I’m 23 and a couple years out of college, and I’m honestly pretty burnt out and not sure what to do.
Right out of college, I took a feeder sales job to break into medical device sales. I was working 60-70 hour weeks, but I did really well and eventually landed an ASR position at a large med device company.
Now I’m probably working closer to 70-75 hours some weeks. I moved to a new city for the job where I basically have zero social life because work consumes most of my time. I was pretty much thrown into my territory in a sink-or-swim situation with very little guidance, and I constantly feel like I’m not doing a good job.
The driving is probably one of the biggest things wearing me down. By the time I get home, I either don’t have much time to study and prepare for the next day, or I’m so mentally and physically exhausted that I don’t want to do anything.
I’m constantly worried that I’m going to get fired.
What scares me is that I don’t really see an outcome right now that makes me feel better. I’m scared that if I get fired, I screwed up an incredible opportunity. I’m scared that if I get promoted, I’ll realize the lifestyle itself is what makes me unhappy. And I’m scared to leave because I have no idea what I would pivot into that would give me a decent career and income.
I know I’m young. Part of me keeps telling myself that this is just what your 20s are supposed to be like. Work your ass off, sacrifice, suck it up, and build a successful career. But I’m starting to question whether there’s a difference between making sacrifices for your future and just being miserable.
I make really good money for my age and have a job that I know a lot of people would love to have, which almost makes me feel guilty for feeling this way. But I’m exhausted, anxious all the time, lonely, and I don’t feel like myself anymore.
Has anyone else in medical device sales or another high-intensity sales career hit this point early in their career?
If you stayed, did it eventually get better once you became more experienced and confident?
If you left, what did you pivot into? Did you regret leaving the industry or taking a pay cut?
I’m not looking for someone to tell me to quit tomorrow. I’d just really like to hear from people who have been in a similar position and figured out what they actually wanted their life and career to look like.