Why take a job you're just not cut out for?

[myswtghst]

This may be in the wrong place, so mods, feel free to move it...but a lot of threads recently have gotten me thinking about this.

We've had a lot of conversations going on about people taking jobs they maybe shouldn't. Waiters who are not personable and/or are flat out rude and unfriendly. Some of Blas's incompetent trainees. And my question is, why take a job you're not good at, and never will be? Especially if it's something you're going to despise doing?

I can understand taking a minimum wage job that you don't like because you need money fast. I can even understand taking a job because it was the only thing available in terms of hours/location/$$$/whatever, but if you're going to do that, I can't understand why people seem to not put forth even minimal effort to do a good job.

I worked for two weeks as a waitress/shot girl at a bar. I hated every minute of it. I got the heck out and found another job ASAP. Now, don't get me wrong - I still visit that bar when I'm in town (it's in Lansing), so it wasn't the bar. And it's not that I'm not personable and spunky. It just wasn't a good fit, and I knew I'd be unhappy, which would show up in my work, so I got out while I could do so amicably. I have every respect for people like Jester, and I tip my bartenders/waitresses quite handsomely when I am at the bar, as I know what they sometimes have to put up with.

I think part of my curiosity stems from the fact that, according to most friends and family members, I have an insane work ethic. Even if I hate a job and am unhappy there, I'm even more unhappy if I let myself down by doing a mediocre job. So even when I'm tired, and having a crap day at the end of a 60 hour week, I still put on the smile and am sweet to my customers, because that's what I'm getting paid for.

So again, I'm curious, and I'm not trying to be a brat, or make light of people who really are stuck in the job they're stuck in, but I want to know why people don't find jobs that are a good fit for them. The members of this board are living proof that there's someone out there for almost every job - someone who will be good at it, and will probably enjoy it. It's just odd to me that so often, those people seem to wind up doing other stuff. *shrug*

Disclaimer: I'm not looking to get into a debate about qualifications/degrees keeping people from getting the job they want, or to make anyone who is stuck in a job they dislike feel bad, I'm just looking to start a discussion, because, as I've said, I'm curious.

[NightWatch]

Well, I did a job similar to mine before this one. I was tired of the mistreatment from the company, so I decided to move on to something with a little more money and required a little more skill. I don't regret changing jobs, cause the last place really did treat the employees like crap. But I don't like this job either, I'm here because they'll pay 75% of my tuition and the pay check is fairly nice. I don't think I necessarily hate this job, I just know it's not what I want to do with the rest of my life. So knowing it's my step before I can get into my career, I can deal with it.

[Gurndigarn]

Well, the question isn't "why do you take a job you're not suited for?" It's "Why do you stick around once you realize the problem?"

In many cases, it's because You Have A Job. You aren't a welfare sponge, you have a paycheck. You also have less tiem to look for a different job.

Still, the wise person should be starting an exit plan even if he needs the paycheck, because sooner or later, it's going to be too much.

[Gerrinson]

My time in the paper mill was definitely a situation of forcing a square peg to fit into a round hole. But they paid $45,000 a year for lowest paid entry level job, so it was a good way to get quick money. And they'll hire anybody.

But, I need to be on a normal sleep schedule, that was swing shift. Also, I really cannot sleep during the day without being sick or drugged.

And, I have knee problems. Kneeling/running on cement all night, good boots or no, didn't do them any favors.

Last, to be quite honest, I am not cut out for working 14 out of 15 days with only one day off in the middle. Especially when 6 of those shifts were 12 hours long.

My dad worked in a similar setting for 30 years, I totally respect the people who can do it. But it's definitely not for me. I even got threatened with a write up for using my sick days and vacation time. Not for taking extra, but simply using the time I was given. Apparently, when you work at a paper mill, you do not call in sick or take time off. Even though I kept working 12 hour shifts to cover people who called in sick and took time off...

[draftermatt]

I'm the type of person who throws myself into my work, I've yet to have a job where I wasn't at least "better than competent", but I've been known to take jobs I know I'll hate. Why? Because when you're 14-15 jobs aren't running at you at all angles, so it's either grunt work, fast food, bus boy, etc. Now some people love that work and I respect them, I have no desire to do it but did because I wanted money.

Mostly I think it's money that makes people stay at places they aren't cut out for (or hate) even knowing that going in. Other times it's desperation "I need a job and this is the only place hiring" but then I wonder why they don't look for a new job once they are working, hell some people quit then spend months not working again until they're forced to take another job they'll hate.

Why some people who hate all retail and customer service jobs stay is beyond me. If you aren't quailifed for much then there are still "low skill" jobs that don't require degrees and the like.

[blas]

I agree with you whole heartedly, mys...

I was a hostess at one restaurant for nearly 2 years. I loved that place, despite its quirks. If I could have taken the chance to waitress, I would have.

But then we moved and I worked at the honky tonk, I discovered the ugly side of food service, and immediately quit, for reasons just like you posted.

I realized I no longer belonged in retail, that my little patience for stupidity was really going to get me in trouble someday.

With my trainees, I feel that they just need a job and don't really care if they make it or not. Which is fine, but if they have problems, they need to see the right people about fixing them, and NOT continue to harass the trainer and make it difficult every night. They must not need a job that bad if they are willing to not learn and make my nights Hell.

[smileyeagle1021]

I think I can answer that by saying that for some people when they go into it, it is the right job then either the job changes or they change and then they are stuck because if they leave they will be viewed by future employers as job hoppers and will become unhirable.

[icmedia]

And, in some cases, a person might live in an area where jobs are few and far between. The only jobs in my area are in the medical field, factory, or restaurants.
In my town, there are oodles of college students who are willing to work for peanuts in all of the restaurants. That means my Culinary Arts degree is meaningless, as a job where I might draw reasonable pay in a bigger city nets me minimum wage here. Can't support the family on that...
As far as the medical field goes, I have no degree in that so I'm out of luck.
Factory? It would be great if they didn't all hire through temp agencies, who pay crap and perpetuate the practice of hiring someone for 90 days and then letting them go so they can herd in the next group of temps (who don't get the higher wages/benefits/unions that permanent workers do).

[Andara Bledin]

Another reason to not leave is that it looks like utter crap on your resume.

If you have a resume with a couple of really short jobs or a long period of nothing, it doesn't look good, and it will make it harder to get a better job down the road.

Also, for the most part, job hunting really, really sucks. I have actually never been hired by job hunting. Every job I've had has pretty much been handed to me because I happened to know someone. It requires effort and can be depressing, and if you already have a job, it will take an awful lot of suckage before it gets to the point where the job itself is worse than a job hunt.

^-.-^

[XXDarrienX]

When I moved here to Houston, I took a job working as a Administrative Assistant for one of those small alarm companies. Basically they were so behind on their work it was not funny, if you had service with them you could almost get away with months and months without paying. I needed a job and I have done that work while I was in school as work study. I hated the job after a month why? The owner was a raving psycho, I make the slightest mistake or not see something and he would go off screaming at me. I hear he did the same thing to the Alarm Installers which only three of them. When I finally found another job as a IT Support Tech for a large company, I just up and left cause the way I see it I could not deal with him anymore. I might have hated the owner but I did my job.

[BlackIronCrown]

Money.
That's the sole reason.
I've worked in call centers and technical support for the past decade, despite having a personality completely unsuited for it and despite hating the work itself entirely.
BUT. But. I would never be paid as well doing something else without having to significantly invest resources that I don't have.
For me, work is only about the paycheck. Ever. If someone paid me $1 mil/yr to wade through sewage for the rest of my life, I'd go for it. It's about the money.
I suspect that's the reason for most others.

And, in some cases, a person might live in an area where jobs are few and far between. The only jobs in my area are in the medical field, factory, or restaurants.

Hey, if you don't mind my asking, whatever happened with your job sitch?
The last I had heard, the crazy GM had bounced you, unemployment was applied for, and you were going to file suit because of a flood that scrapped your house.

[tropicsgoddess]

I've taken one job I wasn't suited for and it was because I had a 3 month unemployment stretch and I was DESPERATE for money. I was a Hostess for a local Italian restaurant. What made me unsuited for the job was the constant hustle and bustle, pressure and the hours. After about 9 months, I quit once I found another job.

[powerboy]

Money.
That's the sole reason.

That is my reason.

[cinema guy]

Sometimes it is better the devil the devil you know than the devil you don't.

[Boozy]

Money is a motivator, as is experience.

My husband worked his ass off in a job he despised for a year in order to get the job he has now.

He sucked at that starter job, too. It really wasn't his thing. But he muddled through, and got the experience he needed to work in the field he wanted. He's quite gifted at what he does now. And he's happy, which is the more important thing.

For people like me, without any long-term career goals, it doesn't make sense to suffer in a job that doesn't offer a good fit. I live my life in the present, and I like to be happy in my current job. But for many people, it does make sense in the long run.