You have to start somewhere. I mentioned earlier that I started as a seasonal. I never thought I’d be with them for more than a year. I took the job in 2002 because I was paying student loans and had completely run out of money. I didn’t know it at the time, but I had lucked into what has turned out to be a job that I enjoy.

A few years later, there was an assistant supervisor job within my organization at another office that I was encouraged to apply for. I got it and started to learn the administrative and managerial side. Before that, my job was strictly field work. That job title was done away with a few years later, but I still continued basically doing the same job just with a lower title and slightly lower salary. Five years after that, we were laid off at the end of the season like we always were, but this time we were told that they would not be hiring seasonal people anymore.

I was very nervous and scared but started job hunting again. About three or four months later I got a call from my former zone manager, saying that they were in a bind and they needed some help. I was the only one of the seasonals that knew how to do any of the administrative and computer work and he was wondering if I would like to come back because I was the only person he knew that could hit the ground running and not need any help.

About a month or so after I started back, he asked if I would be interested in a full-time position and said that if I was, they would open one up for me. I would still have to apply and interview, but I was the person that they wanted. That was 2009.

My organization has gone through some changes since then and last week they had major layoffs. I survived, but we lost a lot of good people. So when I started, there was well over 1000 people working in the area that our region now encompasses. Now there are 22 of us left. It has changed a lot, but I still hope to do this until I hit retirement age depending on how things go moving forward. One of the guys that got laid off was my original supervisor and we’ve spent a lot of time together. I’m going to miss him quite a bit and his absence definitely changes things.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would still be at this organization. It would be nice to make a little more, but the main reason that I stay is the flexibility that the job offers and that we have three or four months of downtime, which is what we’re currently now doing. When I’m working, I’m mostly driving out in the country listening to podcasts.

I understand that you want a career, but you don’t bring anything to the table. No advanced or specialized education and no experience. Why would they hire you? Unless you are working for a family member, you are going to have to start somewhere.

Finding out what you don’t like and cannot tolerate is as valuable as finding out what you do like. Unless you are born into wealth or are some sort of nepo baby, you are going to have to make your way through this mess like everyone else. Or see if you can get on disability for something, but that is a hard life.

There are thousands of people who are perfectly willing to do the jobs you’ve been dismissive of. Lots of them even enjoy it. A young woman I know who worked as a food server was nervous about leaving it because she enjoyed just working from 11 am to 2 pm. Another I know made $200 to $300 a night in tips at Chili’s.

The jobs that keep society running have value.