McJob [mək'dʒɒb]noun (informal) a job that is poorly paid and menial, is low prestige, low benefit, no future job in the service sector. 1[ETYMOLOGY: 20th Century: a humorous corruption of a major American fast-food enterprise.
These jobs, once associated with teenagers who need to work part time during school or with people of limited education or skills has now come to mean survival jobs for many of America’s workers as they find it increasingly difficult to find positions in their former industries and at comparable compensation levels. This terminology, officially recognized in new editions of the Merriam Webster dictionary, describes many service and retail positions with low wages and little opportunity to advance. Once a fertile ground for retirees who wanted some part time work and youngsters working their way through school, these jobs have become the survival jobs of a well trained, well educated workforce who have not been successful in finding work. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a survival job during a transition; it puts some change in your pockets and it is honest work. However, it is easy to fall into a 40 to 50 hour trap when your feelings of desperation turn into low self-esteem. The obvious key is not to give up looking for a career position at a level closer to your previous employment level. Using a McJob as a bridge while you make a career change, or to test an industry to see if it offers viable “going into business” opportunities is a good alternative during extended unemployment. Getting out of the underemployment trap, though, hinges on developing and implementing a master career plan.
A life long career plan is essential for everyone to keeping moving ahead throughout his or her entire working life. The survival level job should be considered a bump in the road in a journey that is mapped out to reach an ideal career position. Getting through this detour needs to begin with an assessment of skills, values, interests, and needs. Ask yourself questions about your life long interests look for patterns and themes in the activities that you have been involved in since childhood. Bobbi Marsh, Director of Crossroads, a program for women re-entering the workforce says, “Job Search should begin with career development. If you do not have access to a career development program, then go to the library and follow directions in available self-help books. For example, “What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard Nelson Bolles, the granddaddy of advice about how to reach your ideal career has many useful and insightful suggestions.. I like to have people list their hobbies, and ask them, what is it that you love talking about, what kind of magazine articles or TV shows are you attracted to? I also ask them, if you could spend every day exactly as you wished, what would you be doing?” Marsh also says, “it is very important to list transferable skills that you enjoy using. If you are working in a survival job, what new skills have you acquired in addition to those you already have? Have you learned scheduling, working with others in a team, helping customers, handling cash receipts, or knowing about airborne diseases? Then, write out a definition of success and take a look at your definition and how it can be aligned to your interests and work/life values. Values are the underlying principles that you feel strongly about or that guide your life. Self assessment will show the direction in which you need to moving.”
There are approximately 168 hours in a week, so working full time at a low paying repetitive task job still gives you time to focus on what you are good at and what industry is important to you. Using job search targeted strategies; you can also seek out new jobs constantly being created that are published on the first Friday of each month by the US government. companies who weren’t hiring yesterday or who downsized last week may have available positions because of promotions, terminations, retirement, family relocations or illness. Any of those reasons can present vacancies waiting to be filled by smart job seekers who are constantly targeting companies where they can use their transferable skills, and by networking appropriately Since the economy is swiftly changing, companies are transferring their jobs to foreign countries and the employment statistics and of job growth are discouraging, one must stay optimistic and well informed. Don’t succumb to the bad news headlines and TV reports. Marsh says, “Enroll in courses at a community college, in continuing education programs, and technical schools where training is provided that matches the current needs of the workforce. That initial training can take you a long way. Most of these courses are geared to already working people and scheduled to meet the different needs of their students. If you want to own your own business, the Small Business Development Centers at FAU hold classes all over the county.”
According to the Department of labor, Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, The economy will continue generating jobs for workers at all levels of education and training, although growth rates are projected to be faster, on average, for occupations generally requiring a postsecondary award (a vocational certificate or other award or an associate or higher degree), than for occupations requiring less education or training. Most new jobs, however, will arise in occupations that require only work-related training (on-the-job training or work experience in a related occupation), even though these occupations are projected to grow more slowly, on average.” The fastest growing occupations from 2000 to 2010 according to Department of labor information are in technology related occupations such as software applications, support specialists, systems software, network administrators, and database administrators. These jobs are available in most businesses and industries, not just the dot.com companies that are no longer in the labor picture. Medical and Health Care related positions are also on the rise as the aging of America continues. And, you don’t need a crystal ball to foresee the need for physical and occupational therapists, audiologists, fitness trainers and aerobics instructors. Create a career plan, do your research, enroll in appropriate training, stay aware of business trends, and you will.
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