January 19, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Comments posted to this topic are about the item Thoughts on Survival
January 20, 2012 at 2:48 am
I went back to University after working as an IT professional for 2 years. I got a job in a bar, not unusual for a student, but it was important for my feet to remain on the ground and to not create so much debt. Years later I hope that, given such circumstances that would require it, I would remain as pragmatic. Yes the pay would be worse etc but in a "Survival Job" you are still active, paying (at least some) bills and interacting with other people. The last item is of particular value as you don't get into the mental state of someone shipwrecked (not quite the same but sometimes how I feel when I don't see enough people). Feeling depressed or even just lonely without human interaction will hinder you in that interview to move on from the "Survival Job".
There is no shame in surviving and we shouldn't look down at the jobs we feel we don't have to do because we can do something the majority can't (even when we don't need to do them). Appreciate that everyone is pulling their weight when working regardless of their position.
...and I hope none of us ever need a "Survival Job" but if we do then lets think of the situation as being half full.
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
January 20, 2012 at 3:20 am
I got cancer 14 years ago and after recovery could not get any work. I eventually got offered a job in a trust company as an administrator where I also took the exams that are part of the financial services requirements such as anti-money laundering, law, accounting etc. I quickly moved within this company from an administrator who could also assist with all the computing requirements, to the IT manager before the company closed.
I then took a job as an IT assistant to cover a long holiday in a bank where a friend of mine was the IT manager. Again, my knowledge was seen well before the holiday period was to end and as part of the work I had done was to write reports for the MI department, even though this was not part of the requirements of the IT department, I was taken on full time as senior analyst before becoming the MI manager, and now a few years later the data manager of a very large bank.
The downside of it is that my wages, while low to start with have only incremented with "standard" accepted upgrade practice within the bank, and I now find myself on nearly half the wage of peers in my area. While the position is secure and jobs outside are not, I find I have to just keep digging in, but I expect that once the global finances reset themselves there will be a mass of job movement in all sectors. I wonder how many others are just digging in until we pass the worst of this recession?
January 20, 2012 at 6:30 am
You never know what a job may lead to. Sometimes a 'survival job' can be a good way of excelling and moving into a position that wasn't there when you started.
And that's how I moved from being an information analyst to a SQL developer/DBA.
January 20, 2012 at 6:49 am
I guess I tend to see it the other way around.
All work that isn't generating an actual survival-necessity is sort of a "Luxury Job" from my perspective. After all, there wouldn't be any IT jobs at all if we didn't have people so efficient at producing food that the rest of us can afford to pay them for it instead of having to do it ourselves, and so on. So if your job isn't directly producing the necessities of survival for yourself and your family, it's a "Luxury Job". (Need to think of a better term for that, but vapor-locking on it mentally right now.)
I never really put this into words till now, so I appologize if it comes out a bit awkward (or awk-weird for that matter).
From that perspective, I've never seen a job I've done as being "beneath me" or in any way shameful. Not doing anything useful at all would be, to one degree or another, but any job at all, so long as it's not a violation of the ethics/honor that I hold myself to, is fine.
Does that make any sense at all? I'm not sure I'm articulating it well.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
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"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
January 20, 2012 at 7:11 am
GSquared, I concur!!!
Gaz
-- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!
January 20, 2012 at 7:11 am
I had one job for about two weeks working for a company that verified the amount of merchandise varies companies had on their shelves by going and actually counting it. That job was pointless and demeaning and almost not worth having. Mostly because they didn't pay for the first or last hour of travel so I ended up working a 12 hour overnight shift the first day for less than minimum wage when you calculated the time I spent sitting in their van getting to the actual store we were going to "work" at that day. I should have walked away when the potential employer said not to dress up for the interview.
After that I got a job as a school bus driver, and while that job was still "below" my skill level and could be miserable at times because of the schedule it got my family through a long dry spell in between "better" jobs and I eventually landed my current job which has turned out to be a dream job for me.
The moral of the story for me is that there are some jobs that are just not worth having, but not as many as you might think at first.
January 20, 2012 at 7:11 am
I bet DBAs in general have a unique perspective on this subject. To be really good at what we do we have a broad base of experience from software development to networking and hardware. That implies that we have probably worked directly in these areas at various times in our careers. We don't shy away from something because we think it not our responsibility or perhaps beneath our skill level.
You can gain useful experience from virtually any job and potentially apply it to another. Its a case of attitude and commitment which is often lacking in this day and age, no matter what the position.
The probability of survival is inversely proportional to the angle of arrival.
January 20, 2012 at 8:10 am
I would view the term 'survival job' as a badge of honor were I to find myself in one. I am five years from retirement, but still have the fire in my belly to be a productive member of society. Burger-flipping would give me a paycheck. My experience and tenacity would give me my next real job. God in heaven, not the government, is my provider!
January 20, 2012 at 8:42 am
deanroush (1/20/2012)
I would view the term 'survival job' as a badge of honor were I to find myself in one. I am five years from retirement, but still have the fire in my belly to be a productive member of society. Burger-flipping would give me a paycheck. My experience and tenacity would give me my next real job. God in heaven, not the government, is my provider!
Totally agree. I look at a survival job as a step up - versus having no job at all, it's definitely a step up. And it's certainly a step in the right direction. You're continuing to take responsibility for yourself and your family, while looking for the next step that you can take toward being where you want to be.
Desi
January 20, 2012 at 8:44 am
As I sit here futzing and grumbling around with Windows Core and SQL, thank you for reminding me of the bigger picture. I will have a great Friday doing something I like, and be thankful that I'm able to do so.
January 20, 2012 at 8:46 am
Get out there and work / work it girls! 😎
January 20, 2012 at 9:17 am
Life itself is a "survival job", particularly nowadays. Another day above ground is good day.:-D
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
January 20, 2012 at 9:31 am
I can't think of any job that would be "beneath" me, especially if i didn't have a job at all! I cleaned toilets to help put me thru college; as a teen building my savings I worked in an animal auction barn with the pigs, goats and sheep (my mother would hose me off before letting me in the house :pinch: ). Every job I've ever had brought in money, led to better salary, and ended up on a resume. And every employer would have taken me back had the circumstances differed.
And every one of those employers got 110% from me. I tend towards mild over-achievement. Doesn't matter what the job is, even volunteer work, it will always receive my best effort. Anything less than that is what would be beneath me.
I am well aware that my current job is what many people might see as a "luxury job" - very good pay, decent benefits (although declining with our new owners), and best of all working with some really great people who also give their best.
A co-worker and I were talking just yesterday in a somewhat similar vein. He noted that when the network goes down, or some other occurrence interferes with our ability to work, we don't say "Whew, time for a break!" No, we're pounding our desk cursing the outage because it keeps us from working! I'd say that's a mark of dedication, and I'm pleased to be working with such people.
I hope all the rest of you are so lucky.
Steph Brown
January 20, 2012 at 9:44 am
A co-worker and I were talking just yesterday in a somewhat similar vein. He noted that when the network goes down, or some other occurrence interferes with our ability to work, we don't say "Whew, time for a break!" No, we're pounding our desk cursing the outage because it keeps us from working! I'd say that's a mark of dedication, and I'm pleased to be working with such people.
I hope all the rest of you are so lucky.
I love my work as well. My father though, always keeps me grounded as to what is really inportant. He once said "Travis, how many people do you think that on their death bed say "You know, I wish I spent more time at the office." It does make you stop and think about what is really important in life sometimes. 😀
"Technology is a weird thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other. ...:-D"
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