Hey, been a long time lurker and I just wanted to share my story of “trying to get a better job.” Everyone telling their stories here and showing the ridiculous stuff that goes on between employees and employers makes
So when I was in high school I used to do manual labor with my Dad who was essentially a freelance landscaper, which was very hard on his body, and I knew I didn't want to do manual labor my whole life so I figured I might as well do good in school and escape my hometown. I also worked in my hometown at a fruit stand (under the table labor, cash only pay) and at a take-out place for just over minimum wage. Those jobs were fucking terrible.
I went to college and I wanted to be a writer, but decided that chemistry (I'm good at chemistry) was a better choice for me. I was determined to get a better job than what my parents had worked (my mom worked a lot of retail jobs when I was in high school). I graduated in 2009 into the “worst recession since the great depression” but somehow got a job working a medical device start-up with a BS degree in chemistry due to a post on craigslist. I was really happy to be offered a job $42k/year (better than $0/year and better than retail) working in the lab for some PhDs which roughly translates to just over $20/hr in 2009.
The place was volatile in that we seemed to always be a year or two away from running out of money and I hit a glass ceiling in how far I could advance my career with just a BS degree. I went to graduate school and got a PhD of my own (which was paid for by the school, common for science PhDs) in 2012.
Post-PhD I'm working for a chemical company making $77,500/year in Kentucky. The job is significantly more stressful, but more rewarding too. I've got a lot of responsibilities and if I fuck up then people get hurt because I was dealing with acutely toxic materials. Basically, if you do the wrong thing without wearing the correct PPE = potential death or exposure to cancer causing chemicals. Also, there were a bunch of layoffs when I was there so potential death + job insecurity = time to leave.
I decided to leave that job and go make shoe glue for a year making $95k/year in New England. The job wasn't as dangerous, but it involved a lot of travel to SE Asia and going to shoe factories. It didn't feel great to be there either so I jumped again.
In my current roll I make $118k/year base salary plus 14% bonus. My job is incredibly more stressful than it ever was and it feels just as precarious as it was before. At least I'm not gonna die if I make a bad move, but if I make the wrong professional move then I'm probably toast.
The constant here though is that I consistently see the executives or senior managers making a BOATLOAD more money than literally everyone else. If they get let go there is a big severance payout and there is often stock options/grants as well. That sense of precarity is worse than ever.
My plan right now is to try and get as high as I can to make the changes that I want to see in the world. I want flexible work time. If your job could be remote and you want the option you should be remote. I want people to have job security. Laying people off means the senior leadership fucked up and made bad decisions and then other people have to pay for those decisions while they get fat bonuses.
I want livable wages. Better benefits. Safety. Non-toxic management. I've had so many middle managers that are just fucking awful. At work daycare. How hard is it to get this shit?
These are what I consider “table stakes” and what I know much of the Europeans have just being an employee. Maybe I'm the overpaid asshole you guys hate here, but in reading your stories I just want this shit to be fixed and I'm determined to try and get to the top to fix it. I probably wont make it to the top either.