Title: In a toxic dead-end job. Receive a job offer I'm not excited about. Is it unreasonable to turn down any job offer in this market?
I've been in a role for a little over a year that's both very toxic and a bad fit for me. At this point, I'm basically tech lead managing a steadily growing group of people (started at 1, now it's 4) and multiple projects. I did not not ask for this type of role and did not get a title change or pay increase. I spend almost all of my day shielding my direct reports from absolutely unhinged requests from management.
I have a PhD in statistics, and my previous roles were more R&D focused. My primary career motivation is to work on challenging, technical problems. I am looking for more Applied Scientist or Research Scientist type roles. Unfortunately, I'm not getting interviews for these kinds of jobs. I suspect a big reason is my location and inability to relocate right now
I just got an offer with better pay and a seemingly healthier culture, but the work is still aligned with my interests. Probably simple modeling and not a lot of technical depth. I’ve already turned down similar roles before, but I’m so burned out I’m tempted to take it just to get out of my current role. I'm also pretty cynical at this point and probably can't accurate evaluate any corporate job.
Is it unreasonable to turn down any new role in this market? Am I holding out for some fantasy position that doesn't exist.
Posted Aug 7, 2025, 4:34 PM UTC