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What’s Your (Post-Secondary) Motivation?

Recently, during a higher education panel, the issue of “following one’s passion” arose. More than one participant grew visibly uncomfortable with the concept. Sure it’s a lovely thought and one that’s uttered ad nauseum in coming of age films/novels. But does it actually make sense when discussing 17-18-year-old’s education and career decisions?

It is the rare adolescent who knows that being a surgeon/lawyer/steam-pipe fitter is his/her destiny. It does happen, but it is rare. Most jobs/careers aren’t exactly a calling. There aren’t a whole lot of financial analysts or fundraisers who dressed in little bland casual Friday outfits and played number crunching as children. If we’re lucky work is mostly a pleasant environment in which we are fairly compensated for utilizing a majority of our talents. Encouraging a teenager to pursue post-secondary education as a means to one’s passion is not useful. It not only ignores the reality of the workplace and economy but also is misleading for the student.

“Following one’s passion” in regards to employment is about as useful a term as “having it all.” They both smack of a certain entitlement and haughtiness. They are vague enough to be appropriate for waiting room posters and meaningless in one’s actual life. What does “following one’s passion” mean in terms of a teenager choosing an educational/training path? Do we really mean to suggest that what an 18-year-old finds exciting will never alter? (I shudder to even consider that suggestion.) Wouldn’t it be far more helpful to discover what a teenager finds interesting?

Getting good grades in English doesn’t necessarily mean you should be an English major and then find a job in an English-y field. Depending on the curriculum of said class, a good grade might reflect; being a good analytical thinker, a good writer, a good communicator or having a finely tuned ear for language or that the reading selections for the class were just of particular interest to the student. Grades only tell part of the story. A poor student is not necessarily a poor learner. He/She may be wildly curious about a subject outside of the academic curriculum. He/She might be incredibly gifted with their hands; an artist, baker, craftsmen.

Secondary education/training (for better or worse) is no longer about staring off onto the idyllic ivy-strewn quad and thinking deep thoughts. It is (at times) a very expensive undertaking that must deliver a return on investment. For many it is also a one-time only offer. Life doesn’t always allow for continuing education. What will put a young person in good stead is to pursue post-secondary training/education that is of interest and is useful. Pursuing an area of interest ensures that one will feel engaged with one’s work/studies. “Interest” is far more lasting and tangible than “passion.”

For those teenagers who will not be concerned with earning a living; follow your passion or lie by the pool. But for everyone else it is probably best to remember that the world simply cannot support that many ballerinas. If you pay close attention you will find work that makes you happy and supports a life that allows you to dance.

3 Comments

Posted by Anonymous on August 23, 2012 in Education

Tags: Brenda Tobias, College, craftsmen, post-secondary education, trades, Workplace

He Works Hard For The Money

21 May

It would appear that men are doing “women’s work.” More men are cropping up in ‘pink collar’ jobs. At first glance one could presume that traditionally ‘pink’ jobs (i.e., health care, home care, etc.) are a growing field and that is where the jobs are. But a little more digging indicates that there is something larger afoot.

There was a time that the crassness of the business world or the filth of the industrial world was just too horrible for a women to endure. If she were to work, it should be in jobs that weren’t too taxing to her delicate sensibilities (you know, like caring for people in the throws of debilitating disease.) She should not have to dirty her hands in factories or investment banking, but instead stay unsullied wiping both ends of children. Women had little choice but to flock to the pink ghetto, as that was often the only place hiring. Monolithic institutions had distinct gender rules within. In a high school, the principal would be a man, the nurse a woman, the lunch aide was female, the janitor male. A few teachers would be male, after all someone needed to teach science and coach sport. Hospitals were filled with men and women; in very specific roles: messy and personal was for women, highly technical or requiring heavy lifting went to men.

The bifurcation of our work world has had everything to do with sectors of work not being worthy of the special gifts and talents of men. Is it that surprising that in the 21st century, men and women do not see their skills as tied to their gender?

For those bypassing higher education, the workplace landscape has changed. Manufacturing jobs have slipped away and the service industry has grown. This could explains the rise in male nursing and dental assistants. But educated men are flocking to teaching. They say they are more attracted to a satisfying profession (and clearly they define “satisfying” differently than their fathers and grandfathers did.)

How interesting these developments are. Everything is cyclical, surely it is. Every generation is convinced they are discovering the world anew or in touch with truths that eluded their parents. No doubt there will be another swing in society soon. However the reason that this particular development warrants notice is what it could mean for the work world. For better or (and who are we kidding) WORSE, when men get involved voices are heard. When a man does a job, it’s seen as being serious. Consider funeral homes for a moment. Is caring for and grooming of the dead somehow less delicate than caring for the small or infirmed? Is arranging flowers and music, providing tissues and cooing over the bereaved a distinctly masculine trait? Not in my experience. Yet, the (traditionally male) profession is seen as not just respectable but admirable.

Male special skills and talents may not differ from those of women, but their power certainly does. It’s absurd to pretend otherwise. Having men in professions previously relegated to the pink ghetto will have a powerful ripple effect.

How Lovely To Be A Woman*

28 Feb

If you have been in the vicinity of a woman under 27 in recent years, you have undoubtedly found yourself asking “is she asking me that or telling me that?” Putting a question mark at the end of every sentence began as a teenage affectation and has migrated into the adult world. If you have spent anytime in the workplace? You have heard the inflection? Time and time again? Like the co-worker of a Tourette’s sufferer, you politely pretend it’s not happening (and later slam your head against your office wall.) I would probably have far fewer dents in my head if it weren’t for the fact that I have never, ever met a young man who engages in oratory self-doubt. I’m willing to acquiesce that the question mark had the same genesis as the nervous tic of “like” or dotting “i”s with smiley faces. They are all just proof of the herd mentality of finding one’s adolescent individuality. But surely college and then the workplace are not smiley face life stages. (Oh my, there’s probably software for that now. It’s only a matter of time when doctoral thesis will be turned in with little smiley faces doting the “i”s. Ph.D candidates will march across the podium to receive their diploma emblazoned with the 7th grade spelling they created of their name – “Bahrbra” “Stacye” “Sharyn”)

The ubiquitous question mark is disturbing for its implication of uncertainty. One need only hear Molly Wei testifying in the Rutgers University invasion of privacy case for proof. This serious, well-groomed and coached witness, ends every sentence with a question mark. Hopefully the jurors all have teenage girls at home. There is nothing new about women (of any age) altering their voice for effect. We can all think of at least a dozen performers or celebrities who have adopted breathy/baby voices. Performers do that. It’s what’s called performing. But when a sales associate? or account manager? ends every sentence with a question mark? It’s about something else.

A delayed adolescence and all the insecurities that accompany it are on full (somewhat cringe inducing) display. Walk through a large office and note the identical manicures, outfits, handbags, sunglasses, tech toys. It’s like walking through a high school. There was a time when being old enough to work meant being old enough to have an identity. While I admit (very begrudgingly) that television shows are not exactly the same as social anthropology, it is interesting to note the WJM newsroom. Even if you were from Mars, you would never confuse Mary with a visiting Rhoda or Phyllis. They all had a distinct style and sound. (Sue Ann Nivens was her own best creation, but was a bit older than the other women.) Was there ever a better voice manipulator than Mary? Whether she was “Rob”ing or “Mr.Grant”ing you would never confuse her with anyone else. Isn’t that the point?

Whether it’s habit, insecurity, or immaturity, it’s time to stop. See all those strings/rubber bracelets on your wrist? Snap one every time you hear your voice go up. I promise you, in just a matter or weeks you will lose the tic and before you know it; find you voice.

“How lovely to be so grown-up and free! Life’s lovely when you’re a woman like me!” – Kim Macafee (age 15) Bye Bye Birdie – Lee Adams, 1960

The Mad Men Guide To Life

13 Feb

Does anything more need to be said about the brilliance of Mad Men? The production value soars above most cable series and the story lines have not faltered. The series has benefited tremendously from continuously casting relatively unknown actors. Above else, unlike most retro productions, they get very little wrong. Credit the producers for perhaps having been alive during the early 1960s or at least having the good sense to hire people who were. Mad Men is 99.44% anachronism free.

While much of the period perfect depictions seem quaint and distant, there is much that is timeless. Every generation thinks they are covering new terrain and making new discoveries. Every twist and turn in life seems unique and in need of a brand-new solution. But there is much to gain from being reminded of the continuity of life and its annoyances.

Work is Demanding – Long before instant communication, Peggy was working nights and weekends. Personal lives were impinged upon with after-hours work related functions. Before technology companies put playrooms and free dry cleaning in the workplace (to keep workers at the office) companies had coffee carts. Break rooms, sandwich machines and even office bars, were designed to keep workers in the workplace. Work has never been fair or nice. Meetings will happen without you, you will be left off of organizational charts and someone might just run a lawn mower over your foot.

Thin and Pretty Sells – There is nothing new about selling a female ideal. Media has been single minded in its affair with pretty, young thin women. Before Spanx, there were girdles. Creating a perfect form was a rite of passage for a young woman. Pointed bras bore no more resemblance to the human breast than the wonderbra of today. Before diet shakes, there was melba toast and cottage cheese. Women carried lovely little boxes of (deadly) saccharin in their purses and smoked like chimneys to avoid eating. Clothing was expensive and spandex wasn’t invented yet, so not being able to zip your dress meant not being able to leave the house.

Marriage is a Mystery – From a wedding guest’s perspective, do any two people really belong together? Don cheats with the same woman, over and over again. He craves emotional attachment with an intelligent, professional brunette, but married Betty. Kitty is happily married to Sal, a man who doesn’t want Ann-Margret, he wants to be Ann-Margret. Joan, in her early thirties, with a panic she feels deep in her bones, grabs what looks like a gold ring. There is nothing new about making fear based choices and there rarely is anything good that comes from it. Joan married beneath her on so many levels, and we wait for the “we regret to inform you” letter from the war department.

Fake it Till You Make It – The only people who don’t at one time or another feel like a fraud are sociopaths. Everyone, regardless of achievement or talent has feared being found out. Don struggles with that issue most of his adult life. Joan, herself her greatest creation, visibly stumbles at times. Peggy, a woman whose emotional sophistication belies her tender years, forces herself past those moments. She gets the job, the haircut, the wardrobe, and the office, incrementally and with intent. She always had the talent, if not the experience, but by the time she’s done with herself, she looks like a competent middle manager (at 23.)

Parenting isn’t Pretty – Glossy magazines aside, there’s nothing pretty about raising children. Betty didn’t feel the need to self-censor when she likened the presence of her children in her car to that of horse poop. The children misbehaved and developed strange behaviors, they refused to eat and sleep, they got sick at the most inopportune times and mixed a pretty lousy drink. But parenting was made a little easier, not just because of the drinking and sedatives, but because of a bit of emotional distance. When little Sally ran amok in the house (with a dry cleaning bag on her head) her mother was concerned about the mess, but not enough to put out her cigarette and interrupt her adult conversation.

Experience Breeds Calm – There is much to savor in getting older, even during the youth revolution of the 1960s. Bert Cooper is a sage beacon of calm during many a storm. Sure, he knows firsthand how to succeed in business, but it’s more than that. His Eastern sensibilities and embracing of modern art, speak to a man who is taking a big bite out of life. He enjoys the fruits of his labor and has a deep generosity of spirit. He takes his relationships as seriously as he does his job. He is not feared but revered, a management lesson, yes, but also a life lesson.

3 Comments

Posted by Anonymous on February 13, 2012 in Childhood, Cultural Critique, Style

Tags: Brenda Tobias, culture 1960s, Mad Men, Workplace

There’s Gotta Be Something Better To Do*

17 Jan

The world of work has changed dramatically in this country during the past fifty years. If we conjure “work” from the early 1960s, most of us will flash on some sort of variation on Mad Men. Homogeneity in the workplace was de rigueur, and many retired from the very same company with which they began their work life. Unskilled labor opportunities were somewhat divided between manufacturing and the service industry. Labor was pretty well organized during this period and again it would not be unusual to retire from the same factory/department store where one began their work life.

While we still have a fair share of light manufacturing in this country, most would agree that the service industry makes up the majority of our unskilled labor industry today. The funny thing about the service industry is that the world sees you working. Most of us would have little cause to witness an administrative assistant at work, but we’ve all probably seen a home health aide or shop assistant. And from where I’m standing, it would appear that we are the only people watching.

Recently I have observed a desire by (what we consider) unskilled workers to make their job as small as possible. Some of this should be attributed to self-check out for customers, automated phone trees and the like. But some of it is clearly a lack of training and professional development programs. No doubt most of us had (or have) jobs at which the clock moves very very slowly. It makes the day all the more endless to do less! When the check-out woman at the (relatively gourmet) food store tells me to move my reusable shopping bags to exactly where she likes them, I have to wonder. Her arms are fully engaged in checking her cell phone, so we know it’s not a mobility issue. Her eyes do not need to scrutinize prices, as she only need sweep them in the general vicinity of the scanner. She is not distracted by the register as I am checking myself out with a credit card. There is no heavy lifting to speak of as gourmet tidbits rarely come in bulk. So why would she want to make her job as robotic as possible? No doubt she tires of waiting on people who might be paying a bit too much for that pound of coffee. However, acting sullen and hostile is not always the most direct path to management. Where exactly is her supervisor in this story?

The service industry can be a very rewarding career option. Working in retail needn’t be the least bit mind numbing or dead end. The same is true for any number of service sector jobs. The industry, by its very nature, often attracts those with the least amount of formal education. All classes and cultures have a slightly different orientation towards work. The great equalizer should be the workplace. It is in the best interest of the employer and the economy, to train workers and illuminate their way towards a lifelong career. It would not be realistic or sustainable to expect independent companies to have training and professional development guidelines in place. But certainly any company or agency doing business with any branch of government need to demonstrate their commitment to their employees. High schools could have a huge impact on workplace readiness, either with mandatory internships or classes.

Work has changed, industry has changed, higher education has changed and work readiness has definitely changed in the last fifty years. When manufacturing was our largest (unskilled) employer, changes were made to the (once heralded) assembly line to address the needs of the worker. Our economy is now sufficiently shifted to do the same for service workers.

*There’s Gotta Be Something Better Than This – Cy Coleman & Dorothy Fields, Sweet Charity (1966)

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Tag Archives: Workplace

What’s Your (Post-Secondary) Motivation?

He Works Hard For The Money

How Lovely To Be A Woman*

The Mad Men Guide To Life

There’s Gotta Be Something Better To Do*

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