Where are all the people that know how to do shit?

Job hopping has its place in today’s world, unfortunately. That being said I’m also a job hopper and the mentality I’ve learned early on in my career (I’m in my mid 30s) is that unless you bust your ass for 5+ years or somebody leaves/retires your 3% raise isn’t going to cut it. The old school mentality was to be a “lifer” and put your time in, whether due to pension or job security benefits. I’ve also learned that everyone is replaceable regardless of your role or function. For me, if you’re tired of the BS or cost/benefit your job gives you, just leave. Unless your job is highly specialized or you’re in a dying profession, there will always be a job out there for you. The more you’re exposed to the better you’ll be in the long run.

That being said, there comes a point where job hopping isn’t the best choice. At this point in my career, job hopping is more about the work environment and less about the salary. I moved from a high stress/hour job to a much less one recently for the same salary and job function and I couldn’t be happier. I’m no longer career hungry because I want to enjoy life. C level people get PAID, but at what cost? They’re always working (nights/weekends) and I’ve seen it firsthand. That’s not the life I want. What good is your salary if you have no time to enjoy it?
 
I’m a History Professor. I don’t have a PhD, because there’s no point nowadays. I was told plainly when I got my MA that, if I wanted to get a PhD, it could be done. However, they then told me that they wouldnt suggest it due to the fact that there are no PhD jobs in History, and that it would only add to my student loans, since fended PhD programs are as rare as battery snaps in pedals around here…

The reason for this, at least in academia, is that, 30 years ago or so, colleges and universities began to shift towards seeing students as customers, and not students. Departments were encouraged to “simplify” (my words) their courses, so they could be offered to more students as a Diversity Study (as in, traditional Liberal Arts: learning a little bit about a log of different things; a diverse education). This meant that things got watered down…

At the same time, colleges and universities began to shift spending from faculty to administration; from instructors to recruiters/AA’s/admin. Fast forward to today and we have a situation where the majority of class are taught by part-time contractors, and 90% of a schools full-time staff have no student interaction whatsoever…
 
Coda said:
I’m a History Professor. I don’t have a PhD, because there’s no point nowadays. I was told plainly when I got my MA that, if I wanted to get a PhD, it could be done. However, they then told me that they wouldnt suggest it due to the fact that there are no PhD jobs in History, and that it would only add to my student loans, since fended PhD programs are as rare as battery snaps in pedals around here…

The reason for this, at least in academia, is that, 30 years ago or so, colleges and universities began to shift towards seeing students as customers, and not students. Departments were encouraged to “simplify” (my words) their courses, so they could be offered to more students as a Diversity Study (as in, traditional Liberal Arts: learning a little bit about a log of different things; a diverse education). This meant that things got watered down…

At the same time, colleges and universities began to shift spending from faculty to administration; from instructors to recruiters/AA’s/admin. Fast forward to today and we have a situation where the majority of class are taught by part-time contractors, and 90% of a schools full-time staff have no student interaction whatsoever…
Click to expand...
Nailed it
 
Everything we were told was a lie. The education system was a lie. Every institution failed us. Just like the environment, the boomers broke it🤷 people decided to break the cycle finally and not be slaves to jobs that do not pay a living wage. There is more to life than money. I say take that PTO today because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. There are no more lazy people now than before, they are just deciding not to be part of a toxic environment. Go where the money is, the better hours. You get paid to work, not care. If they wanted you to do that then they would pay people appropriately.
 
Guardians of the analog said:
Everything we were told was a lie. The education system was a lie. Every institution failed us. Just like the environment, the boomers broke it🤷 people decided to break the cycle finally and not be slaves to jobs that do not pay a living wage. There is more to life than money. I say take that PTO today because tomorrow isn't guaranteed. There are no more lazy people now than before, they are just deciding not to be part of a toxic environment. Go where the money is, the better hours. You get paid to work, not care. If they wanted you to do that then they would pay people appropriately.
Click to expand...
For once, I unreservedly agree with you. Well said.
 
Laundryroom David said:
For once, I unreservedly agree with you. Well said.
Click to expand...
But that's not to say I don't think people should take pride in their work and do it to the best of their ability. I always do my best work but I don't do any more than I have to. I don't get paid any extra for doing more, if I do someone else's work, go above and beyond I make the same amount of money, and so do they. I don't believe in making a job my whole life, it doesn't define who I am. I won't work overtime, if I can't make it work in my 40 hours, I need to change something else in my life. I enjoy my time outside of work, and I can always make more money but I can never get this time back.
 
Big Monk said:
Interesting you bring this up.

I went out for Milk yesterday and as I was driving down the main arterial road, there was a group of young (probably HS aged) kids were walking in the road. Not on the edge either.

I slowed down but did not get over.

The lead kid, a skinny Caucasian male we would have referred to as a 6 letter word starting with W when I was a kid, was motioning over. I refused and motioned him over. He refused, and so on until I stopped in front of them and they walked around.

Like an idiot I rolled down my window to speak with them. The three girls were mortified, as they were walking on the grass on the side of the road the whole time and seemed to think the boys were ridiculous.

We had words and not all of them nice but it never escalated to shouting or name calling on my part.

He ended up calling me a dumb fuck and I drove on.

Now I can’t fathom or understand calling what essentially is a grown man (I guess I am that now) a dumb fuck and frankly, even though I live in a nice development, there are any number of truck driving, gun carrying savages that may have either beat the shit out of, or shot this kid on a bad day.

Somehow the same youthful bravado that this kid exhibited could have been countered with physical force and he did t seem to understand that he lucked out with someone like me.

Pretty sad honestly and scary to boot.
Click to expand...
I understand you were not wearing your infamous white socks. Those would've scared them straight.

I keep forgetting that many people in the US are packing. That makes it all more dangerous.
You guys be careful out there.

My first employers in Poland offered to keep me after my probation but on a lower salary. I declined and told them I'd stay at my full salary. Needless to say they got rid of me as soon as they didn't need me anymore.

At my current job I'm thinking of jumping ship because I need a raise to make up for inflation but the school doesn't seem to be up for it. Meanwhile they keep employing clearly subpar teachers.
Like my previous profession graphic design, this one too is ruined by people willing to work for peanuts. Nobody becomes a teacher for the money and i only teach English in a private language school but still, dedicated teachers are hard to find. You hire charlatans you lose students.
 
Coda said:
I’m a History Professor. I don’t have a PhD, because there’s no point nowadays. I was told plainly when I got my MA that, if I wanted to get a PhD, it could be done. However, they then told me that they wouldnt suggest it due to the fact that there are no PhD jobs in History, and that it would only add to my student loans, since fended PhD programs are as rare as battery snaps in pedals around here…

The reason for this, at least in academia, is that, 30 years ago or so, colleges and universities began to shift towards seeing students as customers, and not students. Departments were encouraged to “simplify” (my words) their courses, so they could be offered to more students as a Diversity Study (as in, traditional Liberal Arts: learning a little bit about a log of different things; a diverse education). This meant that things got watered down…

At the same time, colleges and universities began to shift spending from faculty to administration; from instructors to recruiters/AA’s/admin. Fast forward to today and we have a situation where the majority of class are taught by part-time contractors, and 90% of a schools full-time staff have no student interaction whatsoever…
Click to expand...

I have a non-traditional MA degree and intended to go into teaching and to get a Ph.D. but the world exploded in the middle of grad school (2007-2008) and never really recovered. I still work in academia but have become very dismayed with its direction and am now happy to just be good at what I do and be able to leave at 5 to have time with my family.

My wife struggled for more than a decade trying to make teaching her career (MFA). Piecing together classes from colleges all around us, driving hundreds of miles per week making very little as an adjunct professor while also supplementing that with teaching yoga and pilates. She was running herself ragged to the extent that it severely affected her health. She ended up quitting and taking an office job after having a pretty bad health emergency.

She was so traumatized by working in academia that when her new company said that she needed to come to Minneapolis for training she was terrified she'd have to quit because we couldn't afford the trip and a week long stay in a hotel.

I remember telling her "If they're making you go out there for training they're going to pay for your flight, hotel, and likely a per-diem for food each day." She had never worked for a large corporation before. She didn't believe me and called them to be sure. When they confirmed what I said she cried because she was so used to being abused by her employer and didn't even realize it. It's awful.
 
peccary said:
I have a non-traditional MA degree and intended to go into teaching and to get a Ph.D. but the world exploded in the middle of grad school (2007-2008) and never really recovered. I still work in academia but have become very dismayed with its direction and am now happy to just be good at what I do and be able to leave at 5 to have time with my family.

My wife struggled for more than a decade trying to make teaching her career (MFA). Piecing together classes from colleges all around us, driving hundreds of miles per week making very little as an adjunct professor while also supplementing that with teaching yoga and pilates. She was running herself ragged to the extent that it severely affected her health. She ended up quitting and taking an office job after having a pretty bad health emergency.

She was so traumatized by working in academia that when her new company said that she needed to come to Minneapolis for training she was terrified she'd have to quit because we couldn't afford the trip and a week long stay in a hotel.

I remember telling her "If they're making you go out there for training they're going to pay for your flight, hotel, and likely a per-diem for food each day." She had never worked for a large corporation before. She didn't believe me and called them to be sure. When they confirmed what I said she cried because she was so used to being abused by her employer and didn't even realize it. It's awful.
Click to expand...

I taught a class at a University this past Spring Semester, as a super last-minute favor. I got a nice big office and everything...except that II didnt have access to building my office was in for the first two weeks of the semester because the University doesn't activate PTL access cards until Week 3. They don't want anyone having access to buildings if their classes get cancelled. I had to wait around outside and hope a student or another Professor would let me in...
 
peccary said:
I have a non-traditional MA degree and intended to go into teaching and to get a Ph.D. but the world exploded in the middle of grad school (2007-2008) and never really recovered. I still work in academia but have become very dismayed with its direction and am now happy to just be good at what I do and be able to leave at 5 to have time with my family.
Click to expand...

The same thing happened to my wife. She got her PhD in 2008 just in time for the financial meltdown. All of the jobs she had been applying to were pulled and due to budget cuts were never filled. She ended up working administrative roles for the next 10 years until she got sick and had to leave work. It's always frustrated her that she spent so many years working towards a goal and was never able to work in the field she was qualified for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top