Now, I understand that the decision to take a job at a retail store may be met with horror and disbelief by well-meaning friends who suspect that we have 'fallen upon hard times'. Let me assure you that this is not the case. My wife is quite secure in her well-paid position, and I am receiving monthly checks from Unka Sam (to pay me back for 45 years of grinding employment). Occasionally, I work on independent consulting or writing jobs which pay pretty well on the infrequent occasions when they come-up. Ends are being met. Bar bills are getting covered. There is no fiscal crisis.
More than a paycheck, what I was looking for is structure: A regular schedule that does not involve nights or weekends. In addition, as you all know, I have a lifelong dream of working at one of the "100 Best Places to Work in America." When I saw the ad in the paper for a new store for one of the companies on the list, within ten minutes traveling distance from home, I applied.
In her book "Nickel and Dimed" the author, who took a year off to work at various minimum wage jobs (eg, Associate at Wal-mart, Waitress at a Restaurant, Hotel Maid), noted that despite the fact that she had several academic degrees, none of those curricula prepared her in any way for the "unskilled" work she was doing. She discovered that she found the "menial" jobs difficult to master. She asserted that there is no such thing as "unskilled labor." Each task involved learning a specific process and sometimes the demands of a job were complex.
When I think back to my "Professional" career, I recall that many of the people I worked with (especially business users- were talented, but not particularly skilled. In fact, I now realize that managers are truly the unskilled labor force. Managers and used-car salesmen are the same type of people at different points on a continuum of Responsibility. I see management as a habit of mind, rather than a skill to be learned or taught. Leadership is an even more abstract personality trait that cannot be taught to others, any more than you can train someone to have a sense of humor.
I must confess that my work experience in the store, which have been physically gruelling, have given me a renewed sense of appreciation for some of those easy, high paying Hellhole jobs that I have been disparaging since I started this blog. (Remember, the definition of Hellhole is determined less by the nature of the work and the environment as by the Clue Quotient of management. As an overweight 62 year old, working on the receiving dock for a busy retailer is challenging, There is heavy lifting. Each man-jack has to pull his or her weight, which for me is considerable. There is a lot of corrugated cardboard packaging to be man-handled. Boxcutters are a standard tool. In the beginning, after my 5 hour shifts (which begin at 6am), I would come home, shower and then nap for several hours to recover. But now that I am in better condition, I am delighted to be out at 11am, free to go fishing or drink beer or both.
Strangely, I actually haven't minded getting up at the crack of dawn, working my ass off for what my old peers would call "short money", but learning things about merchandising and distribution that are not taught in any university. But, I admit that I am beginning to feel less enthusiastic about the job. The bloom is off the rose, as Pappy used to say.
During the first few weeks - before the store opened - the best and brightest mentors in the company have been on site. These folks were knowledgable, personable and confident. They were continually positive, encouraging and interesting. Now that the store is open, the B&B went back to their normal duties. Suddenly, the local management is pretty much on their own. They are a bit scared; and scared management tends to become micromanaging nitpickers. Needless to say, this is not an attractive leadership characteristic, in my opinion.
I've never been very good at following orders, I am reminded by those who know me. Micromanagers make me want to run for the hills. We are not talking Hellhole, yet. But the seeds are there.
I have lost 5 pounds, and I am quite pleased about that. The enforced exercise is great for my sense of well-being and other vital signs. But lately, I find myself day dreaming of a nice cubicle in a well-lit office, normal hours, no heavy lifting and the company cafeteria, and lunch.
I must go now and check my Careerbuilder job search.
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