Is your job boring? Not "not thrilling" boring — brain-dying-inside-your-head boring. If you're a recent graduate or new in your field, doing the lowest-level work in your category while you wait for something better, you're not alone.
Getting a new/better job sounds easier than it is. And you don't build a good resume by hopping into several different jobs right after graduation. As someone who has read more resumes than I can count — it's a red flag. It says "You are impatient or intolerable," which may not be true, but it's what the resume suggests.
So look for another job at night and on weekends, and make the best of this job, even if it's boring.
The data on underemployment
According to the New York Fed's Q1 2026 data, about 35% of college graduates in the U.S. are underemployed — working in jobs that don't require a degree. For recent graduates specifically, that number climbs to roughly 42%. That number has held steady for years. In other countries, it's often worse.
Knowing you're not alone doesn't make the job less boring, but it does help you see that you're not the only one dealing with the challenge. Here are two things that help.
1. Find something to care about
If you need to keep the job, don't spend your time at work looking for another one. Employers notice disengagement — and there's usually a long line of people who'd be glad to have your seat.
Find SOMETHING you care about in this job. It's the best way to stay engaged until you get that new job, but it's also a way to build your abilities for future work.
— Be a good team member. Look for who's struggling and help them catch up.
— If you're process-oriented, turn efficiency into a game. If a task takes an hour, figure out how to do it in 45 minutes without sacrificing quality.
— Focus on the people you serve — customers, teammates, whoever's on the other end of the work. What can you do to make a difference for them, make their life better?
I once ended up in a support role I didn't want, after a reorg swept the ground out from under me. I stopped feeling like I was too good for it and started focusing on the people calling in with problems. That shift — not the job itself — is what got me through it.
2. Change your aperture
In photography, a wide aperture keeps your subject sharp while the background blurs. A narrow aperture brings everything into focus. Jobs work the same way. If you're used to juggling everything at once and land in a role that demands narrow, detailed focus, it can feel miserable — until you deliberately change your aperture to match the work in front of you.
I once moved from a job with constant variety into one that was highly analytical and detail-heavy. I hated it, until I stopped wishing for the old job and started zooming in — mapping every step, finding what I could control, and getting incrementally better at each element. That shift changed how I showed up, and eventually how I was perceived: I ended up training the next person who joined the team, simply because I understood the process better than anyone else there.
The takeaway
Engagement and perspective won't make a boring job your dream job. But they will make you better at it, more valuable in your next one. As a bonus, you'll be less miserable in the meantime.
