Why can't people re-invent themselves?

[Mr Pickles]

Inspired by this pathetic thread right here.

I'm sorry. I just don't have sympathy for people that aren't willing to either lose a bit of dignity and take a random job to pay the bills or re-invent themselves and begin another career path with a focus on a different trade.

For example, here's my take on the auto industry: The people that sat back, loving life working in the auto industry making thousands of dollars more than they are worth are finally going to get what's coming to them. If you depend on something other than your own hard working will, such as a union, to protect yourself from the indignities of your employer then you deserve everything that happens to you.

That being said, how hard is it to re-invent yourself? I'm not saying you need to flip burgers, but its about time people realize that the trade you may have learned years and years ago can now be done faster, cheaper, better. Or its time to realize that what you went to school for, like IT, is a flooded market right now and you need to be willing to look towards other careers.

I don't care how old you are. I don't care about how many kids you have. I don't care about what lifestyle you've built for yourself. I don't care about the standard of living you think you deserve. Sometimes you need to take a hit, man up and take a fucking hit.

Or how hard is it to just lay low for a bit and get a job bagging groceries until you find what you are looking for?

People have this "the world is ending" idea when they lose their job or can't find another one. I could just imagine people in suits and ties starving to death right in front of a Home Depot that says "now hiring" on the window.

Edited for spelling.

 

[olds]

What are you, 14?

 

[yllus]

The older you are, the less employers are willing to take you on because you may not be around for very long.

If you have a wife or kids, you may find it difficult to move and take them away from their schools, lives and jobs.

Getting an education when you're married and have to fetch groceries, work at the same time and care for the kids can be difficult - even before considering the high costs usually involved.

Talk is easy. Doing what you're speaking of usually isn't.

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: yllus
The older you are, the less employers are willing to take you on because you may not be around for very long.

If you have a wife or kids, you may find it difficult to move and take them away from their schools, lives and jobs.

Getting an education when you're married and have to fetch groceries, work at the same time and care for the kids can be difficult - even before considering the high costs usually involved.

Talk is easy. Doing what you're speaking of usually isn't.

I think its easier than people think. I just don't think people are daring enough.

 

[her209]

Entitlement mentality.

 

[SSSnail]

Everything is easy, in theory.

 

[Mr Pickles]

Originally posted by: her209
Entitlement mentality.

Exactly. Equal so: pride. Worthless pride.

 

[ruu]

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles
People have this "the world is ending" idea when they lose their job or can't find another one.

I think a LOT of people live paycheck to paycheck, and that's not even for living expenses---they're also paying off big purchases like cars and houses and TVs and such. And many, many people don't save. So there's really no cushion or leeway or any sort of safety net when you lose your job, and it can be really traumatizing, whatever else it may be.

People have the same reaction when someone suddenly falls ill or is injured; it's not just losing one's job that can put people into a serious tailspin.

As for "manning up" or whatever that may be, if you're single and only have yourself to answer to, then yeah, sometimes you just have to suck it up. But if there's a loved one and kids and extended family involved, the whole situation becomes much more complicated.

These things can be harder than most people think, too.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: her209
Entitlement mentality.

This is what I was going to say. If I lost my job right now, I'd have no problem bagging groceries of flipping burgers to make ends meet until I found another job in my career. I don't see what the big deal is I guess.

 

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: SSSnail
Everything is easy, in theory.

This.

Things are rarely as cut-and-dry as Pickles makes it out.

Life comes with responsibility. Especially if you have kids.

 

[racolvin]

Originally posted by: Mr Pickles

Originally posted by: yllus
The older you are, the less employers are willing to take you on because you may not be around for very long.

If you have a wife or kids, you may find it difficult to move and take them away from their schools, lives and jobs.

Getting an education when you're married and have to fetch groceries, work at the same time and care for the kids can be difficult - even before considering the high costs usually involved.

Talk is easy. Doing what you're speaking of usually isn't.

I think its easier than people think. I just don't think people are daring enough.

And therein lies the problem - you "think" its easier. Until you've had to do it, with the pressures of kids, mortgages, college tuition, your parents needing help in their old age, AND YOU getting older (say over 40 maybe?), then you don't really know do you? The pressure to provide that security to yourself and your family is HUGE, so the ability to "man up" and start a new career when you've already got say 25-30yrs in your current one isn't as easy as just waking up one day and doing it. Can it be done? Of course, but it takes planning, time, resources, support of your family, sacrifice on their part as well as your own, and that level of effort just isn't in the cards for many people.

If you're single with no one to be responsible for I'd agree with you, particularly looking at the thread you referenced. But don't apply that broad brush to an older worker with a family to support.

 

[KeithTalent]

Funny, the gf and I were having a conversation about this the other day. We were watching Oprah (shut up!) and all of these people were in major debt and lost their jobs and were just overall kind of screwed I guess. One guy couldn't find a job for about 8 months.

She asked me what I would do if that happened to me and I said I would probably go work at Starbucks, a book store, or some sort of tech gear store if I absolutely had to (you know, something I had a little bit of knowledge about). She said there was no freaking way she could do that, her dignity would not allow it, which I thought was really strange, I mean, you have to do what you have to do to get by in times of strife.

KT

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Funny, the gf and I were having a conversation about this the other day. We were watching Oprah (shut up!) and all of these people were in major debt and lost their jobs and were just overall kind of screwed I guess. One guy couldn't find a job for about 8 months.

She asked me what I would do if that happened to me and I said I would probably go work at Starbucks, a book store, or some sort of tech gear store if I absolutely had to (you know, something I had a little bit of knowledge about). She said there was no freaking way she could do that, her dignity would not allow it, which I thought was really strange, I mean, you have to do what you have to do to get by in times of strife.

KT

You could make your house payment working at Starbucks?

 

[DomS]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
What are you, 14?

I concur. I'm the OP of that 'pathetic' thread. I'm 27, have my BA, and 100k in debt. I've helped a ton of people as a counselor in the past, but there are just no jobs now. I've applied for jobs in hospitals, counseling centers, housing communities, restaurants, labs, colleges, universities, consulting firms, market research labs, bars, restaurants, the government, and psychologist's offices just to name a few.


Mr. Pickles do you actually think you can feed a family bagging groceries? Is that 'manning up' watching your family live out of a homeless shelter? Is that 'taking a hit' for you? What are you fucking 12?

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: her209
Entitlement mentality.

This is what I was going to say. If I lost my job right now, I'd have no problem bagging groceries of flipping burgers to make ends meet until I found another job in my career. I don't see what the big deal is I guess.

Would the employers even hire someone they perceived to be vastly overqualified for the position?

 

[racolvin]

KT:

My wife is the same way. I told her long ago that if it came to making the mortgage I'd go be a stockboy at Wal-mart or deliver pizza, whatever it took. She shuddered and said not unless we were just before starving - her ego would somehow be "bruised" if her husband had to work at Wal-Mart.

I don't personally understand that since I wasn't raised that way but there it is ..

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Funny, the gf and I were having a conversation about this the other day. We were watching Oprah (shut up!) and all of these people were in major debt and lost their jobs and were just overall kind of screwed I guess. One guy couldn't find a job for about 8 months.

She asked me what I would do if that happened to me and I said I would probably go work at Starbucks, a book store, or some sort of tech gear store if I absolutely had to (you know, something I had a little bit of knowledge about). She said there was no freaking way she could do that, her dignity would not allow it, which I thought was really strange, I mean, you have to do what you have to do to get by in times of strife.

KT

You could make your house payment working at Starbucks?

Savings plus salary, I should be able to swing it, plus make other adjustments. I would still be trying to get another, higher paying job of course. I wouldn't work there with the idea that is where I am going to stay forever.

KT

Edit: besides olds, in that scenario, what is the alternative? If you can't find a real job, you can't find a real job and need to do whatever you can to make ends meet.

 

[olds]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Funny, the gf and I were having a conversation about this the other day. We were watching Oprah (shut up!) and all of these people were in major debt and lost their jobs and were just overall kind of screwed I guess. One guy couldn't find a job for about 8 months.

She asked me what I would do if that happened to me and I said I would probably go work at Starbucks, a book store, or some sort of tech gear store if I absolutely had to (you know, something I had a little bit of knowledge about). She said there was no freaking way she could do that, her dignity would not allow it, which I thought was really strange, I mean, you have to do what you have to do to get by in times of strife.

KT

You could make your house payment working at Starbucks?

Savings plus salary, I should be able to swing it, plus make other adjustments. I would still be trying to get another, higher paying job of course. I wouldn't work there with the idea that is where I am going to stay forever.

KT

Edit: besides olds, in that scenario, what is the alternative? If you can't find a real job, you can't find a real job and need to do whatever you can to make ends meet.

So, people that work at Starbucks don't have real jobs? 😕

 

[IGBT]

..the liberal media has been talking down the economy for the last 8 years. they'll do a flip when the obama is the seat. then it'll be all your fault you'er failing not the obama.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: oldsmoboat

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
Funny, the gf and I were having a conversation about this the other day. We were watching Oprah (shut up!) and all of these people were in major debt and lost their jobs and were just overall kind of screwed I guess. One guy couldn't find a job for about 8 months.

She asked me what I would do if that happened to me and I said I would probably go work at Starbucks, a book store, or some sort of tech gear store if I absolutely had to (you know, something I had a little bit of knowledge about). She said there was no freaking way she could do that, her dignity would not allow it, which I thought was really strange, I mean, you have to do what you have to do to get by in times of strife.

KT

You could make your house payment working at Starbucks?

Savings plus salary, I should be able to swing it, plus make other adjustments. I would still be trying to get another, higher paying job of course. I wouldn't work there with the idea that is where I am going to stay forever.

KT

Edit: besides olds, in that scenario, what is the alternative? If you can't find a real job, you can't find a real job and need to do whatever you can to make ends meet.

So, people that work at Starbucks don't have real jobs? 😕

No, they don't. :roll:

I just meant a real job for me, as in a career. Starbucks would be a temporary stopover, not a "real job".

KT

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
No, they don't. :roll:

I just meant a real job for me, as in a career. Starbucks would be a temporary stopover, not a "real job".

KT

job != career

starbucks = job

intel = career

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Nik

Originally posted by: KeithTalent
No, they don't. :roll:

I just meant a real job for me, as in a career. Starbucks would be a temporary stopover, not a "real job".

KT

job != career

starbucks = job

intel = career

Exactly.

KT

 

[Descartes]

I've thought about it. The trouble is there's almost nothing I could ever do to come close to making what I make now, and it makes little sense to throw everything away.

It's a far different story when you get laid off and are in dire straights. It's another to willfully give everything up and start over.

For me, my goals are to maximize my earnings while I can and use that to essentially fund my other initiatives a little later. I'd rather pay more dues now and enjoy more freedom later.

 

[sandorski]

Oh ya, they got what they deserved!!!!!1111!!!!rage :roll:

Ya, they'll go do crap Jobs, some of them anyway. Others won't even be able to find them. With all those Good Jobs gone, even many Crap Jobs will cease to exist. Somebody has to have the money to Spend to support the Crap Jobs.

 

[imported_Imp]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: her209
Entitlement mentality.

This is what I was going to say. If I lost my job right now, I'd have no problem bagging groceries of flipping burgers to make ends meet until I found another job in my career. I don't see what the big deal is I guess.

The "big" deal is probably dignity, pride and entitlement. When I started looking for a job, it was "I want to find my own job, all by my own, not help from networking" and "I'm a graduate, I no way I'll do anything less".

Well, after about 1 month of failure, I started applying to admin/office jobs with suck-ass salaries. Desperation kicks in quicker for some. During the summer, my volunteer supervisor offered to talk to her friend about getting me a job, I was stupid enough to refuse. Once I go back when it gets warm again, I'm bringing my resume on day one.