Got hired for first salaried job in a while

[corrector]

I'm planning to pursue a job opportunity that is an salaried job for the first time since the early 00s. I'm not sure if I can handle the idea of showing up to work at a certain time, clocking in and out and all of that jazz. I'm not used to being monitored like that, but I understand this is what lots of people tend to do. Self-employment has not worked that well with me with too much income fluctuation and rising debt.

There is a work ethic in here and while I'm trying to get Unemployment Benefits and Social Assistance, and know I can get three weeks worth of work paid by Unemployment Insurance compared to having to work for four weeks to earn slightly more than I would get for free by the government (ie if that's approved).
My mother didn't like the idea of me bumming around and collecting EI (ie was laid off from a previous job and just wanted the EI).

It's likely if I didn't pursue social benefits I wouldn't feel as pressured to work, but it just feels wrong to refuse any decent job prospect, even if it's not an ideal or dream job. I mean you can still send out resumes while you are working (on the off time of course, and from home). Maybe I'll meet some women there. Definitely want to get away from this home as there are issues here too and it's a great escape from staying at home with my folks most of the time. They want me to go too.

How was your first 9-5 or salaried job like? Did you feel like monitored, or like Big Brother was watching you but in a corporate sort of way?

 

[corrector]

Updating this thread. This is now the near second month that I have been working at this job, the shift is between 2-10pm.

Other feedback from other people close to me have mentioned that the worst thing about a full-time job is getting out of the house and getting to work on time. People longing for breaks and waiting for the whole day to end to come back home!

The full-time experience so far is demanding since you have to be on time for the job, and there is some level of accountability to performance. However, I've been doing quite well at this job and it seems like I'm having a somewhat of a decent time working there. The rapport with management is great and I'm making quite a volume of sales. The only challenge that I can see, as inherent in any call center job, is that it does take a bit of mental energy and having a commanding and articulate voice to feel a sense of control. People can only judge you by your voice. They don't see how you look like. If they don't like what they hear, then it won't be effective.

However, giving the great job compatibility and results, and ability to keep to the schedule and seeing a good structure within my life.

Staying away from my folks, I think is helpful in the dyamics at home. My mother is no longer "larger than life" as far as the day to day is concerned and we generally miss each other when I'm away at work. This makes me more independent and gives me a sense that I'm good at something out there and can hold a job. I've also lost a substanital amount of weight since I've started working and probably lost near 15-20 lbs from peak weight just late August/early September.

 

[corrector]

Great job man. Your getting into the salaried world and im trying to escape it. I am done with having a boss. I want to open my own business but I am unsure what kinda business to open. I can conform that you being out of the house for hours a day is great for your relationship with your parents. I think a huge problem with why I broke up with my ex is cause I wasnt working and I was around the house too much. Anyways keep it up and I am proud of you.

Thanks. I'm running away from self-employment/business world since there is allot of stress involved when your pay is tied to other people and circumstnaces. Plus you don't get benefits if things don't work out. So, it looks like we are running in opposite directions!

I neglected to mention that, as well, I do go on a Virtual Reality trip after three full days of work (ie I'll put a VR-headset on in the morning of the fourth day and travel to a nice place somewhere). This past Thursday, I visited some Infinity Pool in Thialand overlooking the sea with a small island, as well as visiting parts of Australia (ie the Sydney Harbour area, Chinatown, as well as some nice cliffs overlooking the ocean, and St. Petersburg Russia. This helps me process Thursdays and Fridays before the weekend! I think the wear-and-tear definitely shows near the end of a shift, and near the end of the week and a nice vacation is helpful to punctuate between the 3rd, and 4th day of work.

Other Virutal Reality places I visited while working included the Highlands in Scotland, Domenican Republic, parts of Spain, this nice beach along Cuba called Varadero and I think when viewed properly, this provides a nice relief within the construct of the work-week. You bring the vacation to you for 15 min rather than actually go on one!

There is a lovely train ride to get to the office and back. The trip is so nice that if the job was at another location that was away from the train station, then we would have some issues. I also have a playlist of pep music videos if I'm not making any sales, a playlist of celebratory music videos when I'm making a number of sales. The ability to create these structures all over the place is also a nice aspect of having a job.

 

[corrector]

Yeah im thinking the grass is greener by owning my own business. You bring up some points that I didnt even consider. Virtual reality is awesome. Imagine what it is gonna be like in many years from now. I feel we have only scratched the beginning of it. Have you tried Oculus? The first time I tried it I was amazed.

They changed the name of Oculus to Meta. I've owned Meta Quest 2 since 2021 when I had a hard time with the first self-employment experience with insurance where I was kept on an insane limbo on training that I was fed up enough to purchase this device. I now use it for practical escapist reasons for the moment, and in the past I used to watch movies on it (and might still do if I have some time).

Most people use this thing mainly for games, but I use it for self-therapy and I'm very surgical and focused whenever I do use it.

 

[corrector]

I am suffering a state of excessive teasing. There are a barrage of youtube videos, reddit threads and things online that suggests that working for a company makes you a wage slave since you are burning most of your waking hours working for a company and then when you retire, you are too old and tired to enjoy life, assuming you make a pension enough to support yourself.

I even find myself inadvertently calling myself a wage-slave. I don't get what is the psychological pushback going on recently. I'm not unhappy with the job I'm doing so why all of this self-mockery going on. What is wrong with me?

I just hope I don't end up watching those youtube videos on my work break. The titles are a bit much.

 

[zekko]

I am suffering a state of excessive teasing. There are a barrage of youtube videos, reddit threads and things online that suggests that working for a company makes you a wage slave since you are burning most of your waking hours working for a company and then when you retire, you are too old and tired to enjoy life, assuming you make a pension enough to support yourself.

Don't listen to that garbage. Congratulations on working, earning your own money, and being productive. I know the manosphere seems to want to tell everyone that they have to either be an entrepreneur or a street bum, but they are full of BS. There are advantages to being a salaried employee. For example, someone else is taking the risk - not all businesses are successful. Besides, it sounds like you tried that route already, it isn't for everybody.

Congratulations on having a work ethic. That other stuff is for Gen Z losers. As it says in Thessalonians, "If you don't work, you don't eat". That's the Biblical way, which I am bringing up since I know you are a Christian.

 

[Scaramouche]

Hi Corrector,
I was very successful in my working life the engine that drove that success was a steady earner,coincidentally also working from 2PM to 10PM in a College...Wasn't all work and no play,as I used often go with my Students to a local Nightclub where I would Boogie the night away...Happiest Days of my life!

 

[AmsterdamAssassin]

I even find myself inadvertently calling myself a wage-slave. I don't get what is the psychological pushback going on recently. I'm not unhappy with the job I'm doing so why all of this self-mockery going on. What is wrong with me?

You're only a slave to the wage if you cannot quit the job and get another one.

I'm a writer. I get royalties, but it's hardly enough. So I have several sources of income. If one drops off, I can lean on the other sources until I find a new source of income.

Having a steady pay check at the bottom so you don't have to take jobs that you loathe just to pay the rent/mortgage. If your basic income is steady, you can exploit other sources of income. If these sources pan out, you can turn the full-time job into a part-time job and work on having more sources so you don't have all your eggs in one basket.

 

[corrector]

Don't listen to that garbage. Congratulations on working, earning your own money, and being productive. I know the manosphere seems to want to tell everyone that they have to either be an entrepreneur or a street bum, but they are full of BS. There are advantages to being a salaried employee. For example, someone else is taking the risk - not all businesses are successful. Besides, it sounds like you tried that route already, it isn't for everybody.

Congratulations on having a work ethic. That other stuff is for Gen Z losers. As it says in Thessalonians, "If you don't work, you don't eat". That's the Biblical way, which I am bringing up since I know you are a Christian.

Well said.

 

[corrector]

Probation has finished for my job today. Have been working there for three months.

I got an award certificate for outstanding work in the last month and booked a number of vacation days once the probation was completed. I'm now on Vacation now and no longer have to return to the office, having fulfilled the Probation.

The feeling of finally completing a Probation on a Full-Time Job has a feeling of reaching a new milestone in life. Much like Graduating from University and receiving a Degree. Receiving an Award Certificate for outstanding work at that would have been the literally the last date of the 90 days was a lovely surprize and shows that this place of employment is a great place to work at.

To Celebrate the Probation, I had a cheesecake slice when I returned back home and shared some chicken burgers together with my dad.
Now, I can look forward to a nice Vacation, although I'm still waiting for the Vacation-pay (ie can't claim EI/benefits for vacation this time, it has to come from the office from the saved vacation pay, etc...).

The last job I had in my life was trying telemarketing out in the early 00s (ie before the internet really hit full swing, still had old computers and phones) but I didn't last longer than a few weeks or so on those high-pressure sales jobs. This one as much more classier than those types of jobs and the communite was fun and convenient going to and from work. My folks also helped cooperate with me to make this job possible.

The next objective of the job is to make sure all of the Employment Insurance hours are fully there. I'm trying to save 600/700 hours, then is the six month and year mark for being in the job. But the Probation thing is the main event out of all of them.

Again, the way this is mentally framed with me, feels more like a Graduation INTO full-time employment than a Probation of full-time employment.

 

[Glassguy]

Probation has finished for my job today. Have been working there for three months.

I got an award certificate for outstanding work in the last month and booked a number of vacation days once the probation was completed. I'm now on Vacation now and no longer have to return to the office, having fulfilled the Probation.

The feeling of finally completing a Probation on a Full-Time Job has a feeling of reaching a new milestone in life. Much like Graduating from University and receiving a Degree. Receiving an Award Certificate for outstanding work at that would have been the literally the last date of the 90 days was a lovely surprize and shows that this place of employment is a great place to work at.

To Celebrate the Probation, I had a cheesecake slice when I returned back home and shared some chicken burgers together with my dad.
Now, I can look forward to a nice Vacation, although I'm still waiting for the Vacation-pay (ie can't claim EI/benefits for vacation this time, it has to come from the office from the saved vacation pay, etc...).

The last job I had in my life was trying telemarketing out in the early 00s (ie before the internet really hit full swing, still had old computers and phones) but I didn't last longer than a few weeks or so on those high-pressure sales jobs. This one as much more classier than those types of jobs and the communite was fun and convenient going to and from work. My folks also helped cooperate with me to make this job possible.

The next objective of the job is to make sure all of the Employment Insurance hours are fully there. I'm trying to save 600/700 hours, then is the six month and year mark for being in the job. But the Probation thing is the main event out of all of them.

Again, the way this is mentally framed with me, feels more like a Graduation INTO full-time employment than a Probation of full-time employment.

Congrats!

As someone that went from owning a 50+ year old business for 15+ years to working for a government agency, I can assure you there are benefits to both. And cons to both.

Business ownership comes with the perks of unlimited earning potential, strong social circle development, etc. It also comes with employees calling off work, stress, loss of patience, being the janitor when needed, etc. While most people think you have all the time to do whatever you want when owning a business, its quite the opposite. I went 4 years without taking a real vacation or taking more than 2 consecutive work days off.

I can honestly say that although I make less money at my current job, the stress is nill and I love the people I work with. When I leave work the switch is in the OFF position and I dont have to worry about getting phone calls or texts late in the evening about things at work that need completed.

It sounds like youre enjoying the new job and I hope it continues.

 

[Scaramouche]

Hi Corrector,
You are a real Success story mate,hasn't been easy....With time this will lead to better things and the negotiation skills learned along the way will also help you on the Dating Scene,where cold reality means you are really selling yourself.

 

[corrector]

While most people think you have all the time to do whatever you want when owning a business, its quite the opposite. I went 4 years without taking a real vacation or taking more than 2 consecutive work days off.

This is one thing I noticed with full-time employment, is that a vacation or time-off work, is really an off-switch. When you are self-employed, you have more time for yourself, but if you are not careful, then you end up in this state of under-employment and no income and wracking up debt like crazy. Also you have a constant guilt in your mind that you are not doing as much as you should do with any free time you have. You never have free time with self-employment as you are just wasting your own time you should be working on the business. Also, there is allot more stress involved if your whole pay for the year is on the whims of the market, or external factors like someone else's decision.

I can honestly say that although I make less money at my current job, the stress is nill and I love the people I work with. When I leave work the switch is in the OFF position and I dont have to worry about getting phone calls or texts late in the evening about things at work that need completed.

Again, the OFF switch is very important. Even though the pay is less you have a guilt-free break. There is no such thing as a guilt-free break when it comes ot self-employment. You feel like you are wasting your income-producing time. When you have a break with a full-time job, you need that break and a wastful break means the quality of the use of that time to meet personal objectives that are not job related. (ie obviously streaming a movie is a different use of time then taking a course, etc...), but you still feel guilt-free.

 

[corrector]

Well, after a while being in this job, I'm feeling a bit stressed-out, the pay doesn't feel worth it despite it paying 3.5* higher than the welfare benefits, and I just find myself spirling further and further into debt while the pay is not really helping me make any headway anywhere.

There are allot of reddit threads that I have seen that deal with call center jobs, and the general thought about it is that these are the worst type of jobs out there, especially if its outgoing sales calls or outgoing collection calls. You have to put up with allot of negative calls and verbal abuse from irate customers and at the end of the day, you don't even have not enough money for yourself. At least with welfare you, you are worried about money, but you don't have your soul sucked out to the point you have to cram everything you can do on a break-day or otherwise just feel spaced out and see a break day(s) just pass by while you are trying to get your bearings.

I'm currently looking for other options and I'm seeing more and more that this is like a type of wage slavery and definitely not something that is bringing out the best in terms of my talents as an insurance agent. There were some concessions to allow me to work from home on some days, and there were incentives paid out before, but at the end of the day, if the pay is dooming me to debt anyway but just at a decreased rate compared to welfare and has my soul sucked badly that I'm spaced out when it comes to even a break-day, then it doesn't sound like this is going to work out in the long run.

Honestly, have a good mind to consider at some point, getting a doctor's note for stress, going on leave or quitting the job and going on EI on medical leave and look for another job. The Reddit threads sound like they are right that this is the most mentally stressful type of work out there that eventually takes a toll on you.

 

[corrector]

Thanks for sharing this. That was very thoughtful. Anyway, the only saving grace for my current job, is that I've moved to another more quieter section of the office. There is a girl that is at least sitting next to the desk (she has a bf though that came from her home country, etc... so like she's taken, but she's still friendly with me anyway and makes me feel good I can talk to someone of the opposite sex in a nice way). I've bought some new clothing to match the vibe of the next section of the office. The vibe feels cool and relaxed, and I've purcahsed some cool-vibe shirts (dark grey/green and grey mixture), and a Emerald Green Pillowcase to lay on the desk and put under the keyboard to enhance the cool vibe.

In a wierd way, this was inspired from a music video I discovered online from Taylor Swift called "Anti-Hero" and the music video, whatever was with it, inspired me and expanded my mind to reframe basically everything about this job. I'm now feeling like it's a cool rather than stressful job. The music video was discovered on Feb 15th. I will work within the system or organization of my thoughts to make things feel more relaxed.

I'll still be looking for work that pays better and if a better option comes around I'll take it. Just no foolish decision to jump back on some benefit-scheme since money-issues eclipse any blissful new found free time that comes from quitting/getting fired from a job.

 

[jgnrb]

I am selling in depth fx video tutorial
includes:how to gain arbitrage profit in fluctuating market
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anyone interested pm me ,ill s end kink
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[corrector]

Have great scores from last month, and this past week, although I keep missing the "incentives" and have these miserable days where I don't make any sales and have rude and angry customers where I end up just hanging up the phone on them and mentally give up about the last hour or two there knowing it feels hopeless. It's like I'm making allot of sales with this company but don't feel too great about it and still feel drained out. They won't fire me, and I can't quit without losing benefits, so the next best compromise is to visit a doctor and get evaluated for stress.

A doctor's appointment is set up for next week to see if I can get a medical note. A strategy of legally quitting a company and receiving EI benefits is to get a sick-note from the doctor and then take a leave of absence and collect EI and look for another job. If you don't find another job (ie that is either TOTALLY WFH AND DOES NOT MICROMANAGE YOUR TIME OR PAYS WAY BETTER), then I go back to this one, etc.... That's the idea.

However to be fair, I made a deal with my mother. If she can walk down the stairs and go outside the home. If her legs get better, then I will cancel the appointment. My contention is that I don't like seeing her in the house all the time and that's adding to the "stress" of why I would make such an appointment in the first place.

Also to be clear, I have not taken a single day off work since January 2nd, apart from Sundays, and a past Statutory Holiday that had passed a week ago. It's not to say I work 8 hours a day 6 days per week, I have been volunteering 4 hours on one of the two days I'm supposed to be taking a day off with the WFH arrangement. I have 10 unused vacation days, one of which can be funded, and 3 unused sick days, and 3 unused family responsibility days -- meaning a total of 16 days that I'm entitled too without too much drama. But will see what that doctor says next week.

 

[corrector]

First paid day off. Took a vacation day today. Feels great. It's like you can do whatever you want, apart from work, and still get paid! It's like a nice high.

 

[Pierce Manhammer]

How many pushups did you do?

 

[corrector]

How many pushups did you do?

30 - but I kneeled rather than kept my legs straight. See I'm not that bad.