Never had a job before in my life, what is to be expected, and what advice do you have? Especially as a Marxist in a capitalist environment. How can I survive?
Honestly? Wing it and exaggerate your credentials and abilities.
You’ll land a job on the first application or interview. Nothing really matters after that because they forget all your credentials, abilities, and experience afterward. It’s more about what looks good at first.
I can’t stress this enough, but please please start/ continue to instill your own boundaries when it comes to work. Don’t let them overwork you or try to take up too much of your time, if you ever feel that they are! Drop abusive employers like bad habits!
Make time for yourself outside of work to have hobbies! See how many days seems doable within your schedule.
Clock in, do the work you’re assigned, clock out, collect paycheck. Put in enough effort not to be fired but not more than other people in your position are either as you don’t owe them anything and typically jobs for people your age don’t lead to ladder climbing by standing out as a hard worker, they just lead to more work being piled on you as a sucker as they’ll push anyone like that until they break.
Be friendly with co-workers but be careful talking politics as you have to work with these people and if they decide to hate you for your politics (very easy as a communist) they can make it much less pleasant of an experience and the only thing worse than a taxing and tiring job is one with co-workers who want to pick political fights with you in any off moments and ruin your moments of peace.
Darkcalling gave great advice. Do the work. Dont surpass your coworkers. Maybe do better than most SOMETIMES and if anything to look busy.
Be there to do the job. If you find coworkers confiding in you; take their side. Listen to them because they wanna get stuff off their chest sometimes. Be aware of the limitations of other coworkers and help them when you can, but NEVER overdo yourself for the sake of management.
You are 16. Whatever job it is; you are young enough to make spectacular mistakes without it affecting your future. Just dont burn the place down. Unless you’re some ungodly badass.
If you wanna have people be warm to you, show them that you care by being helpful to them, but be genuine in not just worker solidarity, but emotional and mental and physical solidarity. Be a team player in the name of the workers.
