Finding My Work Utopia: Examining My Work Experiences and Position in Society

In his book, The Sociological Imagination, C. Wright Mills states that an individual can understand his life's experiences better if he or she takes the time to examine them in relation to what goes on in the world (349). As I am preparing to graduate and find a job other than the minimum-wage jobs that I have held until now, I believe that by examining my past work experiences, both paid and nonpaid, I will gain a greater understanding of what I am looking for in a potential work. Furthermore, by examining the experiences of others I will be able to decide if my preferences are feasible for me to achieve in competition with others who have similar goals to mine. As of right now, I am unsure of what course I would like to take in regards to my occupation. I am considering taking a year off of school and then attending law school at night. However I want to take time off to make sure law school is really what I want before I make any major decisions. As for jobs that I will have in the meantime, I am unsure of what type of work I am looking for. Over the course of this paper I seek to examine the aspects of my previous work experiences that I value and which characteristics I would prefer to avoid in future work. In addition, for future unpaid work I assume that I will one day have a family and children, so in imagining my work utopia I will take into consideration how children will affect my future jobs. Over the course of my life, I have participated in many different types of wage and nonwage work that have helped prepare me for future jobs through learning what characteristics I would preferably want and not want out of a job and to identify the characteristics that would form my ideal job. Wage work is commonly referred to as "real" work, as it is done in exchange for monetary wages and is organized by an employer (Dickinson & Schaeffer 30). Wage work that I have done includes being a crew member at Dunkin Donuts, a salesperson at the clothing store American Eagle, and an intern at the State House where I completed various administrative duties. On the other hand, nonwage work is just as important but is often held in low esteem as it is work that is often done to assist the individual, family or friends and is rewarded with thanks, a gift, or cash (Dickinson & Schaeffer 30). The nonwage work that I have done includes being a student, babysitting for friends and family, and completing chores at home. While wage and nonwage work is often very different, both play instrumental roles in developing myself as a worker and to identify what I want in a job. One thing that may make finding a job difficult is the current state of the economy. Dickinson and Schaeffer in Fast Forward address some of the new features of the changing world of the economy and work. Initially, the authors address the issue of the immiseration of workers, which refers to the decline in worker resources and income (Dickinson & Schaeffer 42). It is believed that between 1979 and 1995 the median income in the United States fell by approximately $100 a month. As a result, there were many workers that were making less money in 1995 than workers made in 1955. Another feature of the new economy is the reduction of state benefits. Through this reduction, benefit to groups of workers such as women on welfare and immigrants have been largely reduced, resulting in diminished income and quality of life for these individuals (Dickinson & Schaeffer 37). Dickinson and Schaeffer also discuss how income from both wages and benefits has declined, while the cost of basic necessities has increased. For instance, workers are now expected to pay for the increased cost of housing, utilities, healthcare, education, taxes and rising gas prices on a lesser income (Dickinson 39). In "The Capitalist Firm in the Twenty-First Century," Walter Powell discusses how unemployment is currently at a thirty year low, as one feature of the new economy. …