Does my dad make a fair point?

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I complained that me working with old people in my last job was boring. My dad then said to me "well fair enough but young people take the piss out of you'

Do you think my dad makes a good point or is understandable as a young person not wanting to hang out with really old people.


I turned 26 two days ago

Working with seniors definitely isn't for everyone. If I had family in a senior home I would prefer to have people working there that actually enjoy spending time with seniors rather than people that find it "boring". No one can force you to enjoy working with seniors which is why I would have accepted your decision to stop working with them. However, just saying it was "boring" might not have been the best way to describe your experience. It might have helped if you just said that it wasn't a good fit for you and you had trouble relating to them or something similar.

Your dad makes a good point, but I think the point of a job is to make money and gain experience- not to hang out. I think that it will probably be uncomfortable for you, but once you gain the experience you can switch jobs and go somewhere else.

What do you have to lose, really?

I don't think exactly but something maybe along those lines.


Even though it earns money I really disliked the routine/repetitive work in my last job.

For me the job itself and social interactions are more important than the age of the colleagues. I like the age and gender diversity of my colleagues. I interact with senior males but also with young attractive females. In the latter case my friendliness gets close to modest flirting and I see how they react to it.

I'm going to not be politically correct and be completely honest here. Yes, it's tiring being around young people in a professional setting. Here are my reasons why:

-Young people think that you envy their youth, especially if you're a woman (we don't! we like being old!)
-They have no idea what you're talking about and you have no idea what they are talking about
-Their work ethics and values are often different
-It's uncomfortable when their anecdotes involve "peers" that are children to you and "old people" that are your peers
-You can't laugh at them because they get mad
-You can't share your experiences because they get mad or roll their eyes

Really, the safest thing to do when you are in a mixed age environment is to be quiet.

You're both partially right. Work is about three things: making money, advancing your career, and sharing experiences for everyone's mutual benefit. For this, age is largely irrelevant, because everyone's priorities are more-or-less the same. Socializing/hanging out is secondary.

At the same time, a age-diverse group can lead to what I call a "Monday morning disconnect". That is, when you share what you did over the weekend, and your (a young person) stories are drastically different from your colleagues (older), and neither of you can relate to the other person's weekend story. So for example, you might say something like: "Me and my friends went to a techno concert; we stayed there until 2:00 AM, and these two girls danced with me." While your colleague might say: "I worked in my yard all afternoon, then had a nice quiet dinner with my wife at an Italian restaurant." As opposed to: "I went to this new bar downtown; they had a really cool laser projection over the dance floor," which a person your age might say.

TL;DR version: both you and your dad have a point.

I have always liked being around a mix of different aged people. Yes, some young people's work ethics suck, but so do some older people. I have worked with young people who can turn and burn, though unfortunately those types don't stay in my trade (horticulture) much.
Many older people have knowledge and wisdom, and younger people can have a fresh approach to things. We all have something to contribute if we are all willing to listen and cooperate.

If you want me to be honest i dont really want to work and rely on my parents to be breadwinners

Jamesy, work is not supposed to be enjoyable. If it were they wouldn't pay you for it. I work as a cleaner in a daycare and I can tell you I am not a fan of children to begin with. Listening to their screaming as they are dropped off by their parents is not enjoyable. But it's my job, so I do it anyway.
Your parents can only support you for so long. They are aging and you need to be able to take care of yourself.

You're supposed to find job that fits your skills and isn't grating on you.

Working a job that truly is grating, will negatively impact your health over time.

@Jamesy
Your dad isn't wrong.

Working and/or spending time with people who are different from you (Age, beliefs, culture, language, etc...) can be quite taxing for both sides.

Have you found such a job?


Yup.

I haven't found a job yet.

[insert rant about interviewers, HR, and others expecting you to meet huge requirements for entry level work]

Though I am waiting to get approved for the state agency.

Many of my peers at the last alumni meeting were also still unemployed for lacking the absurd requirements for entry level work and internships.

Sometimes you just have to go with what's available.

It's not that simple these days.
The U.S. government says almost half of the unemployed are people under 35, because the lack the experience to get entry level work and internships in a given field (mainly their degree field) while being too overqualified for retail, food services and other "low end" jobs.

Believe you me, I have definitely been told I am over qualified for "low end", while not being experienced enough for unpaid internships and entry level jobs.

Even here in Metro Detroit retailers are asking for people (even for holiday work) with a minimum 2 years industry experience. This is for places like Target, Meijer, Walmart, etc...

Internships (both paid and unpaid) now require at least 2+ years of industry experience, with some asking for degrees and industry certifications.
Some even ask for master's degrees.

Entry level work in most industries now require 3-5+ of industry , the right degrees, the industry certifications, and other qualifications that didn't use to be asked of entry level jobs.

Industry experience = work experience in that industry, not to be confused with general work experience.
I'm stuck in the overqualified/under qualified spot.

This is why I'm going through the state agency in hopes of landing a decent job.

Next time an interviewer asks me if I can do the job with without training and adjustment period, I might finally say something!

So lie about your experience. If a skill or experience isn't relevant to the job you are applying for don't mention it. Just play up the skills you have that pertain to the job. Lots of people work "low end" jobs while looking for something else.