Used to haves

[countdown]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-ann/american-used-to-haves_b_4732434.html

This isn't really funny, but is definitely a shame. Instead of ramping up spending to be a self-defined "have", I'm saving to reach FI so that a $20k/year freelance/PT income is extra money for a new hobby for me or the kiddies, or to donate to a cause that I support.

[mpbaker22]

Came here to post this.  I felt kind of bad for her until she mentioned she mentioned she used to make $100/hour and now only makes $15.  It's called life.  Granted I make more than $15/hr, but I'll never make $100/hr.  And I live as a currently have.

She could be complaining about her inability to be employed, but instead she's complaining about the public benefits.  After all, she only works 1300-1400 hours a year.  That's only ~24 hours/week.

[4alpacas]

"As a "Used-to-Have," I know exactly what Corporate America, lobbyists and politicians have taken away from me."

This quote really bothered me. 

I'm not a "Never Had."

And this one.  She is whining and elitest.  I just can't.

[sheepstache]

I think, just like a lot of people don't realize when the stock market is too high, that certain jobs and salaries can also be in a bubble.  Maybe the fact that this woman could make $100/hr for an undefined skill set was the unusual condition rather than the current time.  I remember getting an internship in the 90s with no more qualification than having people skills for $16/hr.  It seemed incredibly high to me.  Now those "Office Space" type jobs are going the way of manufacturing jobs and people don't seem to have caught on.

In the middle of the recession I overheard someone at a restaurant say, "You have to sock away your money during the good times, planning for the bad."  This was in Alaska so I like to think it was the voice of sensible self-reliance, but I suspect it was more of the easy-for-him-to-say variety of someone who hadn't lost their job.  So that's what I might sound like too.

[Blindsquirrel]

  Where is the personal responsibility? Bueller? Bueller?   I agree major whiner.

[luigi49]

sad , scary and depressing.  Glad this forum exist. 

[Reepekg]

We know the American corporations without the courage, scruples or heart to help us

What gives people the idea that corporations have any reason to help them?

Corporations aren't actually people my friend, which is bad news for this woman's feelings of entitlement.

[AccidentalMiser]

My goodness. 

"Despite my college degree from a prestigious college, and solid employment track record, I can't get a job."

This is, simply, BS.  Maybe she can't get the job she wants in the place she wants it. 

Since when does "corporate America" owe anyone a job-for-life?

How, exactly is this John Boehner's fault?  Why isn't it Harry Reid's fault?  Or President Obama's?  Or Vladimir Putin's?

Hell, it's no wonder she can't find a job.  As soon as I detect a hint of victimology or entitlement in a candidate for any job that I'm filling, the interview is effectively over.

Sister, if you can't make it in America, you can't make it anywhere. (IMO)

[TreeTired]

What gives people the idea that corporations have any reason to help them?

The purpose of a corporation is the enrichment of senior management.   Any collateral benefits that accrue to employees or shareholders or society in general are just that,  collateral benefits, happy accidents, things that happen that help them achieve their primary mission.

[ginastarke]

"I think, just like a lot of people don't realize when the stock market is too high, that certain jobs and salaries can also be in a bubble."

You can say that again! I started my call center career  during the tech bubble. Looking back I can't believe that management was that juvenile. Fun while it lasted, though!

[GuitarStv]

Corporations aren't actually people my friend

Well . . . legally they're people.  Psychologically they're sociopaths though.

[golden1]

I am always puzzled when people with college degrees can't get jobs.  Isn't the unemployment rate for a degreed person still very low...like around 3%? 

[horsepoor]

This is, simply, BS.  Maybe she can't get the job she wants in the place she wants it.

Hell, it's no wonder she can't find a job.  As soon as I detect a hint of victimology or entitlement in a candidate for any job that I'm filling, the interview is effectively over.

This was my thought.  I'm guessing that the whinyness and negativity pervades her job application process and makes her can't get a job attitude a self fulfilling prophecy.

ETA:  correct my auto-correct

[CommonCents]

I am always puzzled when people with college degrees can't get jobs.  Isn't the unemployment rate for a degreed person still very low...like around 3%?

Didn't read the article, but on this - I have two post grad degrees and spent two years un/under-employed.  (I actually worked at adjunct teaching, not in my field and I found it ridiculous that it almost cost me money to do so, because of the way unemployment is calculated.)  Good "pedigree" too, Ivy schools all the way and worked at a big well regard law firm, but after I had to leave, I found it hard to get a job because everyone was out looking.  Would get to round 3 many, many times, but took a while to close the deal.  It happens.  Happily employed the past two years.

[Capsu78]

My take is she worked on soft marketing projects, providing well written words that ended up being printed on collateral that even in the go go 90's didn't make it past my recycle bin. 
She didn't seem to judge the evil corporations she worked for when she was billing them $100/ hour, on the way to her pedi/ mani.
As someone who spent 20 years in corporations with both marketing and communications departments, as well as myriad product marketing efforts, I can only suggest that those departments no longer exist... the same way massive trade shows, big booth presentations and printed ads and collateral have completely skinnied down in many many industries.  All that content is now delivered electronically, written by the web developers who are often young 20 somethings who don't know jack about the product they are writing about, but do know how to get enticing graphics onto computer screens.
Video killed the Radio star... Her skillset supported the "radio stars"... If she didn't get the message that massive change was coming via digitalization, even without the bubbles and great recession, her "pedigree" college degree really didn't serve her well.
Now she walks past the big buildings where the corporations used to pay her "$100/ hour" invoices, and projects her lack of moving forward as the bad guys and herself the victim.

My bottom line on the article is she started it with the conclusion- evil republican corporations- and wrote the set up as a way to arrive there.   Even as a Free lance writer,   her rates are too high for me.

[anisotropy]

My take is she worked on soft marketing projects, providing well written words that ended up being printed on collateral that even in the go go 90's didn't make it past my recycle bin. 
She didn't seem to judge the evil corporations she worked for when she was billing them $100/ hour, on the way to her pedi/ mani.
As someone who spent 20 years in corporations with both marketing and communications departments, as well as myriad product marketing efforts, I can only suggest that those departments no longer exist... the same way massive trade shows, big booth presentations and printed ads and collateral have completely skinnied down in many many industries.  All that content is now delivered electronically, written by the web developers who are often young 20 somethings who don't know jack about the product they are writing about, but do know how to get enticing graphics onto computer screens.
Video killed the Radio star... Her skillset supported the "radio stars"... If she didn't get the message that massive change was coming via digitalization, even without the bubbles and great recession, her "pedigree" college degree really didn't serve her well.
Now she walks past the big buildings where the corporations used to pay her "$100/ hour" invoices, and projects her lack of moving forward as the bad guys and herself the victim.

My bottom line on the article is she started it with the conclusion- evil republican corporations- and wrote the set up as a way to arrive there.   Even as a Free lance writer,   her rates are too high for me.

new member here, is it possible to "like" as in facebook here on the forum?

[dragoncar]

My take is she worked on soft marketing projects, providing well written words that ended up being printed on collateral that even in the go go 90's didn't make it past my recycle bin. 
She didn't seem to judge the evil corporations she worked for when she was billing them $100/ hour, on the way to her pedi/ mani.
As someone who spent 20 years in corporations with both marketing and communications departments, as well as myriad product marketing efforts, I can only suggest that those departments no longer exist... the same way massive trade shows, big booth presentations and printed ads and collateral have completely skinnied down in many many industries.  All that content is now delivered electronically, written by the web developers who are often young 20 somethings who don't know jack about the product they are writing about, but do know how to get enticing graphics onto computer screens.
Video killed the Radio star... Her skillset supported the "radio stars"... If she didn't get the message that massive change was coming via digitalization, even without the bubbles and great recession, her "pedigree" college degree really didn't serve her well.
Now she walks past the big buildings where the corporations used to pay her "$100/ hour" invoices, and projects her lack of moving forward as the bad guys and herself the victim.

My bottom line on the article is she started it with the conclusion- evil republican corporations- and wrote the set up as a way to arrive there.   Even as a Free lance writer,   her rates are too high for me.

new member here, is it possible to "like" as in facebook here on the forum?

Highlight the text you like, then hit CTRL-W