An Open Letter to My CEO

Re:An Open Letter to My CEO by instantaneous on Monday February 22, 2016 @02:29PM (#11153554)

> If a full time Yelp 'job' does not allow an individual to afford basics like shelter and food, let alone education, healthcare or family on what basis does it qualify to call itself a 'job'?

It's an entry level position that typically pays about $20k-$30k/year. While this salary may provide every 20-something with no prior work experience the lifestyle they desire, it's definitely a livable wage. Regarding healthcare, she writes: "I’ve got vision, dental, the normal health insurance stuff — and as far as I can tell, I don’t have to pay for any of it!" Did you even read the article?

> This is exploitation.

Oh, please. She accepted the job offer and salary, and then leased an apartment she couldn't afford. Now she is blaming her employer for her financial predicament, without taking any personal responsibility in the situation. It's hard to muster much empathy.

> The individual is not demanding luxuries from life

Make no mistake, if you're in an entry level position and have no prior work experience, living without roommates in one of the most expensive housing markets in the world is a luxury.

Her claim that she's starving should be taken with a grain of salt, in light of the photos she shared online:

http://alotofrice.pixieset.com/thatsalotofrice/

Traditionally, when somebody wants to live in an apartment/city they can't afford, they find roommates, a second job, or a better job. Publicly shaming your employer online for your own bad financial decisions is a new one to me.

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Re:An Open Letter to My CEO by ytpete on Sunday February 28, 2016 @11:33PM (#11193594)

It seems like part of the disconnect is the idea of an "entry level job" that is not a permanent, lifelong career. This is (or at least used to be) a fixture of the US workforce: you start out in a non-ideal position to gain experience and prove yourself. You're not making enough to own a new car, buy a house, start a family, put kids through college, etc., but you don't expect that right out of the gate: you live frugally, with roommates, and invest in your career until you later attain a better-paying job.

But two ways that seems to be breaking down lately: 1. More and more people are getting stuck in entry-level jobs permanently, unable to find any opening to move up to a better-paying career that's sustainable for life. 2. Younger generations may have a growing sense of entitlement - increasingly appalled at the notion of scrounging for your first N years our of college, rather than immediately living a glamorous, 'Sex in the City'-style urban lifestyle.

I think part of the backlash against this post is that the author's words seem to place her firmly in the 2nd category - she's eating out and living in her own place (in the most expensive metro area in North America) while complaining that she 'feels' poor... and complains about having to work "a whole year" in an entry-level position before the prospect of a promotion.

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