Work Ethic

From the NYTimes: "The recession has sparked intense competition between young and old for entry-level jobs in stores, supermarkets and fast-food restaurants - and the seniors seem to be winning, The number of unemployed Americans ages 16 to 24 has fallen by 2 milllion over the past two years, while the number of workers 65 and older has risen by 700,000"

Can't say I'm surprised. I've had talks with any number of kids who can't understand that their lateness and mouthiness is, in fact, an undesireable habit and that firing usually results. "It's so unfair" and "I don't get it." Welcome to the real-world, kiddo. Those seniors are going back to work because they HAVE to - they're not messing around. They might not move quickly, but they work better than any three teenagers.

Let's add to the "Difference between School and the Real World" list:
No swearing - even if you think no one but your "boys" is listening. The hood - sorry, they have a uniform and it doesn't include your baseball hat on crooked and your pants around your thighs. Oh, and leave the phone off. No one is paying you to text and talk - if you keep it up, they'll fire you so you can text and talk all you want. You don't get "sick days" or "Didn't-feel-like-it days." Your opinions are worthless because they're based on 18 minutes of experience in a job and 18 years of your mother telling you how wonderful you are (and even she didn't believe it all the time).

No one cares about your dignity and no one will give you any respect and no one is giving you a raise any time soon. Show up, do your job, and prove yourself. It'll take a while to shake off the bad taste they have for whining teenagers.

Just sayin'