Sunday, August 29, 2004
Reflections on the Blue Collar ExperienceI find myself thinking in clichés lately: - It's a rough job, but somebody's got to do it
- He who hesitates is lost
- A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
Corny thoughts. First of all, it's not really such a rough job. I like getting paid to move around for 8 hours, and now that I've gotten the hang of the job, it's enjoyable. Which is not to say that I want to make a career of it.
Which brings me to the next cliché. I'm still looking for a career-oriented job, but around here those are scarce, and competition is plentiful. Much of my competition, it seems, comes armed with experience and bachelor's degrees. I'm not sure it's true, but a lot of the time I feel like I'm screwed. So I'm thinking of completing a bachelor's degree in computer science. Or maybe finishing the one I nearly finished years ago in psychology.
If I went for computer science, I'd probably do it online. It'd take longer (about two years), but I could work full time while I did it. If I did psychology, it'd take me only one semester, but I'd have to move back to Chapel Hill (believe it or not, I don't want to), and I might not be able to work more than part time. And I'd have to find a place to stay...
If anyone reads this, I wouldn't mind a little advice. (But don't be offended if I don't take the advice.)
Meanwhile, back at the third cliché... I'm going to hang onto this job for the time being. After all, I applied to no fewer than seven temporary agencies starting in May, and this is the first job assignment I've gotten! (Clearly, Bushonomics isn't working too well around here.)
In brief, I like the following things about the job: - I get the equivalent of a week's worth of gym exercise every evening at work
- When someone asks me what I do, and what the company does, I can explain it simply and be understood
- The people I work with are diverse, and almost everyone is pretty cool
- Predictable hours and responsibilities
- It's 'second-shift,' meaning from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m., which gives me plenty of 'business hours' time to get stuff done
- It's temporary
I dislike the following things: - It uses and develops exactly none of my computer skills
- It doesn't pay well
- I feel sad for my coworkers, who in most cases have been working there for years, and long after I'm gone, they'll keep working there—until their jobs get sent to another country
- I hate the recurring feeling that I'm a very replaceable part in a machine, and that all my job functions could be performed more efficiently with robotics
- Predictable hours and responsibilities
- Working Friday nights until 11 p.m. puts a damper on weekends
- Horseplay is not allowed (I'm all about horseplay)
Soon, I'll probably have a 'more suitable' job—and then I'll probably miss this one. Oh, well.
Posted by Me at 22:03 link
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