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I've seen multiple posts throughout this site where people constantly complain about the low pay and lack of benefits. So what's the rationale for people with no income whatsoever to ignore the low-paying jobs? Why not apply for those jobs? Once you get that job, then you can continue searching for a better job.
I know some people who would just laugh at a $40k/year job...pretty much saying that the job is "beneath them" (e.g., I should be getting wayyy more than this based on my degree and experience). And these are the same people who are currently making $0/year. Is it because of pride, arrogance, or entitlement?
I have a friend in that situation. He's in his 30s and lives with his parents. He's been out of work 2 years now. He has an engineering degree and a Masters.
If I were him, I'd be working at Applebee's or something. Hell, I'd work at Applebee's if I had a pHd.
Nothing is beneath me!
Of course, if you are still collecting government cheese, it's a different story.
A third reason is flexibility. By not taking an entry level job I maintained my ability to goto interviews with little or no warning without having to try and get time off.
I have no compunctions about taking a job way below my "status." I did it repeatedly from roughly 2002-2008, and for pay that was abysmally low. As far as my resume goes and the gaps in it - I didn't put any of those jobs on my resume - I simply explained it away by saying I stopped working so I could raise my kids. I have two jobs AND a consulting business now, so I guess it worked.
There is a roving group of people on this message board who state that there are no jobs at all available period. I see now hiring signs everywhere. Even Aldi is paying $11.50 an hour. I am not saying that retail and fast food are the best jobs available, but if you cannot find ANY job right now, it probably is by choice.
There are lot of places where jobs are hard to come by and applicants far outnumber positions available. You may not live in one of those locations, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
One must include the cost of transportation (given the lack of public transport in many areas, people usually have to drive), taxes (and if you don't have children you will pay income taxes on a minimum wage job), work clothing, child care, etc. A minimum wage job can actually end up costing you money.
I took a job making $12 an hour PART TIME. It was a job, it got me out of the house, and kept me from getting depressed.
SIX WEEKS after that I found an amazing job, been there 6 months now, don't regret taking the lower paying job because I truly believe it's always easier to find a job when you have a job!
I knew a guy, PhD, used to run his own lab, and lost funding. He took a job basically changing and cleaning mice cages, to put food on the table. Not even two months later found a better job and SPLIT the wind when he got it lol.
That being said, if a job is costing you basically everything you are making, even a large portion of it, then it's not worth it. I think for me and my husband, we spend $200-$250 a month on gas but that cost isn't even 5-6% of our monthly take home pay.
My friend stopped working when she had her second child because cost of daycare was more than her take home pay. IMO it was better for her and her family for one parent to be home at that point rather than her work.
I'd be worried about people rejecting 40k/year. I have the ability and education to be earning 50k/year, but I'm not getting any offers in that range. My wife has a great job, and I have classes to take for my Master's program. I put in my time doing minimum wage and being yelled at by a fat piece of ****. I'm not doing that again.
So currently, I study hard, I ace my courses, and I take care of the house. I fold the laundry, do the dishes, walk the dog, change the oil, and take out the trash.
As for the people that make 0 dollars, live under a roof they don't own, and don't contribute in any way. Those people just need a swift kick in the behind. Unfortunately, these people are all too common. I think these are the people being referenced in the original post, but I figured I'd chime in as someone who is currently not employed and not willing to consider low paying jobs. (I have a 4.0 and am carrying a full load en route to an MBA in Finance.) When there is a break from classes, I do maintenance jobs around the house or work on my professional certifications.
Don't we have something like 40 MILLION people who are subsidized by the Government in one form or another? That's a LOT of folks who would seemingly rather 'collect' that work up to potential.
The question is why? Which is sort of what the OP raised. Why collect rather than work?
We have a HUGE disparity of wealth in this country. The very wealthy are SUPER wealthy and continue to benefit form their ability to direct Government programs, tax laws, and legislative initiative to suit themselves and their ambitions. It is no different than back in the age of the Mellon's, The Carnegies and the Morgan's when they were afraid the Presidency would go to someone who was less obligated to them and they literally bought the Presidency for their man, McKinley, to ensure that the country , and their wealth making capability, was as they wished it to be.
So, in the modern era, is this reliance on Government largesse the way the 'little guy' gets their share of the pie? The wealthy get to manage and deliver government programs (health care, defense, construction, etc.) and they skim a HUGE sum from these programs. The little guy does his skimming by grabbing some (comparatively) minor amount of money from Government programs rather than take a minimum wage job?
I don't have the answer, but I suspect it is buried deeply in a psychological root. I don't think people start out thinking I am going to be a 'bad' person and skim rather than work., But, they see what the wealthy (and political) folks do, and they follow their lead.
I look at it this way. Do we know how much the benefits are and how much the job makes. Think of it this way, you made say 60K in your last job and now get unemployment checks for say 40K, the jobs out there are NOT 40K or over so you lose income by taking a job rather than the unemployment. There is nothing done to help the off-set for income lost from taking a job, instead we just cut bait on them when they get a job.
You look at the Obamacre individual mandate for instance. Because it is based on 133% of the tax level so about 12K or so if I remember the figure correctly. If you make about 230 a week, you will be forced to pay for it. That is a 30 hours a week every week in a minimum wage job. So either you don't get a job and get Medicaid or get a job and get docked for it.
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