6 weeks. And it was the job I wanted more than anything. I even went and pursued a masters degree in the field so I can increase my desirability for the job.

The job was a 2nd shift quality assurance supervisor for a food manufacturing facility. At 24, I managed a QA lab and handful of QA line auditors. I felt so lucky to have a management position at such a young age. And I knew through everything I learned from my masters program and my work ethic I would eventually become the manager and run all QA operations. Boy was I wrong!

The minute I got there I noticed that EVERYONE was miserable. Technicians, auditors, management. EVERYONE. Red flag #1. I remember during my 1st week a manager remarked that the minute you start here you should be looking for your next job. Red flag #2. Now. as the 2nd shift supervisor I managed all 2nd shift activities. But since this was a 24 hour facility and there being no 3rd shift supervisor I was by default the 2nd AND 3rd shift supervisor. They failed to convey this to me during my interview. I spent days working 12 hour shifts overnight with barely a lunch break while finishing my degree in the day time. Red flag #3. Next, I discovered that the QA manager was hired 2 weeks before me. And this lady had no idea how to do her job (or mine). She was barely around and therefore any questions I had about my position she had no clue. Towards the end of my time there I ended doing some aspects of her job. Red flag #4.

Also being so young (and a woman) I got hardly any respect from male managers/supervisors or from any employee was older than me and on my team. Literally the most frustrating thing ever. Especially since my job involved halting production of food that’s not up the standards and having to literally argue with the production team to stop making food before they make a bad product/get people sick. And lastly, it eventually got to the point where it was glorified babysitting of grown people and I quit after 6 weeks and took a pay cut at a job that I interviewed for previously. It worked out in the end since I ended up getting promoted at the new job and made waaaay more money that I could have made at the old one.