As the economy has sputtered recently and seems to be proceeding in a highly uncertain direction, workers, especially young workers, have serious doubts. To job or not to job? That is the question.
Whatever the answer, the job market has changed. We have maintained the 40+-hour workweek, but often slashed wages, benefits and financial security that used to go along with it. We kept the high price of job preparation and education, but virtually eliminated the promise of employment.
There are a couple prominent camps that describe the problem. 1. “People are too lazy.” And 2. “Jobs are for SUCKERS!” Both agree that something isn’t working, but disagree on what. The bitch fest between the two is akin to, and correlated with, the petty divisions between conservatives and liberals, i.e. a waste of time.
I invite you to avoid picking sides, make your own way, and start acting instead of arguing. There are already more than enough people who agree with you for you to get done what you need to do.
What if both our minds and the system are in need of an upgrade?
the JOB side…
You need people to challenge you and hold you accountable in this world. Even if you go into business for yourself, you still need to work for others.
Work with a proven business model by lending your support to a company that will hire you, and your life will certainly be a lot simpler.
The businesses that succeed in both good times and bad—Google, Apple, Zappos, New Belgium, IDEO, etc.—generally are those that people enjoy working for, companies with shared values and goals, companies that make things people like. Outhustle others, start getting results in the job area that matters to you and the companies that matter will want to hire you.
the NO job side…
We all know the criticisms of Dilbert and Office Space. Committees, meetings, office politics, and stupid bosses kill the human spirit and waste time and resources for seemingly mindless aims.
Keep in mind that our current conception of jobs has only been around in its present form for about 50 years. Many other forms of working—including slavery, fiefdom, hunting and gathering, guilds and trade—have had a much longer lifespan.
Today there are more opportunities than ever to work for yourself: decide for yourself your work schedule, hours, pay rate, and what you will and won’t do. No politics, no committees, and no dumb bosses telling you what to do. And less time in traffic.
Yeah, it is harder to make all the decisions yourself, but it is freer.
In the current economy both organizations and the people who work for them are discovering new advantages to short-term contract relationships that depend on mutual trust and self-interest, and are cheap to enter into and exit.
The best of both worlds
Working for someone else isn’t selling out. To the contrary, working for someone or something that deeply matters to you is ideal for well-being and vitality.
Beside the fact that there are an infinite variety of both jobs and businesses, jobs are becoming more entrepreneurial (intrapraneurship) and freelancers can work in virtual organizations, both of which blur the lines between jobs and not jobs.
So why bother too much about how others classify your work? Just do the work.
Do Work That Matters
Whatever your camp or work classification, you can still work with others who share your vision, a vision that works in the service of particular people with particular problems. Other people will still tell you what to do, but let them share their free advice. Ultimately you decide what to do.
So the whole “working for someone else” issue is not the right question.
The only way to sell out is to compromise on your core values.
Remember this and you will avoid wasting energy and attention on petty arguments. Whether you have a “J-O-B” or not, you can work with others in service of your ideals, visions, and values, which, as it turns out, is the surest and most enduring route to prosperity.
What is important is whether you truly believe you are doing something that matters. Not how the IRS categorizes your work. Not what your boss, or society, tells you to do.
Funimalist Work Values
- I only do work in which I am connected to the results of my effort, and can see whether or not they are valuable.
- I take care to be sure that my work will not have a negative impact on any person.
- I do work that exercises my strengths, not my weaknesses.
With these restrictions, I have never come even close to running out of good work to do.
You Can’t Afford To Compromise
For me, this is not a utopian fantasy. No compromise has been my reality for several years now. I still make mistakes now and again, but better off that they are fewer.
I have maintained jobs in education, maintenance, construction, food service and hospitality. I have freelanced as a writer, web developer, editor, IT guy, video producer, copywriter, resume writer, brewer, and more. I never regretted having a job or not having a job. However, I regretted every instance that I strayed from the purposeful value of exercising my personal strengths to make people’s lives better.
Sometimes I was afraid to push back against a boss for fear of losing my job. That was a mistake. I never lost a job for standing up for my values, but I have been put out of work multiple times because s*** happens.
In my experience, job loss is invariably more affordable than compromising myself.
Meaning, fun and profitability in work is not a matter of “jobs” or “not jobs.” It is a matter of exercising your personal strengths and joining with those who share your vision in the service of your core values, whatever form that takes.
What do you think? Do you buy it?
