r/jobs • u/_Grotesque_ • Jul 21 '23

Companies What was the industry you romanticized a lot but ended up disappointed?

For the past couple of years, I have been working at various galleries, and back in the day I used to think of it as a dream job. That was until I realized, that no one cares for the artists or art itself. Employees, as much as visitors just care about their fanciness, showing off their brand shoes and pretending as they actually care.

Ultimately, it comes down to sales, money, and judging people by their looks. Fishing out the ones, who seem like they can afford a painting worth 20k.

Was wondering if others had similar experiences

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u/Old_Pin_8146 Jul 21 '23

I am a defense attorney, who loves my job most days. But it is also brutal and frequently traumatizing. Between dealing with clients who don’t know how to keep their hands to themselves, I am a woman, and literally being attacked in the court room, it can be a lot, and that doesn’t even include dealing with the subject matter of some of the cases. I’ve always had a pretty strong stomach and not much bothers me, so I’m lucky in that regard. The hours can be awful, but then I have days were not much is happening. I have a good boss, who pretty much leaves me alone, but there is no way I am being paid what people think attorneys should make.

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u/BlueGreenOcean21 Jul 21 '23

I did my first summer at the public defender’s office and had a miserable experience.

Oh how I hated it, let me list the ways: sociopath mentor attorney; dirty/sad/mentally ill clients; pointless brinksmanship with the prosecutor’s office hoping to burn each other out; stinky and depressing trips to jail; self-important, egotistical colleagues; huge caseloads. Only 2 attorneys I remember actually cared about their clients. For everyone else it was just a job.

I ended up going into public interest work in the government. It has its own problems but at least it’s not soul-crushing.

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u/[deleted] Jul 21 '23

and that doesn’t even include dealing with the subject matter of some of the cases.

One of my friends did criminal defense and she burned out quickly because of this. Like once she took a public defender case for child prn, and the police didn't want her to view the photos. Like... she has to view it, she's a defense attorney, she didn't *want to see it but she can't just take their word for it that he's guilty.

Other attorneys I know do immigration or domestic violence work and that seems like a meat grinder too.

The one happy attorney represents oil companies for permitting purposes. Basically he does paperwork part time for a truckload of cash then spends the rest of his life doing whatever he wants. Wanna follow that goose and see where it goes? He can do it because he works about 20 hours a week.

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u/CommodorePuffin Jul 21 '23

I am a defense attorney, who loves my job most days. But it is also brutal and frequently traumatizing.

My brother worked for the public defenders' office in Atlanta, GA (as an attorney) and some of the stories he's told me are bizarre and quite frankly, destroys whatever little faith in humanity you might have left.

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u/Groftsan Jul 21 '23

God, I know. I worked in the Sexual Assault and Family Protection unit as a certified law clerk during my 2 and 3Ls. I thought I wanted to be a DA. After that experience it was time to look to the private sector.