Yesterday was a big day for me. It was planned to be the start of my working life. As a teen I decided that I should find a job which suits my interests, therefore, after seeing a lot of them on television, I decided to become a Golf Caddy.
Now the prospect of carrying around someone’s clubs for them, cleaning them and repairing divots didn’t seem too appealing, however it certainly beat stacking shelves in the local supermarket or standing behind the counter all day. Better still I had heard that the pay for a round of golf (around 4 hours) was £20 ($35) plus a tip which could range from $10 to in some cases $100, depending on how well you did your job! I can definitely say that the entrepreneur inside me was ecstatic with the fact that I could be earning quite a lot of money to reinvest into my online business.
So I woke up at 8.30 in the morning and headed down to the golf course as instructed by the caddymaster, who is responsible for helping caddies to get hired by the players. After greeting him and going to sit down with the other caddies, I realised that I was the youngest person there, with the majority of caddies being aged between 30 and 40.
Then was the wait…after about an hour of sitting on the bench, I had not been booked for a job and quite a lot of the older caddies had been called up by the players. I started to get angry at the fact that my age seemed to be the factor separating me from a few hours on the course and a decent wage. This made me ask myself whether there really is age discrimination in business?
As I regularly play golf, I know that I could have easily handled the job in hand, probably a lot better than the older caddies and yet, the players seemed to have pushed me to one side, including the caddymaster himself who even seemed to forget that I was there.
My conclusion is that many of the elders in our society think they have more skills than the younger generations, solely because of the fact that they have been around longer. As a result, us youngers hoping to earn money and build up our reputation are unable to get onto the “employment ladder”, and unable to rise up through the ranks according to our abilities.
The reason why I like working on the internet so much is because many people are not able to judge you on age, appearance or nationality. Instead, entrepreneurs and moguls can compete on a fair playing field, each one starting at the bottom and having to build up their reputation through their writings and through their general online conduct. Here at Blogtrepreneur I don’t mind people knowing that I am a teen, so long as I attempt to be polite and understanding whilst providing a solid service to all of my readers and subscribers.
I know that I may have just had a bad experience, and that I might be over-reacting, however, I think it is time to move on in society. Gone are the days when the elders always knew more than the young children. The internet is helping so many young and hopeful entrepreneurs in particular achieve their goals, and I think it is time that this was carried forward into the real world and into the world of work and business so that all can compete against each other without being looked down upon because of age.
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17 responses so far ↓
1 Chris Johnson // Jun 29, 2006 at 6:59 pm
There is a definite stigma of the younger generation being naive and less-skilled. You will obviously encounter these people in business, but when someone does give you that chance for a foothold make the most of it. Blow them out of their socks with what you can do and you’ll change their vision of the younger generation. Allbeit the slow approach, taking it down one-by-one, but it’s a start.
2 Reid levy // Jun 29, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Wow, that blows kid. I’d just start an Internet business if I were you. Sell on eBay or do something really creative!
3 Dennis // Jun 29, 2006 at 8:49 pm
work experience is a big deal in the real working world. Although it may not be obvious now, gaining work experience is valuable in increasing your abilities and talents.
4 adnan // Jun 29, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Thanks for your input guys,
Chris I think you’re definitely right about making the most of a situation. Today the internet and business in general is saturated with CEO hopefuls, and there is just no room for mistakes otherwise you’ll lose your credibility. Hopefully the youngers of us can change the ways in which adults perceive us!
Reid, internet business is now my real passion. Although I really wanted to work as a caddy, all through the waiting I did whilst sitting on the bench was filled with possible internet ventures and the like. I find it hard to sleep because of the amount of thoughts coming into my head! eBay also is becoming more competitive, trying to find a profitable product is too strenuous for me.
Finally Dennis, I have been trying to obtain work experience this summer so great point. BP (Beyond Petroleum) is one of the main companies in my sights, although I have an Uncle working in an Investment Bank which sounds equally interesting. I’ll be sure to keep you guys updated if I get a placement. Thanks again for your comments!
5 Jiri Novotny // Jun 29, 2006 at 9:39 pm
So true. Reminds me of this classic joke: http://www.epatric.com/funstuff/dog/
6 adnan // Jun 29, 2006 at 9:43 pm
Lol nice one
I’ve never seen that on before, but the moral is so true!
7 Dave Starr // Jun 30, 2006 at 12:28 am
Nope, I don’t think your experience is unique. I have many, many experiences at the other end of the spectrum … I’m 60 and to a 40yo manager, therefore way too old to learn new tricks.
As you so correctly state, the ‘Net is the great leveler … if either of us talks sensibly and produces something of value, no one is going to throw out our words based on our age … they may well not even know our age.
Another plus for online business.
8 Chris // Jun 30, 2006 at 2:30 pm
That’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes…similarly, try getting a job on wall street without being someone’s son…or having and I-banking Uncle
There are plenty of people out there that hold high-paying jobs with less knowledge or skill than you might have. But that’s what makes your Internet business much more attractive…you can directly benefit from your pursuits without all of the political mumbo-jumbo that comes with working for a large org…there’s a much lower barrier to entry for you as an entrepreneur (depending on the business, of course) but it’s also much more competitive, I think.
9 adnan // Jun 30, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Thanks Chris and Dave,
It seems from all of these fantastic comments that the internet is becoming more appealing than ever for hopefuly entrepreneurs to make something out of their talent. I didn’t realise how cruel the real world was! Let’s hope that this changes before I start full-time work. Or maybe internet business is the way to go? Do any of you run full-time internet businesses or do you feel that you have to get a “proper job” as well?
10 Chris // Jun 30, 2006 at 3:02 pm
I wouldn’t say it is cruel, it’s just very competitive.
I’m pretty conflicted myself…I have a “proper job” but I’m always trying to make a buck in more enterprising ventures. I realize that I will not become rich at my current position. The way I see it is that if you want security, work for someone else, and if you don’t mind the risk, do it for yourself…the upside potential (for $$) is much greater if you do it for yourself.
If I could put it into one phrase, I’d say: the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Also, your tolerance for risk is much higher when you’re young, so don’t be afraid to take educated risks now.
11 Dave Starr // Jun 30, 2006 at 4:11 pm
@ adnan and @ Chris.
The world is cruel and it’s not “fair” … wasn’t meant to be, never will be. That’s perhaps the number one paradigm shift from say HS or university life. In college you can make a career out of protesting unfairness … an our semi-useless academic leadership will let you spend (waste) your time that way. After you graduate you find out that in general, people don’t give a cr*p and you can wave your fairness banner and look behind and see you have zero followers. Better to accept reality early on,
As to the question am I running an online business the answer is .. sort of. I run a retail business selling technical items to other businesses. Much of that business comes from people searching me out online. I make a little money from blogging, and have a significant online “pipedream” that I’m currently laying the groundwork for .. so the short answer is yes.
I’ll offer a differing opinion to Chris’s summation that working for someone leads to security and being on your own is risky. I think it’s the opposite. Working for someone offers no “security” other than the assurance of mediocrity. And the “pink slip” can come any week. After 40 years of ’security’ you may look back and say .. what did I spend my life on … I’m already old.
OTOH, working for yourself means you can not get fired, no one can steal your ideas and then fail to do anything with them, and you can set up multiple “gigs” so no way can everything crash at once. You might like some of the stuff Steve Pavlina writes on this subject: http://www.stevepavlina.com/
Any idea what would have happened in Warren Buffet, Bill Gates or Michael Dell had opted for the ’security’ of letting someone else steal their talents for a wage? Buffet started dealing stocks at 11 (risky, eh?), Gates quit school to write code, Dell sold computers out of his dorm room until he realized how much more he knew than his professors … who really had security?
Anyway, enjoy your 4th,
12 Chris // Jun 30, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Dave-
Maybe you’re right…I guess one can use the terms security and mediocrity interchangably in the corporate world…and perhaps there is no true security anymore, if there ever was to begin with. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating a career in the corporate world, because as you basically implied, if you want a mediocre life and want to just “coast” along, that’s where you should be. However, if you want true financial independence, I think that you have a greater chance of obtaining it through businesses of your own making.
The questions that I have for you are:
1. With all of the expenses associated with your business that are not directly related to revenue generation (the main example being health insurance), do you still make that much more money than, say, your friends who work in the corporate world?
2. It’s hard to make the transition from corporate to small biz once you’re fully entrenched in your career- were you faced with that type of career choice decision at some point in life and, if so, how did you manage it?
Thanks for the insight-
Chris
Oh…have you checked out Dan Pink’s new book entitled A Whole New Mind? He basically argues that we are shifting from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age- where the value will come from the folks who create, those who think with their “right” brain- the entrepreneur perhaps. Check it out here: http://www.danpink.com/aboutwnm.php
13 Dave Starr // Jun 30, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Hmm, hadn’t heard of that book but it sounds very interesting. I’ll certainly put it on my list. One off-hand comment towards the premise though … good ideas … great concepts … are very, very cheap. The implementation of those ideas are what makes the difference. But still certainly sounds worth a serious look.
I’m cheating regarding the health care … because I am retired from a career already and carry my health insurance with me … at about $160 per month for a not bad plan. I was going to day “Oh, you got me” until I looked here:
https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/
A 20yo man can get coverage comparable to what I have for as little as $44 a month … of course it goes up as age increases … but then so should income. No health plan is worth a cr*p after 65 … you’ll be at the mercy of Medicare then, no matter where you worked … Medicare Part B is about $85 a month now .. what it will be when you’re 65? I wouldn’t even try to guess. Health care is certainly an issue, but if it’s an issue big enough to shape one’s life work around is a question each person has to decide on their own … there’s no pat answer.
Notice these past few weeks that GM has been buying out employees with early retirement … and no more GM-sponsored health care … dunno what happened to those folk’s “security”. Delta Airlines just flat did away with their pension plan last week also … thousands of retired pilots … forced into retirement at age 60 … they can’t go back to work as pilots if they wanted too, mandated federal age discrimination … they contributed for years and now they have to beg … one stroke of the pen and their “security” just ceased to exist.
Transition from corporate to self-employed? I have to own up to the fact I didn’t ever do it. Passed up a number of opportunities but always took the ’safe’ course of staying as a salary man until the opportunity for early retirement came. Would I do it that way again? My thought is, no, but hindsight is always 20-20 so my feelings are biased.
I can say if I were starting out today I’d do anything to escape the corporate world for some length of time … certainly I could try to make something for myself from like 18 to 25 without dying of starvation … and then “give in” if I really felt the need … that’s the part I would say I would do differently with confidence and honesty.
example … unlike today’s world I didn’t have a choice at 20 … I was drafted. When my initial service time was up I was offered my old position back in a small company with a deal to go to engineering school at the boss’s expense .. he wanted to groom me for advancement/investment in the company. But the demons of ’security, security, security’ said, raise your hand and re-enlist .. it’s secure, three meals a day and free medical. Think I made the right move? That company still exists, the principal stockholder is a guy who came to work there after I passed on the opportunity… dunno, you be the judge.
14 Chris // Jul 1, 2006 at 3:51 am
Dave-
Thanks for all of your information; it’s nice to hear from a person who could shed such valuable insight.
Perhaps there is no one correct, secure way to “make” it in life. You just need to excel at what you’re doing- of course it’s best to do so in the entrepreneurial world.
Thanks again.
15 adnan // Jul 1, 2006 at 8:42 am
Dave and Chris, thanks so much for your valuable insights. It’s always best to see real life entrepreneurs trying to break out in this ever increasing world of competition.
Overall I think you’re both right. Security cannot be guaranteed anymore, and so you must try and do whatever suits you. Maybe entrepreneurship is too risky, and a 9 till 5 job will be more worthwhile. On the otherhand entrepreneurship has a lot more room for growth. Im still to decide upon my route!
16 BillinDetroit // Mar 19, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Employers don’t use ‘their’ money to pay for health care, they use the money they got from their customers for your efforts. So you are going to pay the full bill any way you look at it.
Remember, when evaluating jobs, to find out how much you are expected to kick in for your own insurance and to deduct that from your net wages … because that is where the money will come from.
And pay attention to the likelihood of getting raises, because there is a certainty that the insurance costs will go up. Your raises have to go up at least that much PLUS the rate of inflation PLUS a margin for lagging inflation just to hold steady. A raise isn’t a raise until it exceeds those numbers.
A self-employed guy at least gets to see the real numbers and make decisions on that basis.
17 Dave Starr --- ROI Guy // Mar 19, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Interesting comment, especiall;yfrom someone in Detroit … world capital of companies who hired workers with promises and then left them holding the back.
The idea that so many folks of high school and college age have about ‘benefits’ from working with traditional employers is bogus in today’s world.
First, employers today are divesting themselves of as many benefits as possible. For the ones they srill have, see Bill’s comment … _they_ never pay for it, _you_ … the employee … do. Just because there isn’t a line item on you pay slip does not mean you aren’t paying.
My last thought on this issue is why would a guy in his late teens or early20’s (as a great many of this blogs reader’s are) be thinking about health insurance? You’re going to base your career decisions on ‘health insurance’? You’re going to decide which general path to take for the next 40 years based on ‘health insurance’?
Sorry, can’t see it myself. A career choice should not be based on the ‘what if’ of making doctors rich … will you be working for your GP for the next 40 years? Work for yourself and worry about ‘health insurance’ later.
Remeber that in the US, people who _do_ pay at hospitals actually pay their own bill and those of people who _don’t_ pay (hence the $10 aspirin tablets), and in other countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, etc., the government (the tax payers) pays anyway … why should healht insurance even be a consideration about a careeer?
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