Post: #1

So I always heard stories about guys who started working at Big Company X as some shit kicker (mail clerk, data entry, whatever) and with hard work and diligence worked their way up and ended up having pretty cushy desk jobs that were fairly easy and paid decent.

My question is, where do you find these? I've been browsing all the job finder sites daily for about two weeks, and I'm not seeing any of these. Am I looking for the wrong key words? Or are employers inflating the job title and requirements to make it look more difficult and not applicable (even though it is) to guys who dont have any experience in the corporate world?

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #2

I don't know what stories you heard, but the stories I've heard involved people who worked their asses off & showed above average interest in the company. And the end job wouldn't be considered cushy. Andrew Carnegie is one example.

I can think of one exception, and it was a guy who started as a janitor working at the place since the beginning and was friends with the owner.

Post: #3

I've heard it from a lot of older family.members who started at the bottom and worked up. Is this concept just gone in this day and age?

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #4

Kinda feel like the problem is the babyboomers still have these jobs. Sprinkle in some over population and I think you go a long way to figuring out how most of the 99% ended up where they are. (Just not enough good jobs)

Post: #5

thats going to be harder to do in the corporate world in this day and age. the best way to do that would be to find a relative, friend, whatever, who you admire and has a nice business. latch onto him/her, follow him or her around all day, do whatever that person needs to make yourself valuable, and grow that way.

Post: #6

The problem is that people aren't sticking with the same company for 20+ years anymore. My dad started at the bottom and worked his way up but that's almost unheard of now. Companies are bringing in new faces to keep up with competition and employees are switching to whomever is going to sign a higher paycheck. Company loyalty has gone down the drain for the most part. Sure going up one rung from assistant manager to manager is a common occurrence, but I doubt going from the mail room to CEO is going to happen unless you have an in from the beginning.

My suggestion is to get the experience necessary and then move up the rung on your own, even if you have to switch companies a few times.

Post: #7

I'm attempting to move up at the moment, but where I'm working now has no middle management position to speak of, and until someone quits/gets fired i'm stuck. I've shown a lot of interest in jumping roles and getting out of the kitchen and into a management position but they've actually told me I'm TO GOOD at what I do, if they take me out of the kitchen the whole place is gonna go to shit because I almost literally fix every problem that arises on a daily basis.

Sorry, this thread is a tad unnecessary, but needed to vent my frustration at the job market, tried to make it constructive to others.

What about government jobs? I've been told that Uncle Sam is pretty good for sticking in one spot and moving up.

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men

Post: #8

Uncle Sam is pretty much the cushiest gig there is out there but they're not the easiest jobs to get.

Post: #9

Chad,

Try getting into contracting/temp agencies to get into the door and make the connections.

Post: #10

(10-06-2011 04:16 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  I'm attempting to move up at the moment, but where I'm working now has no middle management position to speak of, and until someone quits/gets fired i'm stuck. I've shown a lot of interest in jumping roles and getting out of the kitchen and into a management position but they've actually told me I'm TO GOOD at what I do, if they take me out of the kitchen the whole place is gonna go to shit because I almost literally fix every problem that arises on a daily basis.

I read it somewhere and forgot who said it, but you have to be replaceable. How can you be promoted when they can't find a replacement for you? I know it seems counter-intuitive, but if you are too good at your current job they are not going to want to promote you.

It seems a little too late for your current job, but in the future you have to let them know that you plan on moving up the ladder. Don't let them think you are content because you are amazing at your current job. It appears that you're at a dead end and your best option is to find a management position at another company.

There is no use waiting for someone to quit/get fired. You can't let your future fall into someone else's hands.

Post: #11

Best thing to do is start your own company. That's what I did. Even if you don't make a lot of money from it (I still don't), it at least gives you and Ace-in-the-hole.
Did you ever see the movie BOILER ROOM? There's a poignant line at the beginning:

"Nobody wants to work for it anymore. There's no honor in taking that after school job at Mickey Dee's, honor's in the dollar, kid."

Post: #12

The government is indeed a good place to park if you want to stay in the same place for years and move up internally.

Good luck doing this anywhere else. Everyone ELSE you work with will be moving around constantly, and when you get new bosses they often want to bring along their old subordinates and you'll be out the door.

Post: #13

(10-06-2011 04:16 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  I'm attempting to move up at the moment, but where I'm working now has no middle management position to speak of, and until someone quits/gets fired i'm stuck. I've shown a lot of interest in jumping roles and getting out of the kitchen and into a management position but they've actually told me I'm TO GOOD at what I do, if they take me out of the kitchen the whole place is gonna go to shit because I almost literally fix every problem that arises on a daily basis.

Sorry, this thread is a tad unnecessary, but needed to vent my frustration at the job market, tried to make it constructive to others.

What about government jobs? I've been told that Uncle Sam is pretty good for sticking in one spot and moving up.

If you current job said you "too good" they're lying. They don't want to promote you tbh. That's like a girl telling you you're "too nice", she doesn't literally mean it. Idk why but you should look elsewhere.

Re: gov't jobs, competition will be tough. The highest paying fed jobs are at the FAA, air-traffic controllers. I think they start at 40-55k depending on the city. Where I live most entry-level gov't jobs are held by women, who get promoted b/c they just stuck there like barnacles.

My advice is either:
1) Assess your talent and brainstorm a small-business or..
2) Pull a David Geffen aka lie on your job application elsewhere to get the job you want.

Post: #14

(10-07-2011 07:45 AM)ColSpanker Wrote:  Best thing to do is start your own company. That's what I did. Even if you don't make a lot of money from it (I still don't), it at least gives you and Ace-in-the-hole.
Did you ever see the movie BOILER ROOM? There's a poignant line at the beginning:

"Nobody wants to work for it anymore. There's no honor in taking that after school job at Mickey Dee's, honor's in the dollar, kid."

Amen

Post: #15

(10-05-2011 06:42 PM)Chad Daring Wrote:  So I always heard stories about guys who started working at Big Company X as some shit kicker (mail clerk, data entry, whatever) and with hard work and diligence worked their way up and ended up having pretty cushy desk jobs that were fairly easy and paid decent.

If you're a dude, you're not getting any of these low level assistant type jobs anymore. Every single job that is some kind of assistant, clerk, secretarial work, paper pushing, etc. will go to a female. I applied to tons of these jobs where I met the requirements just to start working and didn't get any responses at all.

You might be able to find something like data entry, but those are extremely rare.

Post: #16

I met a girl working at a pharmacy that's going to school to be an xray technician.
The school is very short, only six months to two years, I forgot, and they make a lot according to her, 100 k.

You need something to diferentiate you as an immediate profit source, just having a degree and no particular IMMEDIATELY MONEY-MAKING SKILL for your employer makes you more of a risk than an immediate benefit.

The xray technician brings in money immediately from the insurance companies.

Government jobs ( how I retired on a pension) are different in that the people above you don't view you as a cost, they view you as help getting the stuff done. And at most government jobs they don't want to fire you, because they all are risk averse and the don't want that kind of climate.

Also, a lot of government jobs are positive, (not maybe IRS or DEA) regardless of what flat-earther libertarians scream about. I helped place people in nursing homes, and made sure people who were disabled got placed in the right facility for their care. Compare that to working for Goldman-Sacks [sic] ripping off everyone in sight in the (cough cough) "free market" ( free if you're a .001 percenter)

Post: #17

Chad, For years I've heard from old guys who are successful "Go with what you know"

They said you were too good in the kitchen. So?

One that I've never seen done is Paleo/Atkins type of place for fast food. Develop a menu/model and pitch to investors. I'm sure the guys here would help with the pitch.

You could call it McCavemans and hire the Gieco dudes for commercials

Post: #18

Might have something in Bethesda if it's not already filled Chad. Shoot me a text so I don't forget.

That said, it's rare for people to "work their way up" in 2012. You have to kind of move up the ladder sideways... jump from company to company or position to position. People just don't make a career out of one straight path anymore... generally speaking.

Post: #19

(01-22-2012 11:56 AM)el mechanico Wrote:  Chad, For years I've heard from old guys who are successful "Go with what you know"

They said you were too good in the kitchen. So?

One that I've never seen done is Paleo/Atkins type of place for fast food. Develop a menu/model and pitch to investors. I'm sure the guys here would help with the pitch.

You could call it McCavemans and hire the Gieco dudes for commercials

I was actually just thinking of doing a paleo restaurant the other day, youd have to make it gourmet because you can get a lot of things other places and people LOVE their carbs. Also seems like a niche market.

Post: #20

Maybe someone already posted it. But I didn't read replies.

Look, I stopped reading when you said, "job boards."

You don't find good gigs through the Internet.

You gotta get out there, talk to guys at the gym, talk to older guys if you see them at the bar, chill at a hotel bar.

In the modern economy, you need either superior credentials or superior contacts. If you don't have the former, get busy on the latter.

Post: #21

(01-22-2012 12:04 PM)Gmac Wrote:  Might have something in Bethesda if it's not already filled Chad. Shoot me a text so I don't forget.

That said, it's rare for people to "work their way up" in 2012. You have to kind of move up the ladder sideways... jump from company to company or position to position. People just don't make a career out of one straight path anymore... generally speaking.

I'm realizing this now. Hell my GM straight told me this. I told him that I want to grow with the account thats increased since I've been there, his advice to me was to apply at OTHER accounts.

Chef In Jeans
A culinary website for men