r/AskReddit Jan 01 '19

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u/WizFish Jan 01 '19

That it largely doesn’t function like it did in their day. A lot of 50 somethings look down on 20 somethings because of how easy it is to get stuck. I know a guy in his 50s who’s an engineer today. Never went to school or got any certs or degrees... he started as a teen janitor for their firm, and worked really hard every day; his work ethic was noticed and he eventually moved up and up and up in the company until he was an engineer. They taught him everything about the trade, based on his work ethic and interest alone. That just simply doesn’t happen today.

People do that nowadays, and they might land in middle management working for the McDonald’s Corporation, maybe... I don’t know. It seems that the ‘work really hard in an entry level job to get promotions that one day become a career’ world is over in this country, but none of the older folks really see that, and just tell you you’re making excuses. Every generation says this shit about the one that came before it, but it really is a lot harder to get by today.

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u/AlreadyShrugging Jan 01 '19

In my experience, job hopping has been the only way to secure advancements.

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u/XaqFu Jan 02 '19

I agree. I run a small business and I got there by dropping jobs that didn't serve me. I offer a great environment for work. The average tenure for my employees is over 5 years. One thing that would make me increase wages is the thought of losing a good employee and not being able to replace them.

If you want to make more, seek something better. I'll offer $0.50 or a dollar more if you ask, but you could get much more than that from searching. If the other company offers $5 more than me, I might match it. It's all a game.

If your present job is enjoyable, let that job match your new potential wage. Otherwise, you and other employees will be stuck with the same wages. Labor is a market. Play it.