Guess what? Just because you have a degree doesn’t mean that you’re entitled to a job. Just because you came in for an interview, doesn’t mean that you’re entitled to get hired. Just because you did great work for 3 months, doesn’t mean you’re entitled to remain in your position for the next year.
Recently I’ve been noticing more and more of this attitude of entitlement (specifically in the tech industry) and I don’t like it. Where did it come from?
Perhaps the attitude stems from the belief that going to college and getting a degree will guarantee you a great job. However, oftentimes this isn’t the case. Simply getting your degree doesn’t mean that you’re going to be good at your job. In fact, it most likely means that you won’t be that great at your job because you haven’t had real-world experience.
The sooner that you realize you aren’t guaranteed anything, the better off you are going to be. The reason is simple: you will work harder and be more motivated to do better in school, at your job, or in your personal life.
A Note on Complaining
Something else I have very little tolerance for in the tech field is the constant complaining that happens.
“Ugh, I have to work an extra hour today.”
“Man, they don’t have a game-room in their office.”
“We seriously don’t have a standing desk?”
I mean, honestly?
Most of the time the person who is complaining about things like this has never worked a physically-intense job. Framing, throwing bags, landscaping, etc. I wonder if it was required for people to work at a physically-intense job for 6 months before applying for a position in the tech field if the morale and attitudes would change?
Look, is everything easy and peachy all the time? Absolutely not.
Do we have it better than most people on this Earth as well as this country? Yes.
You get to come in to work every single day, sit at a desk, and do something you love. On top of that, you’re getting paid for it!
I don’t know why I decided to write about this today but it’s been something I’ve been thinking about for some time. I would challenge you to stop thinking that you are entitled to a certain job or pay level, and to stop complaining about things that really aren’t that big of a deal.
I’m writing this to myself as much as to anyone else, by the way. We can all use a little reminder of how lucky we are.
/rant.