[LJ Idol 9: Week 17] Get it together like your big brother Bob!

[cheshire23]

Ah, the elusive "real job" - an occupation with many contradictory definitions

Comments

[vaudy]

Grarararargh when I was out of grad school, and marginally employed as a substitute teacher, my brother would tell me about every "help wanted" sign in every fast food place he saw. When I finally got myself a crappy, barely over minimum wage retail job, he almost immediately started needling me about when was I going to find something better? And I was like "Make up your mind!"

In less ranty words, I agree with pretty much everything you said.

[cheshire23]

...because the really important thing, of course, is that you know you're Doing Life Wrong. *facepalm* I can't stand that shit.

[rayaso]

I agree with what you said, as well, and I like the way it tied into the prompt. I have no idea what a "real job" is, except that you get paid for doing it.

[cheshire23]

In some contexts, yes, that makes sense as a standard. But I still was really annoyed one time when ravenshrinkery was in the hospital, and when they heard he was a graduate student, they wrote down "unemployed" where the job goes. And he was just like "...you've been through a master's program or you wouldn't be doing my intake - did YOU consider that being unemployed?"

And then there is the generalized mess that is "sheltered workshops" where people with certain disabilities get "pre-vocational" jobs and don't earn even minimum wage - but that is a WHOLE other thing.

[kajel]

lol Is having a "real job" like getting out into the "real world"! I am a stay at home Mom and people are always asking me when I am going to go back to work. I know someone who think raising kids isn't work. I must sit around and do whatever I want all day long.

[cheshire23]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA no. ravenshrinkery was the full-time primary parent when our girls were small (and is still somewhat in that role, combined with grad school, right now) - and I think a lot of the time it meant he was working harder than I was at my paying job. He was certainly putting in much more physical labor!

[kehlen]

You raise good points.

And this "real job" situation appears to be just another variation of the "I am BETTER than you because..." insert whatever made up reason.

[cheshire23]

Yes. Like I said to vaudy, it's about making sure you know you're Doing Life Wrong. :(

[i_17bingo]

My job isn't "real" because it's a government job, and supposedly we have it super-easy and do very little work for far too much in pay and super-awesome benefits.

My spouse has one of these "fake" jobs, and it drives me crazy. I want to scream (and I have sternly explained to a few people), if you think it sucks so bad that government employees get great benefits and retirement packages, how about getting mad at the private sector for not giving you those things?

[cheshire23]

*incoherent keysmash*

Especially when...look, I know my current department's organization chart, and I know what it looked like 10 years ago. Several high-level and very experienced people retired and their positions were never filled (and in some cases were pretty well abolished). There was also pretty much a typist/secretary pool within the department, which is now down to one office manager (who is on a leave of absence for medical stuff and we don't know when she'll be back), one secretary (who is probably close to retiring) and temps that we can't seem to keep.

And this isn't because there is less work to be done. In some ways there is slightly less (though not on THIS scale!) but in other ways what remains is more complex.