Basic office jobs: How do people survive them for years? (alternatives, degree)

[theatergypsy]

Originally Posted by Bruce Jackpot

Wasn't a high wage (was decent though), no facebook (computer was visible for all to see, open office), and they cranked the AC up so high I was practically freezing half the time.

Better than hard labor, sure, but that's a low bar.

There you have it, folks. The OP wasn't interested in actually working.

I worked office jobs just about my entire working career, except for a few times when I waitressed or did survey work. Every office job I had presented me with challenges and I absolutely loved the problem-solving part of the day. Because I stuck with the task at hand until it was resolved, I was promoted in every job except for one, (nobody ever got promoted there because the Boss's wife was in charge)

No Facebook, no Solitaire. There was plenty of work to keep me busy all day and when I walked out the door end of shift, I began my "real life".

Yes, it would be lovely if you could stay home and play on Facebook all day - while standing, I suppose?
Sitting all those hours wouldn't be good for you. But unless you are a trust-fund baby; win the lottery; have exceptional Poker skills, you have to spend some hours being productive. Find your niche.

[GER308]

Originally Posted by FeelinLow

Yeah, wtf IS a ''rocket surgeon''? Lol

I can´t beleve anyone has not heard that before.

Brain Surgeon + Rocket Scientist

From Urban Dictionary: "A mixed metaphor describing a non-existent, yet implicitly high level of qualification. The greatness of this term is in its subtle ability to call someone stupid twice in one euphemism. The irony may go over someone's head and they would call out that this field of study doesn't exist. "

[runswithscissors]

Your Admin Asst, Data Entry etc.

COOL!

First, working retail is beneath everyone and a stupid horrible job. Then we have "fast food McDonald's workers" who are considered the lowliest of the low. Not to mention WALMART OH THE HORROR! Then there's the thread with geniuses who think it's insulting to have to work in a hotel on holidays.

And NOW, "office workers" are thrown in the category of somehow low on the list of valuable people and the tasks they perform offer no value at all. PLUS they're a bunch of phonies. (unlike the REST Of the world, I presume).

I guess the world should stop turning if all the jobs required are just too mundane and horrible for anyone to do.

OK first of all being an admin assistant is in no way like doing data entry all day.

I see in you posting history that you never mentioned what world changing exciting career you have now.

At the ripe old age of "late 20's" I'm going to suggest you really don't have LIFE all figured out the way you think you do. How do you think things get DONE? Who made it possible for you to get your pay on time? The lowly admin. Who gets your PHONE installed the day you want it with the price you agreed to?

The lowly "data entry clerk" who, BTW, is much more than a data entry clerk but a highly trained and well paid union member who can potentially make six figures with sales compensation on TOP of their full benefit $60K salary. With six weeks paid vacation.

I guess instead of being courteous and efficient with customers, the next time you call the phone company they should tell you EXACTLY HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT YOU.

You know...when you can't decide what day you can be home, call you an idiot or when you take too long to make up your mind what you want just hang up on you and go on to the next moron.

While we're on the subject of people thinking they're superior to others...I'd like to see the grocery store workers just stop caring about their jobs. Let all the produce rot in the bins, get infested by fruit flies.

When the IDIOT PUBLIC leave frozen and refrigerated foods out in the aisles, just let them thaw and take your time re-stocking them....who cares if you get food poisoning? THAT'S SO BORING!

I guess the next time you take off work to have your car serviced or are in a rush to drop it off and get to work on time, the stooopid mundane non rocket surgeon clerk who made the appointment for you needs to LAUGH and say "WHOOPS! I didn't really schedule you for today! hahahaha sorry about it. I was busy hating my job and don't really GAF if you get your car fixed or not, sorry 'bout it. (pointing at and mocking you)"

I guess when Obamacare office workers ordered the wrong insurance plan for you or don't order it at all and you find yourself at the hospital with NO INSURANCE you'll really think that was an awesome practical joke and enjoy that little prank. Silly computers and their data entry!

And when you make an appointment for Pet Sitting with my company for your vacation and the DATA ENTRY is WRONG and you're not on my calendar or I just wasn't in the mood that day to do my job right, and your cat dies of no food or water for two weeks, you'll really think that's HILARIOUS!

Caring about having pride in taking MONEY FROM SOMEONE for doing WORK is sooooooo passe.

[G-fused]

I didn't read all the responses but this question is a little offensive. I know people who work these kinds of jobs and have for years. One of them sits near me at work and she’s really nice. She’s happy to have the job. It’s a good job she has with benefits and all that. If it weren’t for that job her life would be much more miserable.

There are many people who’s circumstances are such that they are happy to have the type of job you describe. Some of those people are my parents. They came to this country in their early 30’s with nothing but a few mouths they had to feed and took any job they could and were happy that they had it. They did those jobs for years and years. My father worked his up until he died. My mother worked hers for over 30 yrs until she was laid off.

OP has very little insight into. I knew this guy once who made a good deal of $ in a business of his. He was a good guy but his perspective was warped (much like the OP). I was in the passenger seat of this guys very fancy Lexus and he was going on and on about how it’s such a good car and that he doesn’t understand why people would get anything other than a car like that when it’s so nice.

Perspective and appreciation.

[Osito]

Originally Posted by Bruce Jackpot

Your Admin Asst, Data Entry etc. I worked in one for over a year. Friendly co-workers and boss but......

-The repetitiveness from day to day felt soul crushing. Stuck in a small stuffy office....watching the clock... praying for 5 o'clock. How people do this crap for years amazes me.

-The over-the-top fake-nice displayed towards clients and at meetings etc. Co-workers tone in voice became "softer" when speaking to the boss. I hear this is a trend for office jobs... the fakeness... it's just ridiculous.

This job was a better set-up then most office jobs, I'm sure. Yet, it still felt like a pathetic and sad way to spend so many hours of my life. Yet, right this moment, this is the kind of job a large chunk of the American workforce is doing. It makes me sad just thinking about it... sad what people have to do to make a living. Sad that we, as a country, have to give up so much time in our lives to work jobs like this. Never again for me.

If you can listen to music, that probably helps. I know I can't at my job.

[dazeddude8]

OP a few reasons.

1) You endure because often that is the only way to a better job, especially if you graduated with a less than in-demand degree. Thus your academic credentials might not get you the job but your experience may at least give you a fighting shot to move up the ladder.

2) You have to start somewhere, everyone wants to walk into that dynamic 50k job utilizing A,B,C skills but sometimes the 30k office assistant is where you start out

3) Lack of better alternatives. I assume that if a person got a job offer for something exciting and higher paying then he/she would leave the mundane office assistant, admin assistant type jobs but if the office assistant is your only option toward a livable wage then what choice does one have?

[statisticsnerd]

Originally Posted by s1alker

Sitting at a desk in an A/C office browsing facebook while making a high wage is the ultimate goal of most people. Would you rather do hard labor in 90 degree heat for near minimum wage?

If you are "browsing Facebook while making a high wage," you won't have a job for much longer. You don't get paid a nice salary to jack around on Facebook or any other website while working. At least that has been my experience.

[Girl]

I've been an admin for almost 25 years. Each job has been different and not soul crushing at all. I do more than answer phones and type up letters.

With one job I was also backup LAN administrator as well as the support staff liaison to the partners. I was also the one who created the company website and all published quarterly white papers.

With another job I was also in charge of the corporate library.

At another job I was also in charge of processing all security clearances (government contractor).

In my current job I focus more on data analysis and LEAN initiatives.

Do I have daily tasks that have to be completed? Yes - my Mondays and Thursdays are pretty much always occupied with the same weekly deadline tasks. But admins aren't the only ones who do "same thing every day" types of tasks.

The key is to let people know your interests, your strengths, and things you might be interested in working on. As a result, I am not "just" a secretary - I don't just answer phones and type letters. I do much, much more and therefore my job is quite fulfilling.

[step33]

Isn't a rocket surgeon the guy that with a spanner that climbs in to hatch on the side of a rocket and tightens the valve which is throwing off an error code to mission control. He probably works with a lot of rocket scientists

[s1alker]

I can't say I have had an office job where I was "nose to the grindstone" working for the entire 8 hours. There was quite a bit of idle time. The jobs that tended to be butt busting for 8 hours with micromanaging managers circling like vultures were customer service gigs and crappy jobs in fast food and retail. When you get to a certain career level you're just expected to get assignments done without being managed like a teenage fry cook at McDonalds.