Living in a thriving and rapidly growing city in a small tourism-based island has taught me a few things about the way employers think when they are hiring new personnel. Having a few friends that worked, or still work, in some of the big name companies of the island, and having a father who used to manage the sales department personnel in his firm, I’ve seen both sides of the picture, so I can firmly talk about it.
A lot of teenagers, including myself, usually take the first job they come across, when they’re starting off. As soon as they do, it doesn’t take long for them to realize that they’re getting the short end of the stick, while their boss is taking in all the green bills.
This explains why service quality is so poor in most low-paying establishments, like in fast food restaurants.
A rule of thumb that a lot of people take is:
If I’m not going to get payed any extra money, why should I put in any extra effort?
It’s easy for any unmotivated person to follow that rule, and stick to what they have to do, instead of what they could. It makes sense for them to act in that manner, it’s the employee’s way of expressing his dissatisfaction with his position, it’s his way of thinking that he is getting back to his employer for paying him such a low amount of money.
Your employer couldn’t care less if your doing job properly or not
And this is something that everyone looking for a first, or a low paying job, should consider. Just like you showed up for the first interview, others will. There are dozens, maybe hundreds of people, ready to fill your shoes, and feel the same way you do now.
So now you’re probably thinking “Does this mean that I’m on a lose-lose situation?”
No, you’re not.
Your employer made a large investment, he put in an amount of money to start, or run the business that you will never be able to match with your earnings. He needs to make more money than you to keep the business running, he took the chance, risked his money, and created a job for you. He’s not a saint, he’s just someone trying to get by, as you are. The only difference is that he has more money to risk and invest, and you don’t.
If your working place is doing great, and making good revenues, your boss will most likely consider expanding. But he will need to gather trustworthy people in order to do that. That is where you might come in.
He’s not a saint, but he has everything on the line, while you have nothing. If your shop has to close down, you move to another job and start over. It’s not as easy for your boss as it is for you.
Not all contributions you can give to your job are money-related, but at the end of the day, it is money that keeps your job going or not. Unless your boss is cruel, and greedy, he will appreciate any extra effort you put in. Because all that effort does measure up at some point, and your company will feel that. You have to understand that it’s something that is not easily measurable.
If you work in a diner, and you take the extra time to help close down the shop, or clean the logo outside, your boss will appreciate it. But there’s no way he can account for it. He can’t witness your work and say “he cleaned the balcony when he didn’t have to, I’ll give him $5 extra in his pay check”.
Don’t look at your position as the one of a slave.
YOU are the customer.
You are the one looking for the right job, the right employee, the right colleagues. You can move on effortlessly, and leave your job behind, but your employer can’t do the same.
If you do happen to find a bad job, and you probably will, just make sure that when you leave it things are better than they were when you got in. That way they’ll feel the difference, and who knows, maybe your former boss will come to his senses and figure out how, or that he should have, accounted for void you left behind.
Take your time finding the proper job, don’t settle too soon if you don’t have to, and specially if you’re not satisfied with the job you got.