So, I’ve been at my current job as a Junior Software Engineer for a few months now (after being let go from my last job after 6 months).
I’m finding that I’m not happy here. As bad as the last job was culturally, I found that I enjoyed working with the tech stack a lot more (MERN with GraphQL). At this current job, though they have been very fair with me, the tech stack is mostly WordPress, which I’m finding myself not enjoying. There’s also a lot of CSS, which is my least favorite part of web development. I find myself spending way too much time on projects because CSS is such a stressful headache for me, and WordPress doesn’t help either.
My question is, what should I do? Is this a sign to find a new job? Some days are better than others, but the idea of working with CSS so much makes me so depressed and anxious.
The first option is talking to your manager about if you could work on something else because you don’t like the work your doing. This could lead to you working on something else down the line or a lesser response.
Another option is to find enjoyment at what your doing. One life-hack I’ve heard, and practice, is people enjoy what they are good at. If you’re not great at CSS, then maybe its time to grind it down and not only get better, but become the best you could/can be. Worse case you get better at your job with can always lead to “positive incentives” (raises, recognition, etc)
Another option is to find ways to solve the issue your facing. Odds are you are not the only one disliking working with CSS. Its possible the issues you face are time-sinks across the org. Similar to getting better, maybe improving your developer experience in some way or form is how you can improve your life, and others too.
Of course there is always the “leave the job” option as well, you can try to take it at the same time as working with any of the alternatives. I’d consider this the last resort option however, as changing jobs quickly is usually somewhat looked down upon, especially if you actively “don’t like what you do” after only a few months. Other employers will see you as more risky to hire.
Good luck, keep learning, keep building regardless of what you choose
It sounds like you are feeling frustrated and unhappy in your current role. It’s understandable to feel this way if you are working with technologies that don’t align with your interests or strengths.
If you find that you are consistently feeling stressed and unhappy at work, it might be worth considering exploring other job opportunities that align more closely with your interests and strengths. It’s important to find work that is fulfilling and enjoyable, as it can have a big impact on your overall well-being.
However, it’s also worth considering whether there are any steps you can take to improve your experience in your current role. For example, is there a way you can get more exposure to technologies that you enjoy working with, or is there a way you can get more support or guidance on the tasks that are causing you stress? It may be worth discussing these issues with your manager or HR representative to see if there are any solutions that can help improve your experience at work.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to stay in your current job or explore other opportunities is up to you. It’s important to carefully consider your options and what will be the best fit for you in the long term.
When I learned web development in here, was clearly very focused in MERN stack, so that is what I knew. I applied in different jobs, and the one I finally got uses Linux, PHP, MySQL . It is/was very very different from what I learned. I must say that at the beginning, I was anxious, didn’t like it and had thoughts like: “this is not for me, maybe I should leave”. But I also saw the chance to learn new interesting stuff. By practising you will learn a lot, and maybe you should keep practising with CSS till is not anxious anymore. For me, for example, MySQL was hard and gave my anxiety but now I am kind of okay. And recently Docker was making me feel the same but I am starting to get it.
