It's always exciting to get your first job and many celebrate it as a milestone. But a 25-year-old graphic designer from Kolkata who recently joined a company says she is "already exhausted" and is already exploring other job opportunities.
In a Reddit post, the young professional shared how just two months into her first full-time role, she is already feeling burnt out due to long work hours, unpaid overtime, poor workplace planning, and a lengthy daily commute. She also mentioned that she is losing interest in her work, feeling sleepy deprived, and losing her social life at the same time.
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‘I’m already exhausted after just two months’
The woman explained that she accepted the position of junior graphic designer immediately after clearing the interview because she was eager to begin her career. But the reality of the job has been very different from what she expected.
According to her post, employees are frequently required to work beyond office hours without receiving any additional pay. While management reportedly mentions possible incentives, there is no guaranteed compensation for the extra hours spent at work.
She added that urgent design requests often arrive just a day before an event, leaving little time for brainstorming, revisions, and execution.
Long hours and a tiring commute
One of the biggest challenges, she said, is the combination of overtime and travel. "Mind you, it usually takes me 1-2 hours to reach back home. Once we're done with making the designs and show the manager, sometimes he mentions that this isn't how he wants the designs to be, although he himself asks us to think of them," her post reads.
The graphic designer revealed that she often leaves the office between 8:30 pm and 9 pm. After that, it takes her another one to two hours to reach home. As a result, she feels constantly tired and sleep-deprived.
The situation has also affected her personal life. She wrote that she is gradually losing her social life and motivation, despite being only a few months into her professional journey.
Outdated systems adding to the frustration
Apart from the workload, the employee highlighted technical issues at the workplace. She claimed the company still uses older design software because the computers are unable to support newer versions. The systems reportedly crash frequently, and files sometimes fail to save properly.
"Even the systems are utter shit, we're using Adobe 2018 because the pc doesn't support any new updates, and there's no space either. The files we spend so much time working on don't get saved, the software/pc crashes, leaving us no option but to re-do the work from scratch. It's been only two months here and it's been hectic. I'm losing my interest to work any further," she mentioned in the post.
The employee said she had noticed the issue during the interview process but was assured that upgrades would be made soon.
Considering a job switch in 2 months
The Reddit user also mentioned that colleagues have warned her that the workload becomes even more intense during the festive season, with employees often staying late in the office for extended periods.
While she acknowledged that the salary is decent for a fresher in Kolkata, she questioned whether the pay is worth the growing stress and exhaustion.
Now, just two months after landing her first job, she is considering switching companies as soon as a better opportunity comes along.
Her story has resonated with many young professionals online, highlighting a common concern among freshers: balancing career growth with mental well-being, reasonable working hours, and a healthy work-life balance.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post on Reddit. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.
