BootsnAll Travel Community

The way I see it, there are 3 kinds of people in this Corporate-based working world:

1) People who prefer the desk job
2) People who hate, yet endure the desk job
3) People who would rather survive on Chef Boyardee and Tuna Cat Food then spend one moment of their lives as a corporate slave

I’m #2. But I think I’m speeding quickly toward #3. Hopefully, once I arrive, cat food cuisine won’t be a necessity. Although, tuna does sound pretty good right now.

What are you? And why do you think there are people out there who truly are #1s?

Where's my option?

People who refuse to have a desk job.

Worked behind a desk last in 1986 for a year and a half. Swore I'd never do it again.

And I never have.

quote:

Originally posted by Sophie9:
Where's my option?

People who refuse to have a desk job.

Worked behind a desk last in 1986 for a year and a half. Swore I'd never do it again.

And I never have.

Priviet! Good for you! You're now my inspiration. I'd say you're a definite #3...without having to eat out of a tin can to survive. Even better!

I think my fear is that leaving my desk job will mean living in poverty forever. Not a nice prospect.

I would classify myself as someone who enjoys a deskjob... but not all the time. I need to switch things up so I would say sitting at desk half and standing half - maybe much like a teacher or professor. ahh yes. I need a job that has many different tasks. I think more than anything i'd love having my own small business.

To survive outside of the grey cubicle is not easy.

My husband and I, we are both 'blue collar' workers. Neither of us can abide being stuck in the office atmosphere. And office politics are something I have absolutely no tolerance for. My husband does slightly better on this count. He can play the game where I just want to stick my fingers in my ears and sing La-La-La, I can't heeaarr you.....

There is a wonderful world of skilled labor that you should consider. No prestige mind you, but a paycheck and physical freedom.

I spent many years with a *certain* parcel delivery company, many years in the plant nursery business, and now I'm a groundskeeper. It's all hard work but it's freedom!

My husband is a skilled trades person. We made a living in America doing this and raised several children. We are now both doing it overseas.

It can be done!

I'm a #3. I quit doing desk jobs and corporate slaving 3.5 years ago. I changed it up for something I thought would be interesting (yet a much lower paying, 'blue collar' job). You learn a lot from not making much. I've become really good at bugetting from the whole process, and figuring out what I don't need. It's not such a bad lifestyle.

Don't think poverty. Think of what you're plan is after the desk job. Is there something else you want to pursue? Be it a creative job? Self employment? etc.

I am currently an unhappy worker.

I would say I am around #2. I don't mind the desk job, but I like getting out and doing things, too. I don't mind "the man," except times like this when the man gets a little too big for his britches and forgets how to act.

Sophie- thanks for the words that I need to get me over this hump of Last Corporate Job...
the trick is, now at 37, I want a baby...so "The Company" will pay the insurance...

But all day I've been thinking to myself, "no one ever sends pictures of their cubicle..."

Small business rocks! I read a consulting web page that predicts its coming back...that the era of Walmart is ending!

I more tolerate a desk job than anything. As ways to make money, it's definitely my preferred method. The thing is, in the economy I live in, things are reversed. Blue color workers can make more money than white color workers. So, while I'd prefer to not work at all, chosing to do the desk job thing is more of a lifestyle choice, and I'm happier doing it than doing field work, which would bore me to death.

I am a 2 -- the desk job hater. I am kind of lucky at the moment because my job requires me to move from one location to another throughout the day, which means I get to listen to lots of NPR and my rockin' homemade cd's, if I ever tire of Terry Gross and Neal Conan. Which, come on, Neal Conan. Meeeow!



The other good thing about my job is that I get summers off and lots of breaks throughout the year -- there really is something to working on an academic calendar that seems to suit me. I don't think I could ever go back to a year round job. My head would explode from all of the fluorescent tube lights.

Of course, one day someone will discover that I am a genius artist, and all of my desk days will be over.

quote:

Originally posted by girlgoesglobal:
What are you? And why do you think there are people out there who truly are #1s?

It sounds like you are assuming there are no #1s on the board, and being a #1 makes you an evil person.

Remember, there are all kinds here.

I could be number 1 or number 2..all depends on the job. If I loved what I was doing i could be chained to a desk and could care less.

I definitely prefer desk jobs. Well at least as a computer programmer since I don't have to follow typical corporate rules. The desk part doesn't bother me at all as long as I can wear whatever I want and start at whatever time I want and take as long a lunch and as many breaks as I want. I do have some restrictions since I have contact with our clients who work regular business hours but usually morning conference calls are done from home in my underwear Actually the worst part is when I have to travel to client sites since I have to wake up early and wear suits but at least I'm in a different city and earning miles and hotel points.

I'd never last at a job where I punched a clock or did manual labor. Counting the seconds till work is over sounds horrible to me. If I want to leave I just leave and finish my work the next day or from home later that night.

Sadly #2. Maybe if the USA had social health care I'd be #3.....

I am a #2...I dont really like it, but I am good at what I do and get paid for it....so I do it. I havnet yet had that spark to stop and move onto something else...yet.

I'm a #2. Don't like it but I'll put up with it because it pays for my trips.

I'm none of them.....

I'm a special librarian (meaning, a librarian who works in a special library) so I get the perks of working an office job (I can go to the bathroom when I want (can't always do that when you are a public or academic librarian!!!), leave early, work flexibly, get day after holidays off) with the perks of librarianship (yay!).

But I did a cube job and I hated it so, so, so much! I worked as a special library for a corporation (now I'm at a nonprofit whose goals I believe in!) and once, I came home and after reading my alumni newsletter, broke down crying hysterically. If I am a corporate drone, I am too miserable to exist.

Interesting thread. I've been in IT for 10 years and quit in March. We traveled until Sept and this week my partner started his new job, also in IT. I could be making A$100k a year if I stayed in IT but I hated it - not just the sitting in the cubicle - I can do that fine I'm naturally physically lazy! The problem is the useless of the work - I used to think I was hired for my intelligence - but that's just not the case and I have the mental bruises to prove it - being bright and smart is definitely not good in workplace politics! I thought I could handle the stress - but it took several months for me to stop needing 10+ hours sleep a night (I need about 7 now) and the weight just fell off with no effort of dieting from me!
I disparately don't want to go back - Ill clean or garden if I have to but I am currently living off my partner, which is scary Ive been self-supporting since I was 17, and trying to make a living off the internet. So far its only pocket money but maybe ...
Curiously after years of thinking I was addicted to travelling I have now come to the conclusion that I am addicted to not working for corporations and happen to like travel!

quote:

Originally posted by BillE:

quote:

Originally posted by girlgoesglobal:
What are you? And why do you think there are people out there who truly are #1s?

It sounds like you are assuming there are no #1s on the board, and being a #1 makes you an evil person.

Remember, there are all kinds here.

Evil? Hm, I don't see evil mentioned anywhere in my post. Except for my cube-mate whose head spins, I see no evil in being a #1. But I am curious what traits contribute to a #1 personality.

Try as I might, I'm not one. I'll never be cozy in a cube, though I deal with it for now. I don't know anyone happy with a cube job. But I know they exist, like the red-billed woodpecker, and I just wanted to spot one.

quote:

Originally posted by girlgoesglobal:And why do you think there are people out there who truly are #1s?

Because some find a zen like calm in consuming large amounts of vending machine-issued chocolate mini-donuts, chips, and prepackaged sandwiches. And Tab.