Why You Need To Break Out Of Entry-Level Jobs

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I’m sitting in the driver’s seat of a Honda Odyssey, blocking a fire hydrant.This is my job. I’ve had this jobbefore, and as I wait for the meter maid to tap on my window, I realize this has to stop.

A standard production assistant gig pays just over $100 if you forget to negotiate a rate, and onthis particular shoot, I did. This is only the beginning of a 12-hour day, and it hits methat in this economy, while it’s acceptable to take any job, it’s notnecessarily a good move to do so. I’m 30 and have had real jobs before.

When you’re recently unemployed, there’s the temptation to take any job thatcomes into your inbox. This work model used to be fine. Straight out of school, a day jobhere and there could provide either a sample of future careers or, just as worthwhile, anactivity to break up a week of DVR and coffee. Whatever your motivation, you fill out theW-2 that magically turns into rent money and, congratulations, you’ve earned anothermonth of sporadic occupation.

Being 30 complicates things. When I was a kid,looking at Thirtysomething on the cover of TV Guide, I knew full wellthat those people were adults -- real grownups with kids and jobs and cars. To an extent,it’s safe to say that my generation is taking things slower. Kids and cars arepretty rare among my friends, and a majority of them are so used to being let go, thatwhen I told them about my recent sacking, the reaction was as indiscernible as if I hadtold them my favorite shows are Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad.Everyone’s used to it by now. This is the climate we live in, and there’s anacceptance that you have these jobs until you don’t.

When you findyourself out of a job, the most professional response is to find another one. Any job willdo. If there’s a resume handoverinvolved, it’s assumed that this job counts and you should take it as soon as youcan. After all, not taking the gig seems arrogant and rude to the person reaching out toyou. It is arrogant to turn down work. It is rude to discard a helping hand. But Ican’t help but wonder if, at a certain point, taking just any job becomesdetrimental. Continue Reading

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