The over-educated, underemployed Starbucks Barista - truth or fiction?
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Either young like iunno 18-22 or old like 30s or retired.
That form of networking does not work anymore and is against corporate policy at most shops. If you haven't noticed, many companies at networking events don't give out their personal number anymore or do informational interviews like in the good ol days. Too many lawsuits and HR explicitly tells them not to. Everyone, even friends, cousins, nieces must go through the system and submit an application online. What you are specifically speaking of is the referral program which differs every company. Even then, unanimously least in NYC anyway, the online application must be screened and reviewed by the ATS and HR like any other candidate. Once you pass, THEN the hiring manager will take a look. Some companies do a background check first before a resume even touches the Hiring Manager's desk. So no its not just drink at a bar attend network event boom phone call. A lot occurs behind the scenes and I reiterate, the process differs for each company.
Anyhow, cronyism still exists with people that have clout but those are money makers and heavy hitters. Your typical Middle Manager, a dime a dozen, does not have that and is just trying to keep his or her job.
Edit:
To add, best way to network nowadays when you don't know anybody is to acquire the skills 1st via a certification or degree...so you don't sound like a desperate idiot. More so in those programs, connect with the people and tell the "school" about your job search from day one. Most people just get the certificate and say great hire me. No the paper is worthless, the point of getting that paper is to network with like minded people. If you are taking an online degree that isn't a joke, attend the webinars and events hosted in person or inquire about them.
What are you talking about? That form of networking works very well today. What lawsuits are you taking about? Yes, everyone has to go through the system. The people whose names were passed on internally are bumped to the front of the list for a phone interview after they formally apply online.
Go out and grab coffee with people you know in real life, mention you're looking for a job and would appreciate any help. They pass your name to HR as someone they trust/respect (assuming they DO trust and respect you). When you formally apply online, you're one of the first people to get a call. That's a very, very common way to find jobs by people of all ages.
No matter how much the big statistics and capitalist apologists try to say this stuff isent happening there is just way to much anicdotal evidence to ignore. This is why my mission now is to become FI, not FIRE just FI so that if I am laid off again I can afford to stay laid off for 2, 3, 5 years or indefinatly.
This is sad that this is what our nation has come to as I will have to put other things on hold that could potentially bring cool things into existence but not if it means putting myself at risk of having to work a mcjob if the economy sours for me again.
I wonder how much we are loosing as a nation by exposing our best and brightest to a lot of this crap. These sorts of things don’t happen in places like Switzerland Germany France etc
in Germany you would sit at home doing nothing because unemployment pays you more than an entry level job. You really think it is better that high skilled people possibly spend years at home on tax payers money, waiting for the perfect job to become vacant?
in Germany you would sit at home doing nothing because unemployment pays you more than an entry level job. You really think it is better that high skilled people possibly spend years at home on tax payers money, waiting for the perfect job to become vacant?
No, I could volunteer at the Fraunhofer society and work on a phd. If I were getting paid then I don’t have to worry about putting on a dog and pony show for a “job”, I could just go do it.
If things truly fell apart here for me that’s exactly what I would do. The issue is I’m not a German citizen so that creates pretty non trivial complications.
I just always figured they enjoyed the job. It seems like the people working there have fun and have a good rapport with each other and the customers. Starbucks pays for college, so it makes sense for college students to work there. And Starbucks offers health insurance to part time employees, so I can see why people who don't want to work full time or need a flexible schedule would work there - students, moms, retirees. I don't consider them people who can't find anything else.
There's a guy working at my local Starbucks that I just love. If I had known him 40 years ago, I would have had a crush on him. He seems like someone you might have met in college in the 70s. Makes me think of a dreamer or an artist. He just seems like a gentle soul. Long blondish hair pulled back in a ponytail. And when he gives you your drink, he always has something nice to say, like "Here's your cup of magic."
I just always figured they enjoyed the job. It seems like the people working there have fun and have a good rapport with each other and the customers. Starbucks pays for college, so it makes sense for college students to work there. And Starbucks offers health insurance to part time employees, so I can see why people who don't want to work full time or need a flexible schedule would work there - students, moms, retirees. I don't consider them people who can't find anything else.
There's a guy working at my local Starbucks that I just love. If I had known him 40 years ago, I would have had a crush on him. He seems like someone you might have met in college in the 70s. Makes me think of a dreamer or an artist. He just seems like a gentle soul. Long blondish hair pulled back in a ponytail. And when he gives you your drink, he always has something nice to say, like "Here's your cup of magic."
Nothing wrong with doing a job you enjoy, even if its low paying and the "degree thing" doesn't work out for you. Also, who's to say he's not independently rich or inherited money so doing starbucks for fun?
BUT that being said, in life there are consequences to major actions you take (or don't take), and you must live with them. Figuring out how to survive on $20-30k/year plus realizing you may not be able to retire until much later than 65 should be one of those realities. Many people dont enjoy years of schooling, apprenticeships, internships, fellowships, working 60-80 hours/week, etc. But sometimes that's the investment it takes to make a decent living.
I don't buy that there is a sizeable number of MBA's that are working at Starbucks because they couldn't find a job with their degree, and thus Starbucks was the best they could do.
I do buy that Starbucks is used as a transitional career for degreed folks while they figure out what's next.
The issue is I’m not a German citizen so that creates pretty non trivial complications.
If you have European heritage (i.e. you have parents or grandparents from Europe, you can get an EU passport and you get to have something equivalent to German citizenship.
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