You think you’ve landed your dream job, but after a few days (or weeks) you realize that things aren’t quite as expected. Maybe you’re disappointed by the ridiculously long hours or lack of any real responsibility. Perhaps you’re frustrated by your company’s outdated personnel policies. We’ve all been there, but here are some tips for making the best of a bad workplace situation.

1. Don’t waste time with the blame game. This happens to the best of us, and it’s all part of finding the right fit. You could blame yourself for making a bad decision or the recruiter for lying to you about the job or the hiring manager for forgetting to mention that you’d be working in an office without air conditioning. It doesn’t matter who promised what (unless, of course, you have it in writing), so instead of beating yourself up, focus on making things bearable until you can move on.

2. Choose a mentor outside of work. Connecting with a mentor will help you plan your next steps and manage office politics. Mentors can also share stories from early in their career so you can both have a good laugh and commiserate. Just don’t spend too much time trash talking your company or your career, because no one wants to mentor a Debbie Downer. Instead, focus on your aspirations for the future and what you can do to get there.

3. Take advantage of perks. Does your company offer paid travel? Or free lunches? Will they foot the bill for your MBA? Milk it! (Just double-check to see if there are strings attached, like you’re required to work a minimum number of years or there’s a monetary limit on tuition reimbursement.) Companies offer these incentives in the hopes that employees will want to stay. Even if that’s not in your long-term plan, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy perks in the short-term. Professional development will improve your work performance now and your employability later on.

4. Pursue your passion after hours. If you’re not getting to do the type of work you want to do, then you need to create your own opportunities. That’s actually why I started my writing blog. I was so bored during the day that I desperately needed a creative outlet and started blogging at night. The blog helped me land my next job, and I enjoyed it so much that I kept writing it even after I’d moved on. If you want to build websites or design handbags, you will need to take these tasks into your own hands. Don’t wait for someone to delegate it to you.

5. Find a way to move on. If you’ve done your darndest to make the job work and you’re still unhappy, then it’s time to find a new job. If you stay until you absolutely cannot drag yourself to work because you’re so miserable and burnt out, then it will be very difficult to present your best self at interviews. Besides, job hopping has its benefits and feeling successful at work will improve your personal life, too. Try to come up with an accomplishment from your current job that is quantifiable and relatable to the new position you’re applying for.