I don’t see anything inherently bad about my self -described status as a “workaholic.” It is simply the way things are in my reality. I opt to take the maximum credits allowed every semester. I choose to do a complete overhaul and redesign of the college newspaper simply because I’m editor, and in some warped way feel it’s my duty. I am almost never online with less that four tabs open on my browser, because to do one thing at a time would be a waste when I can do so much more. Throughout the entirety of the school year, I watch my classmates and colleagues get away with doing minimal work, so I know it’s possible to be marginally successful on such a path, but for some reason, I just can’t allow myself to follow in their footsteps. Instead, I’m that kid who will go nights without sleep so that I can do every page of the reading, every review question and if I feel the need re-write my paper for the fifth or sixth time, when I know the first could have been a B.
So what does a person like me do during the summer when there is no homework to be done, no papers to write, no more newspaper chores to do, nothing to work on? What do I do when all the journal submissions and conference proposals have been sent off, and I am just waiting for responses, for requests for revision? Quite simply, I go crazy.
Some find a summer job, killing two birds with one stone — they can make money to spend in their free time, while simultaneously giving them something to do. I, however, am at a severe loss for any skills that would lead to my employment outside of the school year. I am an academic through and through. I write a damn good rhetorical philosophy paper. I can study with the best of them. But, in these hard economic times, who wants a rising college junior to tutor their kids when they can have an actual teacher currently out on break?
Therein lies the heart of my problem. In this economy, employers have their pick of employees. Entry level positions are being filled by experienced, college-educated individuals fighting to support themselves, and many times their families. As a result, those of us who are actually entry-level material — wicked quick learners, dedicated, hardworking — we are overlooked, and not even given the opportunity because there is bigger and better coming along every moment of every day. Inboxes are full of resumes, and it seems as soon as someone sees “XXXX-Present” in an education section, they move along to the next one.
While students have one of the worst reputations for being lazy, shiftless, just interested in partying, and not wanting to go out there and get a job. Those with the power to dole out those positions, and sign those paychecks should keep in mind that many of them are actually the hardest working people in the nation. Who else spends their days in class for hours, only to go home and eat Ramen noodles or left over take out as they read an additional 200-300 pages for the next day, works on a draft of a 20 page paper (which is no comparison to “adults” page-long memos, or collating reports that have already been compiled), watches their favorite TV show, while finishing a newspaper article, editing a page, and then sending it off to the printer, and maybe going to bed, only to repeat the entire process the next day, with the addition of a few meetings for extracurricular activities in the hopes of one day being able to work a regular length day collating, copying, talking to customers… and then when they get home, beig able to sit in front of the TV without homework in their laps.
So, yeah, right now I am in a prime position in my life to see that an out of work workaholic is the worst kind of best employee there is, mostly because so few are willing to look past the few of our peers who aren’t getting anything done, and talk to those of us who are trying, if we could only be given the chance.
