There may come a time in your life when you begin to question your purpose in life. That same dead-end work, same coffee, same hidden wish to hit that colleague you’ve hated since day one. Unfortunately, there are many individuals who feel the same way as you do (including your employers!); here are some of the sad truths about working in the corporate world, as well as some suggestions for what you could do if you find yourself in this situation.

1. If you do a good job, you will be handed extra duties. Yes, there will be more work, regardless of whether the co-worker next to you has been painting her nails for the past two hours. If you do a good job, you will find yourself with even more work to do. It’s likely that you won’t get any praise for your hard work. What are your options? Stick to what you’re hired to do, and be more thorough about it. Unless, of course, you’re happy with the additional workload.

2. Putting in extra effort to please your manager may end up being counter-productive. Instead of being seen as an attempt to be helpful, it could be interpreted as brown-nosing. If you don’t, though, your boss will notice and complain about your lack of effort. What should you do? In this circumstance, you should try to find a happy medium. Be respectful of your manager and do what they ask of you, but instead of being by their side all the time, impress your boss by the quality of your job.

3. Even if it’s not strictly true, you will constantly be made to feel like the company doesn’t need you. This is especially true for employees who have medical conditions, even if they’ve reached MMI. What is the solution? Prove your worthiness for the job you have and demonstrate that you are more than capable of carrying out your responsibilities in a professional manner. This could even lead to a promotion!

4. Nothing about your job makes you excited or motivated anymore, and the only reason you’re still there is because finding a new career that pays higher than what you’re making now would be too much of a headache. What are your options in this situation? Unless you’re willing to put up with it, you’ll either have to accept it or leave. Perhaps rekindle your passion for your job?

5. If you’re the youngest person in the office, you’ll always be treated as though you’re the most inexperienced, even if you’ve been there for a longer period of time than the other workers. Because of your lack of life experience, you’re considered the least qualified member of the team. How can this be remedied? Don’t let that worry you; continue to execute your work professionally. That extra effort you’re putting in will be seen and appreciated by your manager. Don’t be concerned about what your coworkers think.

6. In the corporate world, being the top dog isn’t necessarily a piece of cake. It is inevitable that your employees will have something to complain about, which means you will have to delegate work in a new way and deal with difficulties that divert your attention away from the tasks at hand. How can you fix it? A HR staffing firm can help you find an employee to handle this task for you.

7. You’ll get blamed for something you didn’t do. Sadly, people will go to great lengths to blame someone else in order to make themselves look better. How can you not be blamed for something? Everything you do should be documented so that if you are ever questioned about your work, you will be able to demonstrate that you were carrying out your responsibilities. If you have done something wrong, simply apologize and try to put things right.

8. Even if you don’t think your co-workers deserve it, you’re likely to see them overtake you in your position. What can you do to get the promotion you want? Attend staff meetings and make a contribution to the discussion at the table, demonstrating to your peers that you are deserving of the position. Stay late after work to demonstrate to your manager that you are enthusiastic about your work.

9. If you send emails and perform minor administrative activities such as filing papers, organizing workflow, and writing letters, you will use an excessive amount of your valuable working time. How can you simplify this? Create a system to help you make the most of the time you have and, in the process, save you a few minutes. Install a bulk email program on your computer (ask your boss first) so that you just have to write the email once and then send it to everyone in one fell swoop with a single mouse click. Make sure your workstation and desk are well-organized at all times so you don’t waste time looking for stuff.

10. Achievements that you have may go unnoticed by your colleagues. You won’t get praised for your efforts unless it’s perfect. Is there anything you can do? Unfortunately, perfection seems to be the only way to succeed. One alternative may be to demonstrate to your colleagues that you are aware of the issues but are actively striving to resolve them.

11. If you show up to work in an outfit that’s out of the norm, you’ll be mocked by your coworkers and even face-to-face. How do you avoid this? Keep your office clothes safe for all-day wear. A shirt and tie, paired with a pair of well-fitting trousers, will never go out of style.

To be clear, not all office environments are like this, but in large corporate headquarters in cities, it’s likely that you’ll experience at least one of these issues over your working years. Unfortunately, the only options are to either develop yourself and progress in your current position or hunt for a new role altogether.

Make sure you don’t lose your identity in the corporate environment. Play the game if you want to win!