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A secretary I heard from someone else at work makes over 6 figures doing online business. I actually laugh at people who ridicule others who take boring or simple jobs. You could be a supervisor but you're still working for someone and not your own boss. You can put in 500% on your job and still make the same wage. I put in 500% on my business I can see revenue increase by 200% or more.
The bad thing that has happened the last few years is the government has become the enemy of small business and enabler of big businesses. The Feds think that big businesses provides more jobs than small ones which is completely wrong.
Wages are flat and the income divide is even greater today under this administration than previous ones.
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.
I agree with you. Many office jobs are soul-crushing, the plastic corporate culture sucks, fake people, office politics, kiss-ups. It is obnoxious. But unless you can make a living as an artist, writer, etc., you are pretty much stuck with offices as a place to work. To make matters worse, I'm a corporate paralegal who makes a living helping the one percent make use of tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes and rich jerks (and many of them are) get richer. But fact-of-life is that it pays well.
I find that watching Office Space--which I've watched many times over--makes me feel better.
Let's face it: some people like "work" and some people just do not. I don't think anything that they are required to do will ever please them. Nothing wrong with that. I'm one of those people.
Except people like us have to keep the perspective that we NEED to do it to survive. You don't have to love it or live it. But you have to do SOMETHING to survive. So you keep on keeping on doing whatever that something is, to keep yourself fed.
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.
I actually understand how you feel. I worked in offices over the years (mostly through temp agencies, because I just couldn't stand it otherwise). Many of those places used typewriters then, which I HATED.
I'd been under the impression after watching much TV as a child, that co-workers became friends and they all hung out together. Not true at all, especially in the suburbs. Most places were not friendly at all, and it got much worse over the years. I always felt acutely uncomfortable and out of my element. The fact that I was incredibly shy did not help.
I was happy when computers came around because it did make the work easier -- at first. Then many offices decided that we were supposed to be chained to our computer 8 hours a day with the air conditioner running even in the dead of winter -- because the computers like it!
After years of doing stupid, dumb repetitive work on the computer, I developed very severe carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms. I cannot tell you how painful it was. I literally couldn't touch a computer for several years, except to check my email at home.
As the years went by, the office environments became worse and worse. The attitude nowadays is "if you don't like it, we'll just replace you!" People are just terrified of losing their jobs now, that most office environments are very tense.
I did experience some crazy offices, and I was so glad that I was just a temp and didn't have to get involved. The stories I could tell -- security chasing me around the grounds of my company, etc. etc.
American workers have basically very few legal rights in the workplace. The employer can do just about anything and it is perfectly legal. Every time I read the Ask A Manager blog, I am so glad I do not work in a corporate environment anymore. It's crazy out there!
It was a small tax office. I did nothing that felt fulfilling and there was limited interaction with clients . I did behind the scenes busy work.
That's true. I felt lazy and unmotivated during this time... when working a boring job should have done the opposite-motivated me to enjoy my free time that much more.
That's a healthy way to look at it.
I think you're on to something here.
Fast food and labor, yes. But I see some advantages of retail depending on the environment. You get a lot more social interaction in a nice retail workplace. Making chit chat with customers etc. When I worked at this tax office, I felt that was missing a bit and *may* have made the mundane job more enjoyable and fulfilling.
A combination of both is best imo. Sitting all day is not healthy.
No one sits all day, you have to make copies, go to the printer, you get up to go to lunch, you get up to chat with your coworkers, you get up to meet with clients.
Since when did working in a office meant you sat down all day long?
When I was in college, I worked in a law office and all my friends were jealous. They were making min. wage in retail stores or in the hot kitchen of a fast food place, while I made twice as much and got to sit in an air conditioned room. I worked after class for a couple of hours and came in on Saturday if needed. My friends either didn't get enough hours or got too many. I considered myself lucky to have a job like that.
Work is work. It's something you do because they pay you. Office jobs usually provide the best pay, hours that are reasonable especially if you have kids, and better benefits. I think almost everyone would prefer to be independently wealthy, but barring that, it is probably the most workable solution for people who want to pay their bills and take care of their families while managing to have some free time.
I totally understand how someone could hate sitting in a cubicle all day because I do. But there are many "office" jobs that include an amount of travel, meetings or other activities that get you up off your butt for at least part of the day and interacting with others. This has been key for me because I would get depressed sitting in a cube by myself all day every day. I wouldn't give up on offices, but look around to see what kind of different positions are available.
A cushy office job that pays well above a living wage VS juggling multiple minimum wage labor jobs with no benefits only to still come up short when bills are due. The choice is simple.
A cushy office job that pays well above a living wage VS juggling multiple minimum wage labor jobs with no benefits only to still come up short when bills are due. The choice is simple.
That's how I would describe all my office jobs from the past and the current one Im in now
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.
It takes years of conditioning that begins in public school where you are taught to endure long periods of mind numbing repetitive tasks. You then continue this conditioning for years as an employee until your mind is shaped and formed into the compliant drone you were trained to be.
It is often difficult for young employees as can be seen in their propensity to quit and to have attendance problems. Over the years the system will beat you down and make you into the image that serves your masters. Welcome to modern life.
I actually understand how you feel. I worked in offices over the years (mostly through temp agencies, because I just couldn't stand it otherwise). Many of those places used typewriters then, which I HATED.
I'd been under the impression after watching much TV as a child, that co-workers became friends and they all hung out together. Not true at all, especially in the suburbs. Most places were not friendly at all, and it got much worse over the years. I always felt acutely uncomfortable and out of my element. The fact that I was incredibly shy did not help.
I was happy when computers came around because it did make the work easier -- at first. Then many offices decided that we were supposed to be chained to our computer 8 hours a day with the air conditioner running even in the dead of winter -- because the computers like it!
After years of doing stupid, dumb repetitive work on the computer, I developed very severe carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms. I cannot tell you how painful it was. I literally couldn't touch a computer for several years, except to check my email at home.
As the years went by, the office environments became worse and worse. The attitude nowadays is "if you don't like it, we'll just replace you!" People are just terrified of losing their jobs now, that most office environments are very tense.
I did experience some crazy offices, and I was so glad that I was just a temp and didn't have to get involved. The stories I could tell -- security chasing me around the grounds of my company, etc. etc.
American workers have basically very few legal rights in the workplace. The employer can do just about anything and it is perfectly legal. Every time I read the Ask A Manager blog, I am so glad I do not work in a corporate environment anymore. It's crazy out there!
Exactly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by FBJ
No one sits all day, you have to make copies, go to the printer, you get up to go to lunch, you get up to chat with your coworkers, you get up to meet with clients.
Since when did working in a office meant you sat down all day long?
Of course I didn't mean never standing up all day... but it's a sedentary job. The typical office job most imagine that is. Maybe you're sitting for 6 out of the 8 hours whatever... you're on your butt most of the day or nearly the entire day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimhcom
It takes years of conditioning that begins in public school where you are taught to endure long periods of mind numbing repetitive tasks. You then continue this conditioning for years as an employee until your mind is shaped and formed into the compliant drone you were trained to be.
It is often difficult for young employees as can be seen in their propensity to quit and to have attendance problems. Over the years the system will beat you down and make you into the image that serves your masters. Welcome to modern life.
That sounds about right.
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