Entry level work is not easy. It's called "entry level" because it is presumed to be easy. And, indeed, the mundane tasks being performed can be categorized as "easy". But, by no stretch of the imagination is entry level work easy. Not even a little bit.
I have been sending mass mailings, filing invoices, ordering supplies, maintaining company-wide decks, reading trade magazines, sending article summaries to senior level management, updating distribution lists, sending more mass mailings, assembling press kits, composing creative briefs, attending meetings, ordering lunches, organizing meetings, planning holiday parties, and sending mass mailings for eleven months. ELEVEN MONTHS. Granted, I've had the opportunity to do some exciting things too. I've eaten on the company dollar at least once a week. I have traveled on the company dollar, and I have built some incredible relationships. But, for any one who has endured an entry level position, you will concur - it's hard.
Like many of my entry level peers, we strive to be the best at our stupid little jobs, proving that we're capable of much more than what has been delegated to us. We come in early and leave late. We order lunch for our boss, even though we have a college degree and she is clearly able to do it herself. We rush to do last minute things that our boss "forgot" (read: neglected) to do. We maintain those daily, weekly and monthly responsibilities and simultaneously firefight those debilitating office fires... You know, like when you mail something to the wrong person's attention. Quick! Cover your heads! The world is ending! Or, the premiums you ordered for the office haven't arrived yet. That certainly warrants a dock in your pay.
Those professional, curt e-mails always make my day:
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To: Subordinate
From: The Boss
Re: Quick Notes
We need a cure for cancer by noon. Please advise.
Also, this afternoon, for our 2:00, could you please run around like a chicken with your head cut off?
Thx,
Your Boss
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To: The Boss
From: Subordinate
Re: Re: Quick Notes
Boss -
CAN YOU?!
"THX" :-)
Subordinate
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Just kidding. That's one of those "responses" you type to make yourself laugh. Then you put your gloves on and get to work on that cancer project... it could take awhile.
My biggest issue with entry level work is this: once you excel in your role... you're expected to maintain your responsibilities on that silly little salary. It's like being punished for doing a good job. Growing up, my brother used to do a terrible job cleaning the kitchen. It was the MOST annoying thing, because I was constantly having to fix his mistakes when my turn came around. Little did I know, the little brat had a plan. He later told me "if I don't do a good job cleaning the kitchen, mom will stop making me do it". Lo and behold, he was right. For as long as we lived in that house thereafter, kitchen duties were split between my sister and me.
It's the same way at work. Nora, who always has time to watch Oprah at work, will maintain that leisure time. Why? Because our manager recognizes that she is too lazy or too incompetent to handle more work and time-consuming, detail-oriented projects. Per Human Resources, we can't fire Nora because, technically, she hasn't done anything to warrant her dismissal, nor do we have any documented cases of inappropriate behavior or office misconduct. Right.
In the meantime, Kobe must time the number of breaths he takes each minute. I mean, dude is just that overwhelmed. Why? Because, by the same token, our manager recognizes how diligent and hard-working Kobe is. He's great at his job, and is a team player. It's like, the manager rewards Nora's low-productivity with less work, and punishes Kobe's proven efficiency with more work.
But I digress. Now that I have completed my yearlong "entry level" program for this major media/entertainment company, I can't help but smile. Yes, I have worked my pretty little fingers to the bone. I have grown to love my team, and have networked extensively with other departments as well. As I transition out of my current role into a new, more challenging, more exciting department, I will fondly remember pushing all of those envelopes.
The Single Aesthetic about entry level work is that it provides you with a solid (albeit sometimes stagnant) foundation for career success. Learning the ins and outs of any business requires a fundamental understanding of its building blocks and the entry level employees that execute its vision. Perhaps some people never encounter entry level work, and thus never understand the everyday gripes and complaints from people like me. But, in the long haul, I believe that the discipline, work ethic, tenacity and perseverance developed in any entry level position far outweigh the cons of low pay and long hours. Besides, once we appreciate entry level work for what it is, and how it contributes to our lives, we'll be more careful (hopefully) not to perpetuate the very things we hated. Or, maybe we will... so that others can embrace the single aesthetic as well. Embrace the bull. Own the position. See where your hard work will take you. Hey, if you're entry level... the only place you can go is up!
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