When you just finished college and are searching for a job, it is hard to know your worth, and you’ll at times take jobs that aren’t paying you for what you are worth. You might be working harder and longer than any other person in that company but still won’t be paid what you are worth because you don’t have any experience in that specific industry. I get how this feels because we have all been through this, and it is the make of the game when it comes to working your first official job.
With the age of the internet, there is a lot of information that is readily available to us, and this also means that there are a lot of myths that get shared on social media and, with time, they enter the zeitgeist. So, without further ado, let’s learn and demystify some of the pretty popular myths about the workplace.
#Myth 1- Nobody loves their jobs
This is also completely unfounded and has been perpetuated by baby boomers who stayed in the same job for 65 years because they were taught they could achieve any better. Movies and television sitcoms also perpetuate this myth. Some jobs are unlovable, but that depends on the individual themselves, but once you find a job that you like, then you will see that you will love going to work.
This myth is rooted in part of past office culture but is increasingly diminishing in the modern workplace because people no longer feel that they have to stay in a job that they don’t like anymore. People usually leave their job if they feel unsatisfied with their office job. This is because workplaces are becoming more and more innovative to satisfy their employee and make the workplace more fun.
#Myth 2- Longer hours mean more productivity
When we think about traditional jobs, we think about 9 to 5, but we, Gen Z, know that this is not the end all be all when it comes to jobs nowadays. Work is more flexible and expansive; you can get nontraditional jobs like being an influencer, a social media manager, or even a content writer. The norm and this conventional 9 to 5 is not meant for everyone. To quote, a queen herself, Dolly Parton:
“Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living.
Barely getting by; it’s all taking and no giving.
They just use your mind, and they never give you credit.
It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.”
The myth that employees are the most productive between these specific hours of the day is entirely unfounded, and research has shown that different people have different internal clocks. Not everyone is productive at the same time. According to studies, taking a small break every hour or so can make you more productive.
Final Thoughts and Advice
Set boundaries, don’t overwork yourself for a company that isn’t paying you what you are worth. If you are working just for the experience, then bestie, bite the bullet until you have enough experience to get a better and higher-paying job. If you feel undervalued, then get another job because there are plenty of fish in the sea. At the end of the day, your employees don’t care about you and would replace you with a robot; the second, it becomes cheap enough. Treat your jobs (any jobs for that matter) as stepping stones to get where you want to be in life.
Quit as often as necessary and don’t sacrifice your worth, creative juices, and especially not your mental health for a low-paying job that doesn’t value you. The loyalty and logic that you have to stay in a company till you are 60 or retired even if you hate that job are unhealthy and a ridiculous standard. The point of working is getting ahead and creating a better life for yourself, and you should do anything you can (of course, this excludes hurting others) to do that. Communicate your value and know what you are worth. Then ask twice as much because people will always pay your lower than what you are worth!
Remember, not everything you see or read online is true, I’m not the first nor the last one to say this, but this is a reminder that people need today. Sound off in the comments section below and tell us what you want to read next!
