General Discussion

laundry_queen

(8,646 posts)

73. I believe that

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 11:27 PM

Sep 2015

My mom 25 years ago had an admin position for a small office of 6 people and she made $28,000/yr. She only had a high school diploma. She answered phones, took orders and did some basic accounting and typing.

I have a degree. My position is a specialized type of accounting clerk for which a degree is pretty necessary. I work for a corporate head office. I make barely $5,000 more a year than my mom did. I have worse benefits and even less time off.

I started my job with more experience and education than she had, my position is considerably more complex and higher up. And I barely make more than she did.

It's frustrating because during that time, minimum wage in my area has more than doubled. Yet starting salary for office jobs has remained pretty much the same, and STILL they expect more education and everyone seems to want more than 2-3 years experience to start. Crazy.

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Storm is COMING!! [View all] yuiyoshida Sep 2015 OP

Gawd, I hope so. leveymg Sep 2015 #1

Rec! progressoid Sep 2015 #2

K and effing R Scuba Sep 2015 #3

I live in an upper-middle class suburb... CoffeeCat Sep 2015 #4

I, for one, don't want to see.... daleanime Sep 2015 #5

I have a number of friends who have adult kids living at home mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #8

Well, in the old days, they could afford to experience all that angst in their own appartment! canoeist52 Sep 2015 #12

exactly questionseverything Sep 2015 #33

My next door neighbor is a 73 year old man who works at an auto parts store... C Moon Sep 2015 #17

used to be you did not HAVE to move home to make it Skittles Sep 2015 #75

Exactly…I remember during the summers in college... CoffeeCat Sep 2015 #107

The government needs to value American jobs. Not foreign manufacturing that profits the few. Enthusiast Sep 2015 #11

My son is taking one or two classes a semester. That is his choice and I wish he would 1monster Sep 2015 #49

That must be frustrating for him that it is taking so long, but at the same time he's lucky you can davidpdx Sep 2015 #85

A friend's daughter finished law school with a $90,000 srudent debt... 1monster Sep 2015 #87

Mine are higher than that davidpdx Sep 2015 #91

I feel the same way coolepairc Sep 2015 #60

I never thought I'd see the day when I'd think I am glad to be older Skittles Sep 2015 #78

This was actually a thing in the early nineties too flygal Sep 2015 #67

K&R stage left Sep 2015 #6

the American dream lasted from 1950 to 1964 olddots Sep 2015 #7

Tell that to any African American alive at that time philosslayer Sep 2015 #15

maybe for white males, but not so hot for women or anyone else of color. mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #16

he perhaps meant it generally. there is no one including me who lived it who doesn't roguevalley Sep 2015 #29

good intentions? It is at best, a form of blindness about the lives of the majority of Democrats... bettyellen Sep 2015 #103

You dreamed the American Dream but it was only a dream. nt kelliekat44 Sep 2015 #24

My black WWII vet father could not use his GI Bill BumRushDaShow Sep 2015 #36

I grew up in the 50's and 60's. upaloopa Sep 2015 #43

My BIL's family is from Dayton BumRushDaShow Sep 2015 #61

That 'Golden Age' was in response to global Communism Yavin4 Sep 2015 #55

Your post is certainly thought-provoking. You may be onto something there. nt raccoon Sep 2015 #81

The powers that be at the time borrowed Socialist ideas but sold them to the public as Capitalism Yavin4 Sep 2015 #101

Interesting line of thought. Your thoughts or from some other source? nt raccoon Sep 2015 #105

These are my thoughts. Yavin4 Sep 2015 #106

not for women, not for POC- and WOW that WE never occurred to you to consider. bettyellen Sep 2015 #57

correct Skittles Sep 2015 #76

Let's not forget the real name for "The American Dream" ... nikto Sep 2015 #70

About the same time they killed JFK. Major Hogwash Sep 2015 #72

Kicked and recommended to the Max! Enthusiast Sep 2015 #9

The reason for war is simple. If there was a smaller military, there would be a chance LiberalArkie Sep 2015 #23

In 1977 I was operating a dozer madokie Sep 2015 #10

They will not be stimulating the economy with so few discretionary dollars to spend. Enthusiast Sep 2015 #14

my neighbor druidity33 Sep 2015 #62

My brother lost his job, and after looking for an admin position via temp agencies... C Moon Sep 2015 #13

CEO salary used to be 30 times average worker ----- now it is anywhere Angry Dragon Sep 2015 #46

I believe that laundry_queen Sep 2015 #73

I recently thought that I would have to be looking for another job smirkymonkey Sep 2015 #97

Damned f'ing landlords! SoapBox Sep 2015 #18

You bought the second business in 2006? Also, what type of place ChisolmTrailDem Sep 2015 #19

Yeah, the free market ain't so free, is it? camelfan Sep 2015 #22

Cost of housing is a big part of the problems today. jwirr Sep 2015 #27

Great post. I notice the same thing, when I was a kid, many 3 or 4 kid families raccoon Sep 2015 #82

I see your point. My mothe in-law hated me to the jwirr Sep 2015 #95

I don't know what your business was, SheilaT Sep 2015 #34

Should set that to Dune PatrynXX Sep 2015 #20

The sleepers have awakened! Scootaloo Sep 2015 #77

this? yuiyoshida Sep 2015 #94

I always wonder who thought David Lynch should be in charge of that movie Scootaloo Sep 2015 #108

My girlfriends daughter is living with us now. Javaman Sep 2015 #21

My youngest is 25 and in grad school mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #35

depends... shanti Sep 2015 #38

Me too. I was born in 1958 and when I went to college in the 80s, tuition cost PatrickforO Sep 2015 #104

If only they ryan_cats Sep 2015 #25

Im guessing there is some sarcasm here but I dont get it. Ed Suspicious Sep 2015 #28

There isn't a loftier title ryan_cats Sep 2015 #50

I took 3 years of Asian studies at Cal Berkeley yuiyoshida Sep 2015 #30

And that (setting aside your failed snark) is what H1B visas are for . . . hatrack Sep 2015 #92

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2015 #26

They call it The American Dream because you eventually wake up and realize it was all bullshit. Oneironaut Sep 2015 #31

My parents did not have that problem. Their American Dream was to be able merrily Sep 2015 #52

And for some people it turns into a nightmare. Oneironaut Sep 2015 #54

True enough. merrily Sep 2015 #56

"Is a dream a lie if it don't come true, or is it something worse?" raccoon Sep 2015 #83

Yep...same in Canada... Fix The Stupid Sep 2015 #32

I wonder if she lives in San Francisco AsahinaKimi Sep 2015 #37

A bunch of people I know had to go back home d_legendary1 Sep 2015 #39

Inevitable. Who will shape it? mmonk Sep 2015 #40

I triple majored in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and physics mindwalker_i Sep 2015 #41

Bernstorm! mhatrw Sep 2015 #42

Gona light the place up! lonestarnot Sep 2015 #44

Like I have said before. WHEN CRABS ROAR Sep 2015 #45

+1000 smirkymonkey Sep 2015 #99

Private housing... KyleMcShades Sep 2015 #47

Kick again! lonestarnot Sep 2015 #48

The rent is too damn high. (One of the best campaign slogans ever, though not a winning one.) merrily Sep 2015 #51

Bernie said the minimum wage azmom Sep 2015 #53

LOL! I heard him say that. merrily Sep 2015 #58

That speech in Greensboro, was the best azmom Sep 2015 #59

HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT Sep 2015 #63

It Will Continue Going This Way Until It Crashes NonMetro Sep 2015 #64

Oh yes there is. lonestarnot Sep 2015 #66

I Like Your Optimism! NonMetro Sep 2015 #69

So check this and welcome to DU! lonestarnot Sep 2015 #79

Thanks! NonMetro Sep 2015 #90

The beatings will continue until morale improves. Major Hogwash Sep 2015 #71

I decided to go look what rent was on a place I was at back then.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2015 #65

yep LittleGirl Sep 2015 #74

Great idea. I can't remember the address of the apartment I moved to in Studio City, CA mnhtnbb Sep 2015 #80

The one I use for comparison is back in the mid-70s a typical factory worker,.... Spitfire of ATJ Sep 2015 #96

Revolution is coming . . . cer7711 Sep 2015 #68

26 years ago I made 7.50 hr at a non-skilled job in a factory ReactFlux Sep 2015 #84

K&R nt raouldukelives Sep 2015 #86

This message was self-deleted by its author JackInGreen Sep 2015 #88

K&R! demmiblue Sep 2015 #89

Long overdue n/t CanonRay Sep 2015 #93

yes deaniac21 Sep 2015 #98

I love that skit! smirkymonkey Sep 2015 #100

No storm no matter who is elected. randys1 Sep 2015 #102