15 Glamorized Jobs That Are Actually Bad

I think we've all been plagued by career envy at some point in our lives. I mean, how can you not be when there are so many awesome-sounding jobs out there?

Some jobs, however, are not as magnificent as they seem. Reddit user u/Jayantwi98 highlighted this harsh truth when they asked the Reddit-sphere to share some "glamorized career paths" that are actually "a complete nightmare." Here are some of the top-rated responses:

1. "Ballet dancer...most dancers you see onstage in a ballet are paying to be there. The bottom rungs of ballet companies are pay to play. Then, when you have paid to dance a few years, you might be able to get a position that pays you with a dozen pairs of pointe shoes and a stipend for performances. Then maybe you'll be promoted to the bottom level, where you get paid $20,000 a year and have no health insurance. All while putting your body through major torture."

2. "Chef. Long hours, shitty environment, and nothing is ever good enough."

3. "My S.O. is an attorney and isn't loving life right now. She says, 'You know how you did term papers in college? Well, I do term papers every day, all day, endlessly.'"

4. "Radio announcer. Like a lot of other jobs in the entertainment industry, it’s full-time work for part-time pay. Second jobs are common. Your pizza delivery guy just may be your favorite morning show host! At least, that’s how the morning guy at my station made ends meet, until he was laid off in the last round of cutbacks."

5. "Veterinarian. Insanely competitive schooling that cripples you with debt, with a depressing debt-to-income ratio after graduation. Most of your patients don’t like you, and most of the owners think you’re getting rich up-selling them unnecessary services, when their dog’s exploding eyeball cancer can be cured with raw organic exotic meats/CBD/coconut oil — but you’re withholding that information because you’re 'in bed with Big Kibble.'"

6. "Political staffer. Most jobs in politics pay very little money and require you to work 80-plus hours a week for a boss who is guaranteed to have a gigantic ego. You also have to look for a new job after every Election Day."

7. "Flight attendant. The travel would be amazing, but let's face it — you're a glorified waiter working in a cramped, aluminum tube."

8. "I'm a professional, full-time voice actor. I'm blessed to be successful and happy, but about 99% of the voice actors I know are depressed most of the time, struggling hard to find work, wrestling with impostor syndrome, and questioning if they should give up, and they're barely able to make rent. Particularly video game/anime/animation actors."

9. "Academia in general is potentially a garbage-fire career path. Namely because it’s so competitive that a lot of people burn out and become shells of human beings just from the stress and pressure of grad school and the job market."

10. "The video game industry. A lot of kids and teens want to be in it so bad because 'I grew up playing games blah-blah-blah they take me to another world blah-blah-blah.' Then you become an adult and learn that it’s all math and physics, and making a video game has NOTHING to do with what you experienced growing up. It’s all black screens of code, polygons, and being criticized for your work."

11. "Being an architect is really bad. Most people don’t complete it, and the mental health issues are quite serious. There’s a lot of criticism and stress in the beginning, lots of late nights, and hard work. At the end of your work, you get insulted in public."

12. "Don't go into consulting. You can do better. Find a line of work that is not as soul-sucking and energy-draining. Those frequent-flyer miles, free hotels, and wining and dining in glamorous suits are just a smokescreen to cover up the misery from constant traveling, networking, guaranteed overtime, and no weekends."

13. "Being a YouTuber. No security net, no benefits, and you have to work nonstop not to get crushed by YouTube's algorithm. YouTube is known for screwing over even their biggest content creators, let alone their smaller ones."

14. "Teaching, for sure. I mean, people know it sucks, but the idea of becoming a teacher and changing the lives of children simply by caring enough exists in a lot of people, and sadly, it's just not like that. The very sad truth is that it doesn't matter how much you care; there are so many people who just want to make your job near impossible, and people drop out of the position left and right."

15. And finally, "Fashion designer. You won’t even get a job if you are willing to work for free."

What do you think is a glamorized career path that's not so great in reality? Let us know in the comments for a chance to be featured in a BuzzFeed Community post or video!

Note: Some submissions have been edited for grammar and/or clarity.