Term or word for "work any job, to pay the bills" ?

[bcguy]

If a unemployed pilot response to a friend or family member ask them to be a janitor and his responce would be "WHAT. you want me to be a janitor to pay the bills..no way, I am to good for that?". I can imagine a response like this would be all to common with a working professional that would scoff or put down another person, simply because they need to do any job to pay the bills.

I wonder if there is a term in the dictionary that defines the very action of dropping all your ego,arrogance and any other thought, to do the lowest job on the social income scale just to pay the bills. A great family, friends would never mock, put down or be of gossip or laughter simply because he/she had to take this step.

Is there only one single word that would define this moment?

[JudoMinja]

Humility

[Vort]

"Grown-up"? "Responsible"?

Or maybe "foolish". When I was unemployed last year for an extended period, I wanted to get a part-time job at Home Depot. I would have made about as much as I was making on unemployment. I was told that I would receive no unemployment, because I would be employed. I argued that I WANTED to work and that I NEEDED the extra income. Didn't matter. If you're a professional making a professional's wage, you don't get any special consideration above the laborer. Work = no unemployment, plus you don't have as much time to look for work.

In a controversial move, I ended up not working at the Home Depot job. What can I say? I'm a slacker.

[RescueMom]

"Grown-up"? "Responsible"?

Or maybe "foolish". When I was unemployed last year for an extended period, I wanted to get a part-time job at Home Depot. I would have made about as much as I was making on unemployment. I was told that I would receive no unemployment, because I would be employed. I argued that I WANTED to work and that I NEEDED the extra income. Didn't matter. If you're a professional making a professional's wage, you don't get any special consideration above the laborer. Work = no unemployment, plus you don't have as much time to look for work.

In a controversial move, I ended up not working at the Home Depot job. What can I say? I'm a slacker.

I think this is one of the big issues in our country right now, the wacky unemployment laws...it's all or nothing. I have to think there are many who would work at a part time job, but are afraid of losing benefits.

Anyway as a person who has had to work at 'lower' class jobs to feed kids, I think those who do are great examples. And I think the words to describe those people are responsible adults.

[Wingnut]

Opportunity.

[Guest]

Mind your own business.

[bcguy]

In my google search, came across this site:

Reader Question: Should An Unemployed Person Apply For A Lower Paying Job?

A responder to the topic said this about her husband:

"I have never forgotten the humility & willingness to "sacrifice his social appearance" for his family"

The person may loose friends in a case like this, but he also strengthen the bond with his wife and family. Time will go on, he will find another job..maybe, in his own line of work. But in the end, its the co-workers or friends who were never his friends to begin with.

[RipplecutBuddha]

When I was a youth in my home ward, the second councilor in the YM presidency lost his prestigious job as a chemist for a company mining uranium. In essence, the company folded. not long after, he was delivering dominoe's pizzas.

The fact is people need money, and families more so. The duty of a couple, and especially the father, is to provide for the needs of their children. He was doing his job as he should have, and he was a tremendous member of the ward, let alone an amazing YM councilor. I've never forgotten his example of facing trials and getting through them however it can be done.

The Lord has descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

[prisonchaplain]

It's so common. Most do so, believing it's temporary. One of the greatest inspirational films ever made is about a man who took this type of job, and ended up making a career of it: Mr. Holland's Opus.

[pam]

My word would be necessity.

[skippy740]

I wonder if there is a term in the dictionary that defines the very action of dropping all your ego,arrogance and any other thought, to do the lowest job on the social income scale just to pay the bills. A great family, friends would never mock, put down or be of gossip or laughter simply because he/she had to take this step.

Is there only one single word that would define this moment?

Rock-bottom.

Those who don't hit 'rock-bottom' may still have "status-itis".

[HoosierGuy]

What we need is the retirement age dropped to age 50. No one should be forced to retire but they should be offered complete retirement with full healthcare at age 50. That would open up the job market. Also have universal continuous unemployment paid to those not working. I believe some countries in Europe have continuous employment for the unemployed.

One thing is for sure - it's crazy to expect people to work until they drop dead of old age or something else. When people reach 50 it's time to retire and enjoy life. Spread money by traveling and living out your dreams and hobbies.

[slamjet]

What we need is the retirement age dropped to age 50. No one should be forced to retire but they should be offered complete retirement with full healthcare at age 50. That would open up the job market. Also have universal continuous unemployment paid to those not working. I believe some countries in Europe have continuous employment for the unemployed.

One thing is for sure - it's crazy to expect people to work until they drop dead of old age or something else. When people reach 50 it's time to retire and enjoy life. Spread money by traveling and living out your dreams and hobbies.

I believe that's called Greece.

[Gwen]

Part of the problem is sometimes they can make more on unemployment than they can at that lower "anything to feed the family" job. My brother lost his job (he worked at a place that was mostly seasonal income though open all year, some might consider it one of those "anything" jobs) and when his boss told him she said something like "You are the best employee I've ever had but you have kids to feed and you can make more on unemployment than I can pay you in the off season. I hope you are able to find good work. If not come back in the busy season and I'll see what I can do."

[pam]

What we need is the retirement age dropped to age 50. No one should be forced to retire but they should be offered complete retirement with full healthcare at age 50. That would open up the job market. Also have universal continuous unemployment paid to those not working. I believe some countries in Europe have continuous employment for the unemployed.

One thing is for sure - it's crazy to expect people to work until they drop dead of old age or something else. When people reach 50 it's time to retire and enjoy life. Spread money by traveling and living out your dreams and hobbies.

You make it sound like 50 is the magical age when people can't still contribute to the workforce. And with many who have spent years in education for their chosen profession, they are really in their prime of work at age 50. Plus many (myself included) still had children that were not adults at age 50.

HG you are almost 40...are you ready to retire financially in 10 years?

Also, who would pay for this full retirement with health benefits?

Edited January 16, 2012 by pam

[HoosierGuy]

You make it sound like 50 is the magical age when people can't still contribute to the workforce. And with many who have spent years in education for their chosen profession, they are really in their prime of work at age 50. Plus many (myself included) still had children that were not adults at age 50.

HG you are almost 40...are you ready to retire financially in 10 years?

Also, who would pay for this full retirement with health benefits?

No. And I said it would be voluntary. No punishment for staying in the workforce but they should be rewarded when they reach 50 and want to retire.

[john doe]

I have a better idea. Let's make working voluntary. If you don't feel like working anymore, no matter what your age, you just tell the government, and they will pay for you to live whatever kind of lifestyle you want for the rest of your life. The government will just give you a Government Card, and you can use it to pay for any expenses you want to have.

That way anyone who wants to work can do so, and they will be happy because they don't really have to work, they go to work because they want to. And anyone who doesn't want to work can stop anytime, and there is no stigma attached to that choice.

Free healthcare and money for everyone, that's what I say, and no limits to what people can get. If everyone on your street wants a Ferrarri, you can all go down together and buy one in every color of the rainbow, and race each other home. And if everyone wants a covered pool in their living room, I say we give it to them, they can just charge it on their Government Card, and the Government will pay for illegal aliens to come to your house to install it for free. Give the people what they want, after all, it's only fair. We all deserve to live like the rich, so we should just do it and not worry how much it will cost, that's such a minor detail anyway.

[Vort]

john doe, you are inspired. You have my vote for president!

[john doe]

john doe, you are inspired. You have my vote for president!

Well, that's twice as many as Huntsman is getting, so it's a start.

[Mahone]

"Grown-up"? "Responsible"?

Or maybe "foolish". When I was unemployed last year for an extended period, I wanted to get a part-time job at Home Depot. I would have made about as much as I was making on unemployment. I was told that I would receive no unemployment, because I would be employed. I argued that I WANTED to work and that I NEEDED the extra income. Didn't matter. If you're a professional making a professional's wage, you don't get any special consideration above the laborer. Work = no unemployment, plus you don't have as much time to look for work.

In a controversial move, I ended up not working at the Home Depot job. What can I say? I'm a slacker.

The other issue is that most job applications (at least here) require you to list your jobs in decending order. So, your previous job is the first job they see. Some of the less understanding headhunters won't even look at the rest of the resume/job application if they are trying to hire an experienced and qualified engineer, and the last place of work was mcdonalds as a burger flipper. This is particularly true if they have 100s of resumes on their desk, they'll only read the first part of each resume to save time - they don't care if you were an engineer in your penultimate job, there are dozens more in the pile that were working in the correct field in their last job.

I am not "too good" to do non-professional jobs, and if finances were so tight that it was this or on the street, then of course I'd do it. But there is a potential it could damage your chances of getting back into your chosen field of work in the long run, and it really would mean we'd have to have hit rock bottom for me to do it. This is not a status thing in any way at all.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Mahone

[pam]

No. And I said it would be voluntary. No punishment for staying in the workforce but they should be rewarded when they reach 50 and want to retire.

You didn't answer my question. Who would pay for this full retirement with benefits?

[Vort]

You didn't answer my question. Who would pay for this full retirement with benefits?

The government would pay, Pam. The government is an infinite source of money. Everyone knows that. If they run out, they just print up more.

[pam]

The government would pay, Pam. The government is an infinite source of money. Everyone knows that. If they run out, they just print up more.

Sounds like my kids when they were much younger. "Mom can you buy us this? "I don't have any money right now." "Just go to the machine mom."

[Gwen]

One problem my father in law had when he was job searching was that he was "over qualified" for the "lowly" jobs. He couldn't get a job delivering pizzas because he had once owned his own restaurant and been in restaurant management. They would rather hire the kids with no one to support than a man with experience and a family to feed.

[Guest]

One problem my father in law had when he was job searching was that he was "over qualified" for the "lowly" jobs. He couldn't get a job delivering pizzas because he had once owned his own restaurant and been in restaurant management. They would rather hire the kids with no one to support than a man with experience and a family to feed.

This really buggers me. My dad said this to me over and over when I was a woman wanting to become a programmer in the Philippines. My dad says - leave those jobs to the men who has to feed their family. You should be a teacher or a nurse because you can use those skills to raise your children.

Just because you got a kid doesn't make him less important than the guy with a family to feed. The kid benefits greatly from having a job - it teaches him responsibility, a work ethic, and the value of money - and that's not thinking he has to work so he can go to school and feed himself or help his parents with the household bills.

Nobody wants to hire over-qualified people because they feel those guys have a bigger chance of getting another job than the kid without any marketable skill beyond driving a car and carrying hot boxes.