I’m feeling so jaded. Back in the 2000s, it felt like perfecting your language skills, going to college, keeping your head down and having a good “can do” attitude were the keys to “success.” Over a decade later, here I am holding a useless degree I worked pretty hard for (dual major ba, bus admin and commercial German, 3.78), working in understaffed b2b customer service. I just had a 5 yr younger colleague throw it in my face (he didn’t know he was doing it) that he makes more than me/those on the team with degrees because he knows how to negotiate each step (it helps that his mommy is a manager in the department). I helped train his mom back when she was hired, but she quickly surpassed me in pay because of her apparent experience and also narcissistic ability to constantly talk about herself, just like her son. I mean, good on him for negotiating more money. but he's living with his mommy, and I have a newborn baby. Maybe I should be the one making more, since I have a degree and years more experience and way more responsibility? I still have vivid memory of showing his mommy how to sign into the system, and her asking me questions about how to do various tasks and procedures …
Other people are being promoted into leadership – what do they have going for them? They were willing to work ten+ hours every day, and that's it. So you either sell your soul and work all day every day, or you take advantage of nepotism. But go to college and get a degree? What are you, fucking stupid? Worry about getting good grades? Worry about proofreading emails? Wow, never realized what a fucking waste of time that all truly was.
I feel like such a fucking chump. Why did I work so hard in school, and at each of my jobs since, like it would someday pay off? Why did I worry about perfecting language/writing skills? These managers (I work at a huge bank) can't even get “our” vs “are” correct.
I just turned 30 and am barely learning that actual knowledge, skill, and effort don't mean shit. All you need is a huge attitude and an ability to talk about yourself non-stop.
My new motto is to put the least amount of effort into most everything, especially working, because it won't fucking matter if I do care or try hard. lol I got a medical cannabis card and now I just focus on my mental health, and putting all my focus on being the best dad and husband I can be. Fuck my employer … I'm gonna suck them dry.
Edit: added degree and typos