A fun question of the day “What was the quickest you ever quit or left a job?”
There’s constant discussion about this generation of workers who just leave for a different job or quit, but when we look in the mirror. At that age I wasn’t much different.
I wasn’t. Not at all. While the job market was different back then and wages were nothing compared to fast food jobs for $25/hour
My degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Management was very competitive. Many of my college classmates moved on to different careers after finding the jobs limited and the competition strong to where masters degree were taking what should be entry level positions. I was bound to give it a year before I’d consider looking to science teaching or another field.
My first job was just a bridge to pay some bills when I started at Bismarck Livestock helping sort cattle on sale day. I had a 4 year degree and 5 summers of job experience, but graduating in December put me behind the curve for many spring or summer field positions.
After the first day I was told to help clean out the sales ring. Bucket of water washing down the corral panels for minimum wage? Rag washing manure was humbling to say the least. I worked one day and am not sure I even went back for what would’ve been about $15-20 pay check.
While working 3 weeks at the ND WinterShow I landed a job with a ag equipment set up company that would travel the midwest setting up trade shows. The day before I was scheduled to leave I called and said, “sorry I can’t do that”
I took other jobs and always kept working. A work ethic of “doing while looking” served me well. I landed my first full time job after about 6 months. Perseverance paid off.
Years later while a full time employee I heard about the sugar beet harvest and how many people would take a couple weeks vacation and drive beet truck for $12/hour. I thought that would be great. But just before the harvest I had a reality, “12 hour shifts driving a truck I didn’t feel comfortable with?” I’d heard about crashes and didn’t feel like the money was worth it. I called and ended my beet truck career before it started.
So honestly I have to give grace and accept this modern day work world isn’t all that different than mine was.
But one thing I will say. Is I always have and always will work. Period.
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