Have you ever had those moments where you think you deserve something? Or maybe you accomplished something that you believe is important and think you deserve a reward or, at the very least, a good ol' pat on the back? I'm not going to lie to you; I have had moments when I feel like I achieved something and wanted acknowledgment or some sort of reward for my hard work. This is a feeling that our generation has come to believe is part of life. But that's the problem — it's not a given and we should not expect to be rewarded for everything. Our generation has a false sense of entitlement. Everything comes to us so easily nowadays that that is all we know.
Remember when everyone got their first cell phone in middle school? They were the old Razr flip phones and now what? Now, we are thinking that we should have the latest version of the iPhone. In reality, we don't deserve a phone nor have we even earned it. We are the smallest fish in the sea, yet we think we deserve everything immediately when we want it whether it's a new laptop, new clothes, a new car, etc. We have been handed so many things, and it has ruined us, especially in the workplace.
Young adults NEED a wake-up call. They will NOT get their dream job immediately or anything close to it right off the bat, as they have come to believe. In fact, they may not get their dream job until midlife. They will have to work for it, an unfamiliar concept to many in this age group. Instead, young adults will be offered jobs that require tasks many call "grunt work." Employers need to know that applicants have the basic skills needed for a job, and unfortunately, social media popularity and reasons why you think you are great do not help you find a job. If that were the basis for job hiring, almost everyone would have a job, which would be great but that isn't the case. Employers do not have any idea of your skills and often give young adults the elemental jobs. Young employees may think that they don't deserve bottom-of-the-food-chain jobs, that they are above it all, so they perform tasks for these jobs haphazardly and don't put a lot of effort into their work. They fail to see why grunt work is important, especially in the long run.
Grunt work matters. Whether it's challenging or busy work, it helps to build your work ethic. You will most definitely want to jump on those opportunities to learn a new task since it is challenging, but you may not want to perform menial tasks such as cleaning up the office or scanning endless piles of documents or even hole-punching reams of paper because they may seem like something that's beneath you and not challenging enough. But if you take the initiative to do the all the tasks well, it shows co-workers that you have a good work ethic, and they, in turn, may inform your boss. That could lead to a promotion or a good reference for another job application, which will make you stand out from others in your generation since the youth of today are believed to be lazy. It will look better on your resume and may help you be one step closer to finding your dream job. Good work ethic is key to moving up in the food chain.
Believe it or not, grunt work helps to make you a better boss. Not every person at the top of the food chain had their job given to them; some had to work for it starting from the bottom. Starting from the lowest rung of the ladder makes a boss understanding. Some tasks take longer than others to complete, so it will take some time until these responsibilities are finished. A boss who is understanding is one who is much better to work for than one who expects certain tasks to be completed immediately.
Picking up co-workers' coffees and lunches may seem tiring and no fun, but there is definitely a perk that can be found in it: networking. Yes, I said it, and it is so true. It may not seem like it, but it allows for you to get to know other people better and make connections. Connections are also key when trying to climb up the ladder.
So, still believe that grunt work doesn't matter? I would like to think I convinced you that it's important to moving up in the world. Grunt work eliminates all feelings of false entitlement since young adults start at the basics. It helps you to have a good work ethic and helps you move up in the work field in the long run. So next time you are given a task you don't think you should have to do, do it. It pays off, believe me.
