I’m a 27M with a Master’s of Engineering degree. 5 years of work experience, currently working a senior quality assurance engineer role making about 100k. The problem is, the hours are getting absolutely ridiculous. Over the last month I’ve worked dawn to dusk just to get my work done. My workload is more intense than everyone else on the team, but my boss doesn’t seem to care. He just says “oh, another tough week huh? Sorry, but keep up the great work. It won’t always be like this.”
Everyone else is a level above me on the promotion scale, yet I have to shoulder the load all the time. We’re talking 60 hour weeks with maybe a half hour combined for lunch and bathroom breaks. I don’t know if it’s because the boss thinks my work is way better than my teammates or what, but I can’t take it anymore.
I recently received a job offer for a quality manager role that would’ve paid 120k salary, but the benefits weren’t good so I declined it (3 weeks’ fewer vacation time, no 401k match, in office every day with 90 minute commute each way, no stock plan). I’m at a loss right now. I’m just so exhausted, and even if I did receive a 20k raise at the end of the year, it would still feel like a pittance compared to the toll this job has taken on my mental health over the last month or so.
I wish I was financially secure enough to quit and give myself a month long sabbatical, but I just got out of debt and am starting to save for a house. I just want a break, but of course I’m done with vacation time for the year.