Professionalism part deux

[Deleted User 89]

“and dealing with the worst people in the world on a day to day basis.”

along these lines, i’d argue that this situation makes almost any “customer service” job more stressful/difficult than an administrative or “higher up” job

[twocoach]

I’ll add hospitality workers generally too

As difficult as the average customer can be, yall only get more difficulter when you’re tired and/or hungry.

Reality show idea:

service workers get to treat the customers like customers treat the service workers for a day.


(I wonder how much of it all comes down to some issue of classism)

I actually look at the service workers I am speaking to, speak politely and positively to them and don't complain about my day when I interact with them so I would love it if all service workers treated me like I treat them.

[CrimsonNBlue]

(I wonder how much of it all comes down to some issue of classism)

More power dynamics than classism, but that's not to say classism cannot be or is not part of it.

Clients, lawyers, and other parties have all treated me real shittily at some point or the other. While it is an adversarial process, some people get real asshole-ish when they think they have the deck stacked in their favor.

But, the service industry side--I have been treated like absolute garbage by all classes based on the perceived minute power a customer has over a worker. It's awful and shows exactly the type of person they are. Can higher class people fall easy into that power dynamic? Sure, but it is bad up and down.

[Deleted User 89]

Yeah, I got triggered. And the stress was mostly left at work when I went home, until I was da man, then it was stress all the time.

I did work at McD's as a kid in the 70's. Brown, poly suit, paper hat, the whole bit. Which is pretty stressful itself.

I worked at pizza hut and mickeys and quiznos. Its something.....but stressful isnt it, the stress pales in comparison to the stress of career jobs, particularly as your responsibility increases.

the biggest stress i had when i worked at pizza hut was deciding who was “safe” to invite into the cooler for a smoke session

[ousdahl]

Well, keep in mind the stress that comes from being a low-wage job where workers are often treated as fungible.

The stress may be hoping you don’t get stiffed on the tip, or the management doesn’t cut your hours, or you can get from one job to the next without being late, so that hopefully you can scrape enough together to make rent.

And if you think fry cooks don’t “take their work home with them,” you should smell a fry cook after a shift.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think the primary difference in stress at a food service job vs the career jobs is the manner in which you experience the stress.

In food service, or lots of other hourly type gigs, you are under a substantial amount of stress when you are on the clock. But, usually you don't take your work home with you.

At my current job, I have very little stress day to day. But stress is more like, that I have a Tenure promotion portfolio due on September 10, and Grant proposals due September 28 and October 25 that are hanging over my head, but there's nothing actually stressful about doing any of them, I calmly sit at a computer and write, it's the deadline and that there's a lot riding on them (Graduate student Stipends for example) that makes it stressful. But I don't have anyone yelling at me to finish the paragraph quick, like you might get yelled at to remake the burger this time with no cheese, all while the timer on the bun toaster is beeping at you.

I generally agree on the take home part on a day to day basis. Didn't lose much sleep from a work problem in retail.

But, if you are working the retail jobs, the reality is you are very likely poor, so in some ways it is hard to separate work stress from the stress of life. At this point in my professional career, I can get fired or leave the place I am at and make a very livable wage somewhere else.

[PhDhawk]

Well, keep in mind the stress that comes from being a low-wage job where workers are often treated as fungible.

The stress may be hoping you don’t get stiffed on the tip, or the management doesn’t cut your hours, or you can get from one job to the next without being late, so that hopefully you can scrape enough together to make rent.

And if you think fry cooks don’t “take their work home with them,” you should smell a fry cook after a shift.

I had the biggest crush on this girl in HS, Jess. She had recently quit working at the same place I still worked at. We were meeting up one night after I got off work, I went home, showered, changed clothes, meet her, she says, oh, you smell like french fries, I hate that smell, that's one of the reasons I'm glad I quit.

Needless to say PhD didn't get any play that night.

[ousdahl]

Yeah.


All sorts of people can be assholes in all sorts of situations.

But the whole condescending asshole “how hard can your job really be, even a high schooler can do it!” Is more unique to the service industry.

And yeah, unlike many professional positions that are working for economic opportunity, many service workers are working for economic survival.

[ousdahl]

Whoa, phd is doxxing Jess?!

[PhDhawk]

I think the primary difference in stress at a food service job vs the career jobs is the manner in which you experience the stress.

In food service, or lots of other hourly type gigs, you are under a substantial amount of stress when you are on the clock. But, usually you don't take your work home with you.

At my current job, I have very little stress day to day. But stress is more like, that I have a Tenure promotion portfolio due on September 10, and Grant proposals due September 28 and October 25 that are hanging over my head, but there's nothing actually stressful about doing any of them, I calmly sit at a computer and write, it's the deadline and that there's a lot riding on them (Graduate student Stipends for example) that makes it stressful. But I don't have anyone yelling at me to finish the paragraph quick, like you might get yelled at to remake the burger this time with no cheese, all while the timer on the bun toaster is beeping at you.

I generally agree on the take home part on a day to day basis. Didn't lose much sleep from a work problem in retail.

But, if you are working the retail jobs, the reality is you are very likely poor, so in some ways it is hard to separate work stress from the stress of life. At this point in my professional career, I can get fired or leave the place I am at and make a very livable wage somewhere else.

Maybe it's age, or naivete, but I never got stressed much by being poor. I could always pay rent, and, though it sucked, when you'd run out of money and decide whether you wanted Taco Tuesday tonight and go hungry tomorrow, or go buy 3 packs of ramen so you had something to eat for the next two days before you get paid again. But it was more of a game than a stresser for me.

Weirdly, I get more stressed about deciding whether I should pay off student loans more quickly, or put more money into retirement -type of issues than not having money.

The REAL shitty part of being poor was trying to date. That was fucking awful. Taking a girl to Arby's after a movie cause it's all you could afford was pretty fucking terrible.

[PhDhawk]

Whoa, phd is doxxing Jess?!

Re-read it. No one got doxxed that night, I smelled like rancid oil.

[twocoach]

Yeah.


All sorts of people can be assholes in all sorts of situations.

But the whole condescending asshole “how hard can your job really be, even a high schooler can do it!” Is more unique to the service industry.

And yeah, unlike many professional positions that are working for economic opportunity, many service workers are working for economic survival.

I would classify any job that a teenager can be trained to do in a handful of training sessions to fall into the “how hard can your job really be, even a high schooler can do it!” category, whether it is in the service industry or not. That just happens to be where the majority of them are. My 18 year old is now a CNA. From the description of her days, her job is not very hard yet, either.

[PhDhawk]

Yeah.


All sorts of people can be assholes in all sorts of situations.

But the whole condescending asshole “how hard can your job really be, even a high schooler can do it!” Is more unique to the service industry.

And yeah, unlike many professional positions that are working for economic opportunity, many service workers are working for economic survival.

I would classify any job that a teenager can be trained to do in a handful of training sessions to fall into the “how hard can your job really be, even a high schooler can do it!” category, whether it is in the service industry or not. That just happens to be where the majority of them are. My 18 year old is now a CNA. From the description of her days, her job is not very hard yet, either.

But then that ignores things like quality. Have you ever had really really good service at a really nice restaurant? It's quite a bit different than the carhop at Sonic.

And it reduces the totality of a job to the minimal task done. I mean, you work at a bank right? I can teach someone to add and subtract numbers in a manner of hours...but that's not ALL that you do right?

So, yeah, you can teach someone to cook fries in an shift or two, but it's not like that person can then do everything in the restaurant the next day.

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think the primary difference in stress at a food service job vs the career jobs is the manner in which you experience the stress.

In food service, or lots of other hourly type gigs, you are under a substantial amount of stress when you are on the clock. But, usually you don't take your work home with you.

At my current job, I have very little stress day to day. But stress is more like, that I have a Tenure promotion portfolio due on September 10, and Grant proposals due September 28 and October 25 that are hanging over my head, but there's nothing actually stressful about doing any of them, I calmly sit at a computer and write, it's the deadline and that there's a lot riding on them (Graduate student Stipends for example) that makes it stressful. But I don't have anyone yelling at me to finish the paragraph quick, like you might get yelled at to remake the burger this time with no cheese, all while the timer on the bun toaster is beeping at you.

I generally agree on the take home part on a day to day basis. Didn't lose much sleep from a work problem in retail.

But, if you are working the retail jobs, the reality is you are very likely poor, so in some ways it is hard to separate work stress from the stress of life. At this point in my professional career, I can get fired or leave the place I am at and make a very livable wage somewhere else.

Maybe it's age, or naivete, but I never got stressed much by being poor. I could always pay rent, and, though it sucked, when you'd run out of money and decide whether you wanted Taco Tuesday tonight and go hungry tomorrow, or go buy 3 packs of ramen so you had something to eat for the next two days before you get paid again. But it was more of a game than a stresser for me.

Weirdly, I get more stressed about deciding whether I should pay off student loans more quickly, or put more money into retirement -type of issues than not having money.

The REAL shitty part of being poor was trying to date. That was fucking awful. Taking a girl to Arby's after a movie cause it's all you could afford was pretty fucking terrible.

There was about a 2-year period where I was can't pay my rent poor. Food stamp/welfare qualification poor (but didn't do it b/c of stigma). Was still somehow better off than my parents clawing for as many hours as possible. That shit was stressful, don't wish it on anyone, and glad I only had myself to care of. But, maybe so stressful that you learn to ignore it. It sure caused stress later in life--credit, bad term loans, debt, paying past due shit, etc. I'd rather have the current career stressers.

[ousdahl]

Whoa, phd is doxxing Jess?!

Re-read it. No one got doxxed that night, I smelled like rancid oil.

Next time, don’t take her on a date to Arby’s.

[Deleted User 89]

i reduced a ton of work-related stress when i changed my mindset from “living to work” to “working to live”

i have a better salary and benefits now, and rarely take work home with me

[jfish26]

I generally agree on the take home part on a day to day basis. Didn't lose much sleep from a work problem in retail.

But, if you are working the retail jobs, the reality is you are very likely poor, so in some ways it is hard to separate work stress from the stress of life. At this point in my professional career, I can get fired or leave the place I am at and make a very livable wage somewhere else.

Maybe it's age, or naivete, but I never got stressed much by being poor. I could always pay rent, and, though it sucked, when you'd run out of money and decide whether you wanted Taco Tuesday tonight and go hungry tomorrow, or go buy 3 packs of ramen so you had something to eat for the next two days before you get paid again. But it was more of a game than a stresser for me.

Weirdly, I get more stressed about deciding whether I should pay off student loans more quickly, or put more money into retirement -type of issues than not having money.

The REAL shitty part of being poor was trying to date. That was fucking awful. Taking a girl to Arby's after a movie cause it's all you could afford was pretty fucking terrible.

There was about a 2-year period where I was can't pay my rent poor. Food stamp/welfare qualification poor (but didn't do it b/c of stigma). Was still somehow better off than my parents clawing for as many hours as possible. That shit was stressful, don't wish it on anyone, and glad I only had myself to care of. But, maybe so stressful that you learn to ignore it. It sure caused stress later in life--credit, bad term loans, debt, paying past due shit, etc. I'd rather have the current career stressers.

I was "is my debit card going to go through" poor for a substantial period of time, also. It changes how you go about money later in life, for sure. I'm risk-averse and content with "very good." I might have a greater drive for f-you money (and the greater risk tolerance that requires) if I hadn't been on the bottom.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Maybe it's age, or naivete, but I never got stressed much by being poor. I could always pay rent, and, though it sucked, when you'd run out of money and decide whether you wanted Taco Tuesday tonight and go hungry tomorrow, or go buy 3 packs of ramen so you had something to eat for the next two days before you get paid again. But it was more of a game than a stresser for me.

Weirdly, I get more stressed about deciding whether I should pay off student loans more quickly, or put more money into retirement -type of issues than not having money.

The REAL shitty part of being poor was trying to date. That was fucking awful. Taking a girl to Arby's after a movie cause it's all you could afford was pretty fucking terrible.

There was about a 2-year period where I was can't pay my rent poor. Food stamp/welfare qualification poor (but didn't do it b/c of stigma). Was still somehow better off than my parents clawing for as many hours as possible. That shit was stressful, don't wish it on anyone, and glad I only had myself to care of. But, maybe so stressful that you learn to ignore it. It sure caused stress later in life--credit, bad term loans, debt, paying past due shit, etc. I'd rather have the current career stressers.

I was "is my debit card going to go through" poor for a substantial period of time, also. It changes how you go about money later in life, for sure. I'm risk-averse and content with "very good." I might have a greater drive for f-you money (and the greater risk tolerance that requires) if I hadn't been on the bottom.

Yes, very risk averse now. Hanging out a shingle is something I can't even fathom.

Also turned me into "dad mode" for what is seemingly cherry picked things: "No A/C until Date X!"

[PhDhawk]

I generally agree on the take home part on a day to day basis. Didn't lose much sleep from a work problem in retail.

But, if you are working the retail jobs, the reality is you are very likely poor, so in some ways it is hard to separate work stress from the stress of life. At this point in my professional career, I can get fired or leave the place I am at and make a very livable wage somewhere else.

Maybe it's age, or naivete, but I never got stressed much by being poor. I could always pay rent, and, though it sucked, when you'd run out of money and decide whether you wanted Taco Tuesday tonight and go hungry tomorrow, or go buy 3 packs of ramen so you had something to eat for the next two days before you get paid again. But it was more of a game than a stresser for me.

Weirdly, I get more stressed about deciding whether I should pay off student loans more quickly, or put more money into retirement -type of issues than not having money.

The REAL shitty part of being poor was trying to date. That was fucking awful. Taking a girl to Arby's after a movie cause it's all you could afford was pretty fucking terrible.

There was about a 2-year period where I was can't pay my rent poor. Food stamp/welfare qualification poor (but didn't do it b/c of stigma). Was still somehow better off than my parents clawing for as many hours as possible. That shit was stressful, don't wish it on anyone, and glad I only had myself to care of. But, maybe so stressful that you learn to ignore it. It sure caused stress later in life--credit, bad term loans, debt, paying past due shit, etc. I'd rather have the current career stressers.

I'll tell you what really pisses me off though, is when I see, for example, people our age talking down to people just starting in the work force about "the real world" and "responsibilities" and how some day, you'll know.

I have had continuous employment since I was 16. I paid for every car, I always paid my own rent, bills, etc. I had a few things done for me, I wasn't an orphan, but I learned pretty young that you have to pay your bills on time and prioritize your money, etc. It's actually a lot easier to balance a checkbook now than it was when I was half my age. So, I hate it when people assume that 20-somethings are getting shit paid for by mommy and daddy (even though some are).

I've had a couple colleagues let me know (I think they were well intentioned but unaware of my background) that "a lot of students have to have jobs on the side to pay tuition and rent" as though it would be surprising to me. Having mom and dad pay for college is the concept that is foreign.

[PhDhawk]

Whoa, phd is doxxing Jess?!

Re-read it. No one got doxxed that night, I smelled like rancid oil.

Next time, don’t take her on a date to Arby’s.

It's all I could afford.

And who doesn't like curly fries.