So I hate my job. Not anything unusual, but it’s getting really bad. So bad that I’ve been hiding in the bathroom just to get away from my desk. I won’t even have to go, I’ll just sit in there and let time pass. Or I’ll go for elevator rides. Up to the 16th floor, down to the 1st. Anything to get me away for even a little while.
Not only is the work itself boring me to tears (proofreading is probably the most mind-numbing activity on the planet), but:

1. People keep leaving but are not replaced (and I mean literally over 30 people in 2 1/2 years in an office with a total of about 75). This includes the IT guys – there used to be 3, now there’s only one, and if he’s out sick or on vacation, we’re on our own. And our fashion copy department has dwindled down to 2 people from 4, and neither of those two are staying. One got a new job, and one is going on maternity and never coming back. So there’s no fashion copy department at all any more, and no one seems to be doing anything about it. In total, including the home copy department, there used to be 9 writers at one point; now we are going to be down to 3! 3 copywriters in the entire company. For a major retail department store’s Advertising department!

2. In addition, people are fired without merit, and people who should be fired aren’t. The most incompetent person I’ve ever met has been here for over 25 years, just because she’s a good ass-kisser. She fucks up more than anyone I’ve ever seen, and she’s still here. She refuses to learn, she refuses to take responsibility, she has even been reported to HR for creating a hostile work environment on more than one occasion, and she’s STILL HERE. Argh.

3. We have weekly meetings for upper management to review our work, and sometimes they don’t bother to attend. These meetings take place every Thursday morning at 9, sometimes at 8:45 or even 8:30. At least I get paid overtime for this bullshit, but I still have to drag my ass out of bed early. Feh.

4. We have a performance review AND a “Management Development Review” which has NOTHING to do with our performance and does not figure into our promotion/raise. So why do we have to have 2 reviews? To make HR feel important. Isn’t that nice?

5. I provide information to my co-workers but none of them use it, so there are tons of mistakes everywhere which could easily be avoided if they’d just pay fucking attention. Or just look at their shit once before they give it to me. My existence at this company seems to establish the idea that I am the only one responsible for the quality of the work. How lovely. What if I’m not here? Does that mean NO ONE is taking responsibility for this shit? Yup. Sure does. No pressure for me.

6. No one communicates with each other; i.e. I’m supposed to attend meetings but no one tells me when or where they are, even though I ask repeatedly. I am in charge of maintaining legal standards for all Advertising and Marketing for this company – god forbid I should actually attend a meeting that discusses these issues!

7. People blame each other for stuff and don’t take responsibility for it. If something’s wrong, just fucking fix it, don’t tell me it was someone else’s fault. Stop being a child.

8. My hours are 9-6 for NO REASON. Whatever happened to leaving at 5? Essentially, I get paid for my lunch hour, so in order to make up for that, they keep me here till 6. (I tried talking them into a half-hour lunch and leaving at 5:30, or any other option, but they won’t let me.) This means I get home after 7pm every night, and since I go to bed around 11 so I can get up and leave by 7:45, I get four whole hours to myself a day. Lucky me. This means I have an hour each for: having dinner with my husband, playing with my 4 month old kitten (who won’t be a kitten forever), doing the dishes, and watching a little TV. What a full life.

9. The entire office is as cold as a sub-zero freezer with worse air circulation. I keep a wool sweater and a cashmere pashmina shawl, and often use both. At the same time. On top of whatever I’m already wearing. No joke. The bathroom is freezing too, plus the ceiling tiles cave in and it floods about once a month. The toilets don’t flush properly, either. Quality building we’re in.

And 10. There are ROACHES running around. Big NYC ones. In the office. One dropped from the ceiling and almost fell on someone’s head. One ran under my desk and chair yesterday while I was eating lunch. How appetizing. Every little itch on my foot now freaks me out. I hate bugs. I really, really, really, really, really hate bugs. Hate ‘em!

And, to top it all off (this list goes to 11), it has been announced that upper management will be asking the IT department (one guy, remember) to go around and delete IM and itunes from everyone’s computers. The two things that get me through these horrible, horrible days are being taken away for no good reason. I get my work done, I don’t download illegal software, so why should I be PUNISHED? Because management has a bug up its butt (probably one of those humongous roaches).

But the most discouraging thing about all this is that I am trying, but I just can’t find another fucking job anywhere. I’ve been on 19 interviews in 25 weeks. That includes headhunters and call-backs to companies that were clearly interested in me but did not hire me for some reason. 19 interviews. 25 weeks. That’s almost an interview a week. 19 times I’ve worn the same damn suit (the dry cleaner loves me) and schlepped my resume and writing samples around. And 6 months later, I’m still where I started, fighting with retards and roaches.

So, if anyone is reading this and they need someone who is willing to work hard, is good at editing and writing, and is pretty much open to anything, please drop me an email. (I live in Brooklyn, so I'm looking for something in NYC.)

Thanks.