doesn't matter where you are, there are wankers everywhere.
Mar 15th 2012, 8:55 pm
#55
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Joined: Feb 2011
Location: WA state
Posts: 3,062
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
Now I feel weird for having a good job where I'm not treated like crap. Silly management shuffles in the last few months have made things a bit unpleasant, but it's nowhere near the idiocy I used to get back in the UK.
The west coast of the US tends to be a bit more laid back anyway.
The west coast of the US tends to be a bit more laid back anyway.
Mar 15th 2012, 10:00 pm
#56
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Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
Now I feel weird for having a good job where I'm not treated like crap. Silly management shuffles in the last few months have made things a bit unpleasant, but it's nowhere near the idiocy I used to get back in the UK.
The west coast of the US tends to be a bit more laid back anyway.
The west coast of the US tends to be a bit more laid back anyway.
Mar 16th 2012, 2:13 pm
#57
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Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Knoxville, TN.
Posts: 6
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I don't mean from an actual work perspective. I believe in working hard and not slacking off. I have simply found that working here in the US has been too bitter of a pill to swallow. These are my reasons, some may sound odd, but I wanted to put this "out there" to see if I'm either bonkers or if others feel the same way:
- Corporate people here are generally very uptight and talk about nothing but work (I was actually openly reprimanded for discussing the Vikings!). My humour also has never gone down too well and I miss the banter of British offices and the broader mix of people.
- Living to work, not working to live.
- Less team work, more "throw you under the bus" and CYA than the average UK office environment.
- Sheer bloody incompetence everywhere.
- The harder you work, the more you get taken advantage of.
- I hate cubicles and prefer the open office layout where I don't have to IM my boss or rely on email too much.
- Lots of backstabbing.
- Managers who act beyond unprofessionally.
- Too many silly corporate functions, no "hey let's go down the pub after work and grab a couple of pints".
- College degrees required to work $12 an hour menial jobs that a trained chimp could do blindfolded.
- Too many snappy overachievers.
- Cruelty galore.
- Awful dress code, particularly women, some of whom come to work dressed like streetwalkers. Dress down doesn't mean dress like a ho'.
- Few employee rights mean that employers can get away with treating employees like crap, engagin in behaviour that's borderline harassment (as is the case with my wife, who could go to ACAS or CAB back home to lodge a complaint).
I have worked for 4 different companies here, one medium sized, one small, one nonprofit and one large. All the same, you're very much thrown to the wolves and left to sink or swim.
- Corporate people here are generally very uptight and talk about nothing but work (I was actually openly reprimanded for discussing the Vikings!). My humour also has never gone down too well and I miss the banter of British offices and the broader mix of people.
- Living to work, not working to live.
- Less team work, more "throw you under the bus" and CYA than the average UK office environment.
- Sheer bloody incompetence everywhere.
- The harder you work, the more you get taken advantage of.
- I hate cubicles and prefer the open office layout where I don't have to IM my boss or rely on email too much.
- Lots of backstabbing.
- Managers who act beyond unprofessionally.
- Too many silly corporate functions, no "hey let's go down the pub after work and grab a couple of pints".
- College degrees required to work $12 an hour menial jobs that a trained chimp could do blindfolded.
- Too many snappy overachievers.
- Cruelty galore.
- Awful dress code, particularly women, some of whom come to work dressed like streetwalkers. Dress down doesn't mean dress like a ho'.
- Few employee rights mean that employers can get away with treating employees like crap, engagin in behaviour that's borderline harassment (as is the case with my wife, who could go to ACAS or CAB back home to lodge a complaint).
I have worked for 4 different companies here, one medium sized, one small, one nonprofit and one large. All the same, you're very much thrown to the wolves and left to sink or swim.
Mar 16th 2012, 2:22 pm
#58
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Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I'm done with America. I need to get home. At this point my sanity is at risk. She's just going to quit and we're going to be homeless. Land of the free my arse. I need to leave or my life is over. I don't want to be homeless in a country where many people believe the poor should simply starve. Screw this place.
I do understand your sentiments. Your two posts scream something that you should hear tho and I am qualified to talk about it because I have been there. Too many times for my own sanity's well-being.
Its sounds like an "emotional avalanche" has control of you. Certainly as you were writing these words down, anyway. When you are in the middle of this cr@p, you simply cannot see clearly and all tends to become desperation.
If, in the light of day, you still agree with everything you wrote here and whatever you left out, then perhaps it is time to make a break. Tho, doing so in panic mode might send you both from the frying pan into the fire; because you won't be able to chose the conditions you otherwise might (make sense?). What's more, having children makes the whole thing immeasurably more difficult, believe me.
Look, I went 20 years without a visit back home. Was constantly broke without even a GED, married, making a family & did the whole immigrant thing from start to finish (without the benefit of internet or any other emotional help). Nearly went insane and considered doing things one never should. Now, after several trips home and 25 years away, I am only just coming to terms with it all. I've clawed my way thru college and pretty much done things I'd never have had the drive to do back home. If I decided to share this stuff with a yank, they'd probably rave about how the US is the font of all opportunity and my life has been a testament to the Amerikan dream. Its been more like a nightmare for me tho.
But!
There is another perspective which has helped me immensely just this past couple of years. An old friend back home is very impressed and envious of what I have done with my life. He calls me a "pioneer" and I suppose we are, aren't we? Has it dawned on you the different way you look at things now because of your experiences here?
Me, I'm going home for good in 10yrs time, come hell or highwater. Thats all I need to know it will happen, you see. The experiences here have made me know that once I set my mind to something, its got a very great chance it will happen. There's comfort in that certainty.
Last edited by Xebedee; Mar 16th 2012 at 2:42 pm. Reason: cant count
Mar 17th 2012, 1:22 pm
#59
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 76
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I've worked in both the UK and US and I'm actually getting ready to head back to the US to work.... nervous now lol
Apr 25th 2012, 8:10 pm
#60
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4
Re: Anyone else finding working in the US too tough?
I had real trouble finding work when I first arrived stateside (2005). It seems my 10 years actual work experience in the field didn't compare to 2 years theory in a classroom when it came to getting interviews. I actually ended up having to go to university here to get my Associates before I was able to find a job (I then went on to get my Bachelors as well, I dont want to be in that situation again)
The lack of holiday is hard to get used to, and I have to disagree with a poster that said the American's dont live to work, that hasnt been my experience at all. What with the whole 'fire at will' regulations everywhere, very few people feel they can do anything but give work priority over everything else or else find themselves out of a job. My American wife starts worrying at the slightest criticism of her work fearful that she will get the push by the end of the day. That fact that over the years some of her workmates in various companies got the boot in the same manner certainly doesnt help her nerves.
The lack of holiday is hard to get used to, and I have to disagree with a poster that said the American's dont live to work, that hasnt been my experience at all. What with the whole 'fire at will' regulations everywhere, very few people feel they can do anything but give work priority over everything else or else find themselves out of a job. My American wife starts worrying at the slightest criticism of her work fearful that she will get the push by the end of the day. That fact that over the years some of her workmates in various companies got the boot in the same manner certainly doesnt help her nerves.