riser and OMG's career advice thread for dummies

[Beachnative]

Which one do you want to be, the grease monkey or the guy holding the piece of paper.

The degree is worthless. The person is more valuable. The degree helps weed people out, but the schools aren't doing the job they were supposed to do anymore.

All the piece of paper says is that you were told by someone how stuff works. Real world experience is the key along with having a genuine interest in your job.
I'm sick of seeing high paid slackers that know everything there is to know about Kim Kardashian or Snookie but when the shit hits the fan they sit around with their thumb up their butts asking " what do we do next?"

 

[riser]

On that note, I'm tired of hearing low wage workers complain about not having money and demanding more money, yet they have name brand high dollar shoes, an iphone, and work at a minimum wage job.

I'm pointing out that people are often biased no matter which way you look. Just like driving, the guy in front of you is an a-hole and the person behind is you a loser. Either way, you have people that go both way, rich/poor, highly paid/minimum wage.

I can't remember if I posted the link about the lady who worked at McDonald's for 10 years and was pissed she only makes $8.25/hour. She's still ringing up people at the cash register after 10 years.

 

[dogman_1234]

Companies won't hire you if you do not have experience, so you need a degree. A degree does not give you experience, it just shows that you have taken the steps to be trainable; however, if you don't have experience, you don't get a job. The only way to gain experience is the get a job to get experience to get a job to get experience...

It is a vicous cycle.

How am I supposed to become an engineer? Work with engineers! How am I to work with engineers? Get a job with engineers! How do you get a job with engineers? Become an engineer. How am I supposed to become and eningeer? Work with engineers!

/facepalm

In reality, no employer is to expect a guy with a degree to know everything. He is, however, expected to understand the fundamentals of his said discipline.

 

[riser]

Uh Dog.. no.

Plenty of jobs will hire you without experience. It's called a minimum wage job. From there, you work and increase your self value. You work your way up the chain doing other jobs. Just because you get one job, doesn't mean you have to stay there. That's how you get experience.

Instant gratification is what everyone wants today.

I remember starting off working, wondering how I would ever be able to afford a house. I worked a job for a bit, when I realized my potential there and there was no where else to go, I found another job. And I worked that job until I wasn't learning anything new and I found another job. Rinse and repeat.

You start off small and build up. Yeah, you might start off taking a job for $1-2 an hour more. Then you hit the salary range which is normally what.. low 40s maybe? Then then next time you change jobs, you get $5000 pay increases. And it keeps going up until start seeing $10k pay increases to switch jobs.

It isn't about putting time in at a job. It's about building your own skillset at a job. Someone else will pay you more to do your same job. If you spent 2 years learning how to do the job, another company will pay you more because they don't have to worry about the 2 years you had training at the last job.

The only way to get paid more is to change jobs. Promotions are far and few between. My recent employer offered me a salary and I told him that I wouldn't change jobs for anything less than $10k a year salary bump. He didn't blink and gave it to me. On top of that I get better benefits all around and I work from home. Could I have done that 5 years ago? Nope, I was still building my skillset.

All in all, 14 years, 7 jobs later and life is good, my skillset is in demand and I'm still building it out. I'm 32, most people are graduating from school around 24-25 years old and still have to put in time for the experience. While my friends were making good money being waiters and waitresses, I was working for crap getting experience. 18-21 it was tough but with 3 years experience, jobs started coming in. I was salary at 22 years old. A far cry from $6/hour 3.5 years earlier. My friends were still in school without experience. They graduated with their 4 year degrees to come out making $32-$35k a year hourly.

It's not a cycle. Working isn't for the benefit of the company, it's for your own benefit. How you want to use that to your advantage is your own choice. Work the job and build your skillset, the money will follow.

 

[riser]

I used to work at an engineering/architectural firm. Interns were paid $18-$22/hour while still in school. Most were 3rd year students and their school placed them in the internship programs. Most of them were hired after getting their degrees and paid more, or they went to work at other companies they were interested in. 3rd year is when your internship work starts and you get the real work experience.

 

[dogman_1234]

@riser: This is coming from a fellow American who works minimum wage. I see no self worth. Ask anyone in service: They see no worth in themselves as well. It is a culture. Not one we adopt by personal means, but rather an accepted reality. You are absolutely right. We all have a potential to grow. The issue is, where? What do we focus on to improve on? What does the market demand? Will that market last? Will it be worth it for time/money? Is there a market in the local, state and national levels? There are many variable to look at.

I wash dishes. Exciting, I know! Looking at this, I cannot see, (short of just quiting and looking for another no-skill job,) on how to improve myself. Sure, put in 110%, that may work? What if it is a dead end job? I know, look for a job that has potential for movement, where I can improve myslef and move either horizonally or vertically! Where I'm at, such jobs are 300 miles away: Either Seattle, or Portland. There is,however, an engineering firm in a small college town somewhere far off. it is directly parallel to the University. They specialise in electronics and comm. I could move there, get a job in the warehouse, then move to tech making breadboards, then following in with my degree, become a EIT.

On paper, it seems nice. The reality, I have limitations...well, financial ones to say the least.

I appreciate your responces. Better to hear from someone who actually works. My manager, IMHO, does not exemplify good work ethics, and I am afriad it is rubbing off onto me. However, I am not, or cannot, blame him for my actions. It is just purely psycological. In fact, the whole restaraunt is lazy. Kinda sad. Been looking for a new job. Getting discouraged.

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@OMG: Thanks! :lol:

 

[riser]

You are in a dead end job. But that doesn't mean you can't improve something about yourself from doing the job. Couple thoughts: First, realize you've peaked out at what you can do at the job and you probably have nothing else you can learn. Not just about washing dishes; the entire business itself. You're back there watching everyone else work too.
I'm guessing you're not knocking down a ton of money so it shouldn't be difficult to find another job to place the income. Changing jobs will allow you to start over, learn something new, and adjust to that change in life.

I worked in a restaurant when I was 15/16. I did it for a few months. I bussed tables, cleared/cleaned/prepped, refilled drinks, etc. I was in a nicer one though. A few business owner, current and retired, would compliment how I was working. A few offered me potential jobs. I was doing a lowly job but that provided the self worth. Knowing I was working hard; You should realize that you haven't been fired, so you're at least doing an acceptable job.

Don't become a slave to the money. Learn as much as you can about every job you do and when you leave it, you won't have left anything behind. I can talk about commercial glass, business, a bit about healthcare, engineering, architectural work, some restaurant, even a few other one offs. None of these were my job, but while I was there I learned about that stuff. It will help you at some point, if not just to better understand how things flow in a business.

 

[Reynod]

You people have gotten grossly off-topic ... like I care about your careers and pitiful futures you blue collar pimples.

Work hard for your masters and be thankful you have a job.

Spend you money wisely on useless trinkets and keep the economy flowing ... don't forget to overeat and gobble up plenty of mindless TV.

 

[riser]

What was the topic??

Dogman: It's called being humbled.. washing dishes and all. Later on you will reference that in life.

 

[Reynod]

ok ... I'll change the topic of the thread ... just for you.

 

[riser]

You should wear thongs so your panties don't bunch up easily.

 

[dogman_1234]

I am more of a briefs guy myseff. Much more comfortable!

 

[Reynod]

Jeez ... there is not room to change the title of the thread to accomodate this topic either ... so stuck to something guys.