Enthusiasm and work....

I have had part-time/summer full time jobs since I was 15 and every single employer I have ever had has told me that I don't have enthusiasm and I act like I don't want to be there, but at the same time I am hard working and reliable. Today my latest boss at my current job gave me the spew I've heard a thousand times.

Why the **** would a 21 year old have any desire to be enthusiastic about a ******* summer job making almost minimum wage doing hard labor, and why the **** would it matter considering I apparently have great work ethic and skills?

Anyone else ever go through this? ******* idiot employers...

/rantoff.

Maybe your opinion of self-worth and their opinion of your worth aren't matching up. At the end of the day, it's theirs that counts.

That should answer your question of why it matters.

Originally Posted by ZackyBoy

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I have had part-time/summer full time jobs since I was 15 and every single employer I have ever had has told me that I don't have enthusiasm and I act like I don't want to be there, but at the same time I am hard working and reliable. Today my latest boss at my current job gave me the spew I've heard a thousand times.

Why the **** would a 21 year old have any desire to be enthusiastic about a ******* summer job making almost minimum wage doing hard labor, and why the **** would it matter considering I apparently have great work ethic and skills?

Anyone else ever go through this? ******* idiot employers...

/rantoff.

Fake enthusiasm, that's all their asking; everyone knows the job sucks and you think your boss is a nazi marsupial. Otherwise tell them to fuckoff but be ready for the consequences.

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

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Maybe your opinion of self-worth and their opinion of your worth aren't matching up. At the end of the day, it's theirs that counts. That should answer your question of why it matters.
It's just baffling that in one sentence I am told that I am a great, hard worker and everyone who works with me has said so, but apparently during these morning meetings I lack enthusiasm. In the end I don't see why it matters how I act when I am not around clients as long as I am not lighting joints and blowing my nose onto the table. I was actually told that about half the employees are in this boat, too, not just me. I just feel like these people expect WAY too much from someone at a summer job making a **** wage. I understand it's their business and life but if you really want go-getters, pay them a respectable wage and I am sure they'll bust their asses.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

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Fake enthusiasm, that's all their asking; everyone knows the job sucks and you think your boss is a nazi marsupial. Otherwise tell them to fuckoff but be ready for the consequences.
No doubt... I just honestly don't even know how to be enthusiastic about it. I pretty much hate most people in general, have zero people skills (aside from selling; I can sell **** by manipulating pretty well) and I just downright don't care.

Social graces sometimes require you to wear a mask, think of it as not pouring your heart out to the very first stranger you see, which is basically what your facial expressions, general attitude and body language seem to be doing.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

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Social graces sometimes require you to wear a mask, think of it as not pouring your heart out to the very first stranger you see, which is basically what your facial expressions, general attitude and body language seem to be doing.

+1 - I think the current management jargon calls it "managing perceptions", or maybe "managing up" so that the manager feels good that you enjoy something about your job and want to stay for the next few weeks.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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+1 - I think the current management jargon calls it "managing perceptions", or maybe "managing up" so that the manager feels good that you enjoy something about your job and want to stay for the next few weeks.

I was just trying to present things in a way that was approachable for the OP and you had to disgust him with management talk? Bad boy!

The way I see it since almost everyone understands it's a mask people know they're not touching your core and you're protected from the probing eyes of your colleagues. Will work in yout MacJob no problem.

Well, if you're a misanthrope, then there's not much help for you. Period. However, you can make the best of the situation - since you're in that situation for the majority of your waking hours during the week - by finding some type of interest in your coworkers, maybe. In other words, to quote Sarah Silverman, when life gives you AIDS, make lemonAIDS.

Originally Posted by HORNS

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Well, if you're a misanthrope, then there's not much help for you. Period. However, you can make the best of the situation - since you're in that situation for the majority of your waking hours during the week - by finding some type of interest in your coworkers, maybe. In other words, to quote Sarah Silverman, when life gives you AIDS, make lemonAIDS.

I think misanthropy is the best way to describe me. But I have a few friends working there and I don't hate the job to begin with. I just feel like they need to shut the **** up and leave me alone until I actually do something wrong.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

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I was just trying to present things in a way that was approachable for the OP and you had to disgust him with management talk? Bad boy!

The way I see it since almost everyone understands it's a mask people know they're not touching your core and you're protected from the probing eyes of your colleagues. Will work in yout MacJob no problem.

the OP had better get used to management talk if he wants to be pulling a decent wage. Otherwise he'll spend his entire working life fixing Excel spreadsheets and being passed over for promotions. And if you think he's bitter now, wait until he's 40 and doing the same crap job.

Perception > reality.

Originally Posted by Thomas

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the OP had better get used to management talk if he wants to be pulling a decent wage. Otherwise he'll spend his entire working life fixing Excel spreadsheets and being passed over for promotions. And if you think he's bitter now, wait until he's 40 and doing the same crap job.

Perception > reality.

Who says he wants to be an office worker?

Originally Posted by ZackyBoy

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I have had part-time/summer full time jobs since I was 15 and every single employer I have ever had has told me that I don't have enthusiasm and I act like I don't want to be there, but at the same time I am hard working and reliable. Today my latest boss at my current job gave me the spew I've heard a thousand times. Why the **** would a 21 year old have any desire to be enthusiastic about a ******* summer job making almost minimum wage doing hard labor, and why the **** would it matter considering I apparently have great work ethic and skills? Anyone else ever go through this? ******* idiot employers... /rantoff.
You sound almost exactly like me. I've learned to fake it. It's easier some days than others though. Of course, sometimes people tell me I look mad or depressed even when I'm fine. It's weird.

I'm just saying that you could wear a few more pieces of flair. Do you want to be known as the person that only does the minimum? We just want you to express yourself. That's all. You can express yourself with pieces of flare.

"You know, now that you mention it, I have been a little unhappy at work lately. The reason is because I feel I'm being drastically underpaid. Here are some examples of how I've made a positive contribution to the company's bottom line: (examples here). In addition, my coworkers can vouch for my strong work ethic. I think I would be happier if I were compensated more appropriately."

Then be absolutely quiet, holding eye contact. Problem solved.

Originally Posted by Fuuma

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Who says he wants to be an office worker?

I'm making an inference.

If he wanted to be a dairy farmer, he wouldn't have been getting the management rah-rah for the past six years. It would be the cows telling him to lighten up.

I could be off-base, though. OP - what do you want to do with your life?