Should I quit my job?

[baylormed]

I need some advice in this matter.
I have a job that I have always hated but have been doing for three years due to financial need. My job is minimum wage, retail, and I have been feeling frustrated every since the beginning due to the stigma/uselessness of this experience. The kind of job I do is irrelevant to any medical/academic purpose. Yet, I have sticked with it for three years because I believe in working hard regardless of the nature of the work, but I really, really hate it. There are no incentives, no good work environmnet, and no respect for the employees (both from the supervisors/managers and customers).
I want to quit, mostly because I am working few hours right now anyway, due to the fact that I am studying for the MCATs and taking really hard classes (physics II, Biochem, Cell Phys, Abnormal Psych, and Phil of Medicine) right now, and the job was sucking all my energy, both physically and emotionally.

What do you guys think? I am ready to terminate it but I am afraid this would look bad in the application process. I would of course try to find another job that I enjoy more. Do you think the adcoms will be understanding in this respect??
How about an answer from LizzyM or another of the experienced moderators???

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RxnMan]

I need some advice in this matter.
I have a job that I have always hated but have been doing for three years due to financial need. My job is minimum wage, retail, and I have been feeling frustrated every since the beginning due to the stigma/uselessness of this experience. The kind of job I do is irrelevant to any medical/academic purpose. Yet, I have sticked with it for three years because I believe in working hard regardless of the nature of the work, but I really, really hate it. There are no incentives, no good work environmnet, and no respect for the employees (both from the supervisors/managers and customers).
I want to quit, mostly because I am working few hours right now anyway, due to the fact that I am studying for the MCATs and taking really hard classes (physics II, Biochem, Cell Phys, Abnormal Psych, and Phil of Medicine) right now, and the job was sucking all my energy, both physically and emotionally.

What do you guys think? I am ready to terminate it but I am afraid this would look bad in the application process. I would of course try to find another job that I enjoy more. Do you think the adcoms will be understanding in this respect??
How about an answer from LizzyM or another of the experienced moderators???

You've got to be kidding me - you think that quitting Target (or similar store) will look bad to ADCOMs? They wouldn't know unless you'd put it on your app and pointed it out to them during the interview - but why take up space that you should be using to put down a medically-related EC instead?

I'd focus on school and the MCAT. THAT will impress the ADCOMs.

 

[Prospero]

well, I'm not an experienced moderator, but I'd say quit if you're that unhappy there. Find a job that you actually can stand, maybe even enjoy. Maybe in a lab? As to what the adcoms think, if they ask, tell the truth. I'm sure they'll be glad to hear that retail is not for you and you wanted to find a job that was more geared towards medicine and science. Plus, if you get into some research, you will have something to talk about at interviews (which was real nice for me).
Good luck!

 

[tomorrowgirl99]

I can't repeat this enough. Quit. You don't want to make yourself depressed over something so stupid as a crappy job. Please quit for your own well-being.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

I am ready to terminate it but I am afraid this would look bad in the application process.

I'm not an "experienced moderator" but where you work is almost completely inconsequential, unless it directly supports your application (like working at a research job, etc.). Since you said it's retail, it will have no bearing on your application, other than the fact that you were "working" at that time period. No one will scrutinize your application, make judgments and correlations. You have better things to worry about (namely school). Find a better job, then quit this one.

 

[baylormed]

Thank you all for your responses, I really appreciate the support.
I had actually drafted my letter before posting this, but I guess I needed to hear some advice before going through with it.
To answer some of your comments, I forgot to mention that it's kind of hard to find a job off-campus since I don't have a car, but at least I won't be suffering through my weekends anymore (I worked all Fri, Sat and some of Sunday, plus some weekdays)...I feel so relieved to be doing this, as I said before, I hate the job...(and no, it wasn't Target...try FOOD retail...it sucks).

 

[Rafa]

I've got a job like this, but I don't have the balls to quit. Not yet, anyway.

But I wish you well with it. I know how horrible these things can be. You're doing the right thing.

 

[baylormed]

I've got a job like this, but I don't have the balls to quit. Not yet, anyway.

But I wish you well with it. I know how horrible these things can be. You're doing the right thing.

Thanks Rafa...you should also quit if you're unhappy...it took me almost three years to get the courage to do it...oh wait, I still need to let them know...it's kind of scary Anyway, now I'll be free to look for something better.

 

[Nikki2002]

Thank you all for your responses, I really appreciate the support.
I had actually drafted my letter before posting this, but I guess I needed to hear some advice before going through with it.
To answer some of your comments, I forgot to mention that it's kind of hard to find a job off-campus since I don't have a car, but at least I won't be suffering through my weekends anymore (I worked all Fri, Sat and some of Sunday, plus some weekdays)...I feel so relieved to be doing this, as I said before, I hate the job...(and no, it wasn't Target...try FOOD retail...it sucks).

yeah target sucks too.......i can't stand people who take their crappy jobs so seriously and then try to boss me around--I'm just like "whatever"

 

[andi_cvr]

If you are work study eligible, you can get an easy job at Baylor like mine. I sit at a desk doing my homework for 15-20 hours a week. If I were you, I would quit. Your schedule looks really tough. Dr. Elderidge's daily quizzes in Cell Phys for example. Yuck. Why are you taking Biochem, Physics II, and Cell Phys at the same time? Insane or overacheiver? Just kidding. But seriously, good luck with that.

I need some advice in this matter.
I have a job that I have always hated but have been doing for three years due to financial need. My job is minimum wage, retail, and I have been feeling frustrated every since the beginning due to the stigma/uselessness of this experience. The kind of job I do is irrelevant to any medical/academic purpose. Yet, I have sticked with it for three years because I believe in working hard regardless of the nature of the work, but I really, really hate it. There are no incentives, no good work environmnet, and no respect for the employees (both from the supervisors/managers and customers).
I want to quit, mostly because I am working few hours right now anyway, due to the fact that I am studying for the MCATs and taking really hard classes (physics II, Biochem, Cell Phys, Abnormal Psych, and Phil of Medicine) right now, and the job was sucking all my energy, both physically and emotionally.

What do you guys think? I am ready to terminate it but I am afraid this would look bad in the application process. I would of course try to find another job that I enjoy more. Do you think the adcoms will be understanding in this respect??
How about an answer from LizzyM or another of the experienced moderators???

 

[gary5]

Adcoms don't care about your retail job. They care about GPAs, MCAT scores, LORs, volunteer experience, and a good interview. If you can survive without the job, dump it and get more clinical experience.

 

[RxnMan]

yeah target sucks too.......i can't stand people who take their crappy jobs so seriously and then try to boss me around--I'm just like "whatever"

This tells you how unfit I am to work in retail: I was working the Electronics counter at Target (I was the engineering student, so of course - I must know EVERYTHING about electronics!) when a customer comes up and starts asking about some of the merchandise. He wanted to get in a fight, (and I sure as heck didn't provoke him,) because he pulled out box cutter on me! Started ranting about how he had friends and could make sure I got fired and I would never work at another Target again!

It goes to show you how bad the job was when I wasn't worried about getting slashed by the box cutter; rather, I could only think about how good it would be to never work there again!

 

[murphomatic]

This tells you how unfit I am to work in retail: I was working the Electronics counter at Target (I was the engineering student, so of course - I must know EVERYTHING about electronics!) when a customer comes up and starts asking about some of the merchandise. He wanted to get in a fight, (and I sure as heck didn't provoke him,) because he pulled out box cutter on me! Started ranting about how he had friends and could make sure I got fired and I would never work at another Target again!

It goes to show you how bad the job was when I wasn't worried about getting slashed by the box cutter; rather, I could only think about how good it would be to never work there again!

Man is there anything better than quiting a crappy job??? Years ago I worked at this nasty resturant (think Denny's but cheaper). There was this huge family (like 10 people or so) that used to come in and order tons and tons of food and everytime they would give me like 5% for tip. So one day when they came in I decided I was not going to take it anymore. I went up to them nice as can be and just took their order as usual. Then without telling anyone I just up and left out the back door. It still puts a smile on my face to think that they just sat there like idiots waiting for there food that would never come

morale of the story: If you are going to quit a job that you hate, at least go out with a flare.

 

[Comrade]

I have a job that I have always hated but have been doing for three years due to financial need.

This is America. Employers are competing for you as much as you are seeking the perfect job. You're obviously very intelligent. Go exercise your rights under capitalism.

 

[Nikki2002]

This tells you how unfit I am to work in retail: I was working the Electronics counter at Target (I was the engineering student, so of course - I must know EVERYTHING about electronics!) when a customer comes up and starts asking about some of the merchandise. He wanted to get in a fight, (and I sure as heck didn't provoke him,) because he pulled out box cutter on me! Started ranting about how he had friends and could make sure I got fired and I would never work at another Target again!

It goes to show you how bad the job was when I wasn't worried about getting slashed by the box cutter; rather, I could only think about how good it would be to never work there again!

damn you work at the scary target!! if something like that happened to me, i would def. quit. I worked electronics around christmas and seriously i thought i might hurt someone

 

[RxnMan]

damn you work at the scary target!! if something like that happened to me, i would def. quit. I worked electronics around christmas and seriously i thought i might hurt someone

Christmas at Target (say the "g" like a "j" and with a silent "t" - adds class!) was wonderful - 200 moms all looking at the last minute for the exact same gift which was shown in the Sunday ad and was therefore in stock (because the ads are directly linked to inventory) and now are screaming at you for ruining Christmas for their little Timmy because you can't sell something that sold out last month.

 

[ladyballa1492]

if you hate it, quit and work somewhere else. you've worked there for some time and seem to have shown commitment and "quality" of the experience as is.

as someone who has always worked in retail, i will say that my experience as a sales associate came up quite a bit in my interviews. and i was able to spin it, and say that it has been useful for me in my quest to become a physician because i know how to deal with people - from the annoying customer who doesn't know what he wants to the irate customer who is cursing me out for things beyond my control. needless to say, i think it made me a bit unique and helped my case (i ended up getting into those schools - and the schools are top 20), so i don't think you need to be as pressed to find a "clinically related" job if you have a lot of clinical exp.

just my two cents.