If you got laid off/downsized out of a decent job and was having trouble finding something of equal pay/stature would you be too proud to take a job bagging groceries or delivering food until you did?
One problem my husband (graphic designer laid off in Sept) has run into is that a lot of jobs like that won't hire you because they know that you don't plan on staying. They know you are still looking and as soon as you find a "real job" you will leave and the training time they have invested is wasted and they will have to start over looking for someone else.
Good point, Donna. Not to mention the fact that if you're delivering pizzas for $10/hr it takes a huge chunk of time from looking for an engineering job for $40/hr.
Time is required. When first laid off, the answer is 'beneath me' or something similar. If it comes down to digging ditches or begging, digging ditches (or flipping burgers or bagging groceries) becomes doable.
I couldn't find a job for a few months after graduating this past August. I was getting so frustrated that no one wanted to hire me despite the fact I have a degree and working experience. I finally found a retail job that pays $11/hr but it takes up a lot of my time and so I've not had time to look for another, better paying job. I'm just happy I HAVE a job though. I was running out of my savings and rent doesn't pay itself. I think the biggest problem with jobs that are considered 'beneath' people is that if you went to college and have a degree, you were told that by just having the degree you WOULDN'T have to take those types of jobs. That by being educated you would be guaranteed a better type of job. So now people who get laid off or especially those right out of college and those of us in our mid Twenties really don't want to have to take those types of jobs because we were always told that we were in fact, better than that. But any job is better than NO job. And at least I work at the LEGO store. Awesome gifts for everyone this year!
I had that attitude once... a long time ago... when I was young and foolish.
I went from being Art Director of a national magazine to the unemployment line. For a while I took any art job in any art department that would take me. Some jobs became redundant, outsourced, or company went bankrupt.
I had my own design studio for a while but found that I did not enjoy running a company as much as I enjoy doing the work.
I am "over-qualified" for all the jobs I applied for so I did some telemarketing for a while.
I find myself at the age of 50 working from home again, now answering phones for $2.50 a sale, while I focus on my fine art career.
Am I making enough to survive? No. Thankfully I have a partner that keeps us solvent. However, I would work in fast food now if I had to. Long gone are the days of living high on the hog. We live hand to mouth.
I also found that in some industries, it doesn't matter if you have previous experience because they feel that their internal business culture is radically different from the rest of the industry. So you're expected to start from, at least, a few pegs down and move up.
Any job isn't better than no job. It's too simplistic considering the capriciousness of business owners and their bottom line. They want job loyalty but will make immediate cuts at the merest whiff of a loss. It would be like cauterizing a minor cut or scrape rather than applying a bandage, some ointment, then waiting for to see if the small wound gets worse or better. The nickel and dime attitude of business bean counters would say that spending money on the "bandage" or "ointment" is not going to help the bottom line.
My answer is: no. Not because of pride. I would refuse doing it if it would steal valuable time from looking for a better job and if I could survive from other means for a short period of time (social security, help from friends or family...) to do precisely that, look for the next job. Not work just to goof off would not be an option for me, even if I had all the money to do that for 3 generations.
If you got laid off/downsized out of a decent job and was having trouble finding something of equal pay/stature would you be too proud to take a job bagging groceries or delivering food until you did?
One problem my husband (graphic designer laid off in Sept) has run into is that a lot of jobs like that won't hire you because they know that you don't plan on staying. They know you are still looking and as soon as you find a "real job" you will leave and the training time they have invested is wasted and they will have to start over looking for someone else.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Donna. Not to mention the fact that if you're delivering pizzas for $10/hr it takes a huge chunk of time from looking for an engineering job for $40/hr.
ReplyDeleteTime is required. When first laid off, the answer is 'beneath me' or something similar. If it comes down to digging ditches or begging, digging ditches (or flipping burgers or bagging groceries) becomes doable.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't find a job for a few months after graduating this past August. I was getting so frustrated that no one wanted to hire me despite the fact I have a degree and working experience. I finally found a retail job that pays $11/hr but it takes up a lot of my time and so I've not had time to look for another, better paying job. I'm just happy I HAVE a job though. I was running out of my savings and rent doesn't pay itself. I think the biggest problem with jobs that are considered 'beneath' people is that if you went to college and have a degree, you were told that by just having the degree you WOULDN'T have to take those types of jobs. That by being educated you would be guaranteed a better type of job. So now people who get laid off or especially those right out of college and those of us in our mid Twenties really don't want to have to take those types of jobs because we were always told that we were in fact, better than that. But any job is better than NO job. And at least I work at the LEGO store. Awesome gifts for everyone this year!
ReplyDeleteI had that attitude once... a long time ago... when I was young and foolish.
ReplyDeleteI went from being Art Director of a national magazine to the unemployment line. For a while I took any art job in any art department that would take me. Some jobs became redundant, outsourced, or company went bankrupt.
I had my own design studio for a while but found that I did not enjoy running a company as much as I enjoy doing the work.
I am "over-qualified" for all the jobs I applied for so I did some telemarketing for a while.
I find myself at the age of 50 working from home again, now answering phones for $2.50 a sale, while I focus on my fine art career.
Am I making enough to survive? No. Thankfully I have a partner that keeps us solvent. However, I would work in fast food now if I had to. Long gone are the days of living high on the hog. We live hand to mouth.
Pride and ego have gone out the door.
I also found that in some industries, it doesn't matter if you have previous experience because they feel that their internal business culture is radically different from the rest of the industry. So you're expected to start from, at least, a few pegs down and move up.
ReplyDeleteAny job isn't better than no job. It's too simplistic considering the capriciousness of business owners and their bottom line. They want job loyalty but will make immediate cuts at the merest whiff of a loss. It would be like cauterizing a minor cut or scrape rather than applying a bandage, some ointment, then waiting for to see if the small wound gets worse or better. The nickel and dime attitude of business bean counters would say that spending money on the "bandage" or "ointment" is not going to help the bottom line.
My answer is: no. Not because of pride. I would refuse doing it if it would steal valuable time from looking for a better job and if I could survive from other means for a short period of time (social security, help from friends or family...) to do precisely that, look for the next job. Not work just to goof off would not be an option for me, even if I had all the money to do that for 3 generations.
ReplyDeleteYou know what really hurts? When you've finally reached the point you try for one of the so called menial jobs and they reject you too.
ReplyDeleteBesides all that, is it wrong to think that Simon is way hotter since he got out of prison?
ReplyDeleteSimon has that bad boy sexy working for him.
ReplyDelete