I'm very unhappy at my low-paying job and don't know what to do next. Can you advise, please?

Hello all, I’m a newbie here, so I’m still learning how everything works on this site. Sor here goes my very long question, if you’ll bear with me, please.

I’ve worked for a medium-sized bank for the past two-and-a-half years. Before then, I worked for another, larger bank for just over eight months, right after my husband and I separated. That job was the first job I had in seven years because I was a stay-at-home mom after my son was born. I quit the first job (at the larger bank) because it didn’t pay me enough to support myself and my child. This current job doesn’t, either. There is a lot of pressure to sell, sell, sell. This is to be expected as it is part of my job description, to be an excellent sales person—which I am and excel at. But the pay is awful and the job load is incredible, for I work in the largest branch in the company.

However, I have just been transferred three weeks ago to this branch from another, smaller branch just down the street because headquarters decided to close down that branch (laying off 7 of 12 employees). I’m considered one of the “lucky five” who aren’t being laid off. The reasons they gave me for “keeping” me were several, and most people in my shoes would be ecstatic by those reasons. I have been great in all areas of my work, exceeding their expectation at every opportunity, going above and beyond, so much so I got recognized for one of my projects before the entire company the year after I was hired. I speak three languages and, at almost forty years of age, have lots of life experience which helps me in dealing with customers of all backgrounds and ages. I don’t, however, have a completed college degree. This is partly the reason I’m a bank teller, I believe. The other reason being my lack of courage to venture out of the banking industry, especially out of teller positions.

At my new job at this new branch, there are lots more rules and regulations and things we need to do every day. For the same amount of money. Yes, I appreciate having more to do, but this isn’t creative work, you know. And I know my strenght is in creating things, creating new ways of approaching older concepts and ideas. This I have been unable to do at work lately because management is like Big Brother, constantly looking over my shoulders. They don’t seem to understand that employees are human beings, with different perspectives. It’s sort of like a military institution where you need to be brought to the “default” kind of behavior expected of you. How can there be growth under such circumstances?

I understand that this is how the vast majority of American companies are run today. And I also understand how I accepted my responsabilities in this company by signing on the dotted line and agreeing with all its policies.

What I can’t seem to be able to understand and/or emulate is the courage some people seem to possess to just up and walk away from low-paying jobs, jobs that don’t satisfy them in any way, shape or form, and end up “following their life’s passion.”

How can I do that? Have any of you done that in your personal life? I would love to hear from anyone who knows how to do this and not destroy your entire life in the process, losing everything you worked so hard for.

Thank you!