Hating Your Low-Wage Job May Be a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
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I recently paid a visit to my local Burger King. Since I hadn’t been there in a year or two, I had no idea what was on the menu. After waiting in line for a few minutes, we finally got close enough to the menu board to see what they had. It seemed that nothing much had changed. They had the usual stuff plus a few salads and new dessert items. As I looked at the cashier who was waiting for me to order, I realized that he was looking at me like I was a complete moron. He huffed and puffed a little as he waited, but then – to my surprise – he actually rolled his eyes at me. It was as if I could read his mind, and he was most certainly saying, “Hurry the %&*# up!!!”
I stood there for a second, totally shocked that he would be so blatantly rude to me. Luckily, as I have grown older and wiser, I have learned to not say aloud what I am actually thinking. If I had said what was really on my mind, it might have been, “What’s your big hurry? Got somewhere to be?” But instead, I ordered my Whopper with cheese and diet coke; I went to my table to wait for my order number to be called.
Once my order was ready, I proceeded to the counter to pick it up and was once again greeted with a dirty look from this disgruntled Burger King employee. I started to doubt myself. Did I do something wrong?  Did I unintentionally commit some act that made me deserving of his behavior?
It was then that I realized that this was just a typical low-wage worker who hates his job. I have dealt with this type of person many times, and you can find them in any low paying “profession.” Of course, they are working for minimum wage and hate it….and I don’t blame them. However, this is where hating one’s low-wage job may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Let me explain.
The Low-Wage Cycle
Let’s say that you are working at Arby’s earning minimum wage at $7.25 an hour. Even if you are working a full 40-hour week, you only earn about $290 per week before taxes. I cannot possibly imagine trying to live off of this type of wage, especially while trying to raise a family.  (But, for the sake of this example, just try to imagine it.)
So, here you are, working away at Arby’s making roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. Sure, it smells good, but it gets old quick. You come home each day greasy and unkempt. Your miserable paycheck does not even come close to covering your expenses, and you begin to hate your job. With each passing day you begin to hate your job more, and it shows. You begin to treat customers as if they are purposely trying to annoy you by visiting your establishment. You may even huff and puff and roll your eyes at some random nice people who – God forbid! – happen to want a Beef-n-Cheddar and some curly fries. Due to your lack of customer service skills, you never get promoted. You also don’t get to work the shift and hours that you prefer. Basically, you are at the bottom of the barrel – leading you to hate your job even more.
This is how hating your low-wage job becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Hating your job leads to bad work performance, which in turn leads to not getting promoted…which leads to being stuck hating your low-wage job. It’s as simple as that.
Fortunately, if you are stuck in a low-wage job that you hate, I have great news for you. It doesn’t have to be this way. Only you have the ability to perform well at your job. Only you can change your attitude and the way that you treat other people.  And, you never know…we’ve all heard stories of employees who started as cashiers for various companies only to work their way through the ranks until they were finally CEO. Chances are, if you visit your local McDonald’s, you will find a manager who started as a burger flipper or order taker. I even know a few people personally who have defied the odds and achieved a very successful career in a typically low-wage profession. However, it is unlikely that anything will change unless you do.
Try breaking free from the cycle. Pick up some new skills, teach yourself a side gig, or start a blog. Until then, you may just be stuck in an endless cycle of hating your low-wage job.
I fully agree with this post. I don’t work at a fast food place but I do work in the food industry and many days, people tip so poorly (not from lack of service but more from stinginess) that I leave an 8-10 hour shift having made under $7.25 an hour. But keeping my good attitude about my job and going above and beyond for the customers just got me a promotion of sorts. I’ve been with this company for 2 months now and I’ve been promoted to being a bartender when that usually takes a 12-16 months (yes I’ve been a bartender before so that helped but still.) A good attitude and a good skill-set will get you much further than anything else. Nice post Holly.
Thank you so much for writing!
That is awesome that you got promoted. Congratulations!
I have worked as a waitress many times, cleaned houses for years, and worked as a nanny as well. Working a low wage job doesn’t have to be a permanent deal. Having a great attitude will definitely help you move up the ranks or at least get a good reference so that you can one day get a better paying job.
Also, being miserable sucks. Who wants to spend 40 hours or more a week hating every moment? It’s no way to live….
I use to work at Safeway for really low pay. It got boring quickly but I had to be nice to the customers because I needed the money for school and didn’t want to get fired. But after half a year I quit and pursued art school. Turned out well because I’m making more now. I agree earning low wages can turn into a downward spiral if someone has a bad attitude. It can also be a stepping stone to a more rewarding career like my situation, or move up the corporate ladder in the same company like becoming a manager at Safeway. Depends on one’s mindset I guess 😀
You are exactly right. It depends on your mindset.
Thank you for writing!!!
Good story. I think like this about the people I see at my old jobs too. It’s especially sad when I see my old co-workers at them. I feel like these types of jobs are important for your life because they remind you of what you’ll have to look forward to if you screw up in life 🙂
My husband promised me when we got married that I would never have to work in food service of any kind again. So far, he’s made good on that promise = )
My first job was a burger flipper for $3.25 an hour. I hated it! But, it taught me discipline as I had to wake up at 5:30am to open the store at 6am.
It also drove me to study hard b/c I did NOT want to flip burgers at MCD for my entire life!
Mine was at Subway making $4.25 an hour. I mostly stood in the freezer and ate cookie dough = )
Got you both beat, my first job was at Wendys making $3.15 hour. I kinda enjoyed working there !!
Back then when $3 was the equivalent of approx. $9 today (which would still be higher than the current $7 minimum wage). You’re comparing apples to oranges here.
WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for free insurance quotes car
i am not telling you to fight back i demand it,protest,boycott and walkout,don’t stop till minimum wage is at least $15 an hour.fight the greedy rich.
What if you are stuck at your low wage because it’s not related to want you want to do? What if becoming a restaurant manager is not something you want to do? There’s not much of a bright side when you get stuck in that situation. I would like to get experience for the more science or film related careers, but entry levels in those areas non-existent if you don’t have experience or another college degree. I work at a convenient store and pizza restaurant, but they are not places I want a career in. Most of the other entry are sales or customer service type jobs, but not really an outgoing person and can’t really dealing with strangers all the time. It was even nerve wracking for me to door to door surveys.
I’m 56.. got laid off from a 22yr career 6 yrs ago… I could not find another job for 2 yrs.. nobody wants to hire a man my age with very limited experience. I don’t have time or money to go to school.. I have to make a living. Working for a Crap company answering phones.. and yes I HATE my job… I do the BEST I can.. I am in a group in the company that does sales.. I have the BEST numbers in that group. Problem is.. this company has NO upward mobility. Nobody ever moves up… they hire managers from OUTSIDE the company. They NEVER give raises.. they hire ANYONE and expect you to quit after a year… they like it this way. I get paid above minimum wage but not much and not really a living wage. They provide NO benefits. People ask…well.. quit and work somewhere else… but I have no way to do that.. I have no experience.. I’ve applied to HUNDREDS of companies and nothing. I was working in Mainframe computers for 22 yrs.. and very few limited jobs today for that and they mostly hire young kids just out of college. No company will hire me. So I have had the exact wage for 4 yrs and nowhere to go.