Sometimes, I get the pleasure of hearing why some of our youths cannot find work. It is always an enlightening experience. For instance, recently I was blessed with this tidbit of information, "I had to quit because I stood up all day and only got one half-hour lunch break, and two fifteen minute breaks."
Yes, that really happened. I almost gave myself an aneurysm while attempting to keep my composure. I have to ask, "What happened to this generation?!?" Why do they assume they should not have to pay their dues? What exactly happened to them to make them feel as though they should be able to make six figures at a desk job with nothing but a high school diploma?
I replayed all of my menial jobs that I had in my younger days. Working outside in 105 degree weather with one thirty minute break all day, scrubbing cars for assholes who yell at you because they think the rust stains that have resulted from their neglect through the winter with their months of salted streets and stinging winds, should magically be gone after a ten minute car wash. The other job where your manager stole your tip money on a daily basis. The fast food position where you were hired on as a cashier, but the chicken fryer quit the same day you started so you ended up plucking chicken carcasses and throwing them into week-old fryer grease.
What happened? I distinctly remember laughing out loud at a 6' 5" college basketball player four summers ago when he called to tell me he couldn't work anymore because it was too hot outside. He said I wouldn't understand. Obviously, since I now worked in an office, there was no way in hell I could know what he was going through. I mean, right? I walked straight off the graduation stage and onto a full-time union job! Of course! He wanted me to talk to his supervisor. It was just TOO hot outside to work. I told him to suck it up and don't call me again unless he is vomiting or his skin was bursting into flames.
Guess what, young'uns. You are not going to start out in your dream job. You aren't going to begin some big fancy career straight out of college. You are going to have to start out at the bottom and work and claw your way up the ladder. Then, if you are like me, you will be knocked down a few pegs, have to start all over, work your way back up, get laid-off, and have to start again.
There are no free rides. There are no easy ways out. Sure, all of us know someone from a wealthy family who ended up not having to pay their dues. But, trust me those people are not really better off. Be a self-made person. Do your homework. Get your shit together and don't whine about every perceived injustice in your life. If your supervisor makes you do THEIR work-don't complain. Write it down. Put it on your resume. Guess what? Now you can do YOUR BOSS' JOB! That isn't something to complain about, that is something to leverage.
Don't go into your career counselor or recruiter's job bitching about how "rough" it is out there. If they are even five minutes older than you they are going to laugh their asses off. Especially if you say something like, "I wish I had YOUR job." If they are like me, and paid their dues with a bad-ass mentor with crazy deep quotes coming on the regular, they are going to look at you and say, "If you want what I have, you must do what I do."
And just remember, if you didn't have to work for it, it probably isn't worth anything.
