“The job market is tight, the economy is down, and as bright and motivated as you may be, you probably won’t find a job after graduation. No, instead think about this – you’ve found a job, but you’re way overqualified. A lot of you will be graduating in a month and this is what you’ll be faced with – a boring, monotonous, minimum wage job. Is that what you want? Of course not! But why is that?”
To be human is to problem-solve. To deny people the opportunity to problem-solve and to be creative alienates them and removes some element of their humanity.
Although Karl Marx failed to predict the flexibility of capitalism, he was right about one thing – boredom is torturous and labor-for-profit jobs can be a terribly dehumanizing experience. In my anthropology class today, we talked about Marx and my professor intertwined our own reality into Marx’s theory.
All of the soon-to-be graduates can now walk proudly into an establishment and say “Hey, look at me! I can flip burgers, assemble your product, and be an efficient employee, all for a mere $8 an hour. I can follow your monotonous routine down to the T and be another one of your mindless drones. I would just love to be another one of your mindless drones!”
“You don’t want that…of course you don’t! So what are your options? What are you going to do? Well, you could go and get drunk, and stay drunk. You could shop ’til you drop, as many people do. You could lock yourself in a room with your video games, Red Bull, and Ho-Hos. Maybe you’ll call you mother and complain about how miserable your job makes you. But another option is to go out there and improve the situation for yourself. Inject human relations, creativity, and new procedures back into these increasingly dull and meaningless jobs. Go out and make your work meaningful!”
How do you change and improve a situation you’re in when it’s micro-managed from the top down? That’s one thing my professor failed to mention. I anticipate that I will, at least temporarily, find myself in a boring job at which I’m not allowed to express myself or my creativity. How will I deal? A positive attitude? A heart-to-heart with the manager? Leading a retaliation? To be honest, I don’t believe big businesses care about much more than their own profit and growth; they want the base of thier pyamid to be filled with people who trust that the system is being run properly and that the people at the top are concerned for the well-being of the foundation.
Change is clearly possible. Just look at all the advancements made in the past century. Who is responsible for those revolutionary new ideas? Is it the big CEO who goes out golfing in the morning and who sips whiskey in his office while he works? No, it’s the little guys at the bottom who know the system inside and out and can see those many opportunities for improvement firsthand.
Although poignant in nature, my professor’s comments today really made me think about my own situation. I’ve been anxious and upset about my job prospects, but are those feelings even warranted? I don’t know where I’ll be job-wise a month, a year, or a decade from now, but I can assure you that I won’t be here writing about how boring my work is nor complaining about how overqualified and underappreciated I am. Being just another minion, maybe no one will take me seriously, but if I’m actively contemplating ways to improve my own work and the practices of the company, I’m surely better off than the bored young man who is counting down the minutes until his shift ends.
The world needs more well-read, intelligent, thoughtful young ladies like you. Well done!
Nice post, I am at the point in my life where my jobs are somewhat fulfilling. I have two paying jobs and a some projects on the go that may make money in the future.
The way I look at it when I’m feeling like a “number” (which isn’t as often as it used to be) is that this is a necessary step to getting food, clothing, and shelter. Just as some other cultures might have to walk for miles every day for water I have to do work that sometimes feels a little boring.
That’s wonderful that you’re doing something that’s meaningful for you! I agree…there’s a quote I like “Every challange is a stepping stone to happier place than you ever knew existed.” Sometimes the tough stuff is what really sets us up for success in the future. Thanks!
I can relate to everything you’re saying. I received my degree Dec 2009 and have been looking for a job non-stop. It’s awful. Not to discourage you!! You may have more possibilities than I do. But after a year of looking for jobs that pertain to my degree, I’ve now resulted to searching for internships, non-paid, so that I can just get my foot in the door. As far as trying to make my job a positive experience… that’s impossible at a bank, unless I don’t mind getting ringed once a week by going over why I’m not helping the bank make a profit since telling customers to get their loans at Credit Unions and such. Every positive experience for me at the bank results to a negative experience, and vice versa.
I still have hope I’m going to find a new job though!! That will never change.
I can only imagine how frustrating that must be…I’m barely dipping my toe in and already feeling down.strating that must be…I’m barely dipping my toe in and already feeling down. Right now I just need to find something that will cover my living expenses, but if I haven’t found a “real” job down the line then an intereship would a great idea. It’s hard working for a companies whose policies you don’t agree with, or may be slightly unethical. Well, keep your head up! I’m sure you and I will both find the perfect job if we just keep at it.
I say start visualizing your ideal job, down to the little details. and see yourself there, doing it! don’t settle!
Visualizing a wonderful idea, Joss! Although I don’t know exactly what I want to do, there definetly are qualities I look for, so I can focus more on those. Thanks for the advice!
I’m surely better off than the bored young man who is counting down the minutes until his shift ends.
Set your goals high and make your choices in life carefully. Remember one thing…the person who works a 40 hour week will never become that rich CEO that EARNED the benefit of enjoying a day of golfing and a sip of fine Scotch at the end of his day. The high achievers will be the ones who are attacked and called filthy rich, and at the same time will be the ones supplying the jobs that make this country strong. There will always be a need for garbage collectors and people flipping burgers. There is always room at the top for the best, but there will never be enough people who are willing to work hard enough to get there.
Great post.
Thank you, that is some great advice! To make it to the top you need to go above and beyond what’s expected from you. The systems are designed to hold you down and allow you to slowly move up the chain and it takes effort and persistence to break through that. Thanks for reposting as well, and I really like how you introduced the topic on your blog.
Pingback: Marx, minimum wage, and room for improvement (via Analyfe) « THE ROYCROFT REPORT
I would say “Go become a writer!” but, I am not sure how many writing jobs are out there right now. Read Steve Jobs speech given at Stanford a few years ago. That might help.
You know, I’m looking and there’s not all that much, but I just need to be persistent and keep my eyes open. Thank you for sharing that video – it’s wonderful and inspring! I just might have to share it.
Pingback: Work is boring, saving’s boring! « Henrytapper's Blog
Your message was well written, I’m in the same boat, diploma in hand and 9-5 monotonous minimum wage job in the other. It’s up and down; I’m working on my own projects and building my portfolio. That’s what you need to do, be creative, stay active mentally, make contacts and keep your foot in the door.
Thank you. I think that’s the best thing to do – stay actively engaged in things that interest you (even if you aren’t being paid for it), keep a creative and open mind, and network and actively seek out your ideal circumstaces. Thanks for your comment and the best of luck to you in finding that perfect job.
Well i suggest you read “The leader who had no title.” http://manjeetjindal.blogspot.com/2011/08/leader-who-had-no-title.html
Thanks for the recommendation – the book looks very interesting!
It is a beautiful book, i won the best all rounder award in my college that speaks for this beautiful book, although it’s a bit philosophical at times but you can handle that
Pingback: Entrepreneurship as a Viable Option for Recent Graduates | analyfe