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"Working" by Studs Terkel comes to mind. http://www.amazon.com/Working-People-Talk-About-What/dp/1565843428 http://www.amazon.com/Working-People-Talk-About-What

by aklemm 12y ago

"Working" by Studs Terkel comes to mind. http://www.amazon.com/Working-People-Talk-About-What/dp/1565843428 http://www.amazon.com/Working-People-Talk-About-What/dp/1565... So many people have this question early in their careers, it really seems like something is wrong. Perhaps we need a serious/mandatory/formal job-shadowing program for teens and college students.

Shyis 12y ago
I'll give it a look. Thanks!
therealdrag0 12y ago
That looks perfect. I wish there was an audio version.
- aristus 12y ago
  Studs was a radio interviewer. The book is taken from thousands of hours of material. https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/938 https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/938
dxbydt 12y ago
This is a stunning book. 15 years ago, when I first came to this country from India, a classmate gave me a copy of this book. I guess he wanted me to understand America or Americans or whatever. It definitely affected me at some deep level. I still have my copy, and I read it everytime something upsets me about my job & I get those "maybe I should just switch to something else..." feeling. Its not "by Study Terkel" because he didn't really write this book....I mean, its his book, but he basically ran into all these chaps, and let them do all the talking. And they talk and talk and talk. He prompts them from time to time, but mostly, its a book by these people. And their stories and lives are super compelling. I often used to wonder why people do dead-end jobs like parking cars in a building, or store clerk etc. Here, those people tell you why. There is this hooker who tells you how she got into the business, how she turns tricks, dealing with cops, offering freebies to pimps,the whole thing is simultaneously amazing and sordid and just puts everything into perspective. It taught me that America is a hard country. Its not some first world paradise. America is like, seriously fucked up. I mean, all these people, they were here long before I got here, and they have friends & families & homes & connections, and yet their lives are so hard and messed up and its not all whining & complaining, but I did get the impression things are very hard out here for the blue collar guy. Ofcourse had Turkel gone to Sand Hill road & bumped into a hundred VCs, that would be a very different book. It a definite must-read, especially if you are an immigrant.
dhagz 12y ago
Like apprenticeships? Man, what an outdated idea. They did that in the Dark Ages, for goodness sake! /s We have a strong push towards internships, it seems odd that students aren't taking advantage of this hands-on experience in a field that interests them. Of course, missing out on a paid job for the (most likely unpaid) internship is probably a factor.
- aklemm 12y ago
  Well, an apprenticeship is far more of a commitment than what is needed here. Rather young people are looking for a survey of what specific careers really look like. Might be impossible, but job-shadowing might be the best answer. I shadowed a judge for a morning as a high schooler, and it was tremendously enlightening, but it could have been a lot better if he did it frequently and if I had a chance to shadow other professions for longer periods.

by aklemm 12y ago

Shyis 12y ago

I'll give it a look. Thanks!

therealdrag0 12y ago

That looks perfect. I wish there was an audio version.

aristus 12y ago
Studs was a radio interviewer. The book is taken from thousands of hours of material. https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/938 https://www.popuparchive.com/collections/938

dxbydt 12y ago

This is a stunning book. 15 years ago, when I first came to this country from India, a classmate gave me a copy of this book. I guess he wanted me to understand America or Americans or whatever. It definitely affected me at some deep level. I still have my copy, and I read it everytime something upsets me about my job & I get those "maybe I should just switch to something else..." feeling. Its not "by Study Terkel" because he didn't really write this book....I mean, its his book, but he basically ran into all these chaps, and let them do all the talking. And they talk and talk and talk. He prompts them from time to time, but mostly, its a book by these people. And their stories and lives are super compelling. I often used to wonder why people do dead-end jobs like parking cars in a building, or store clerk etc. Here, those people tell you why. There is this hooker who tells you how she got into the business, how she turns tricks, dealing with cops, offering freebies to pimps,the whole thing is simultaneously amazing and sordid and just puts everything into perspective. It taught me that America is a hard country. Its not some first world paradise. America is like, seriously fucked up. I mean, all these people, they were here long before I got here, and they have friends & families & homes & connections, and yet their lives are so hard and messed up and its not all whining & complaining, but I did get the impression things are very hard out here for the blue collar guy. Ofcourse had Turkel gone to Sand Hill road & bumped into a hundred VCs, that would be a very different book. It a definite must-read, especially if you are an immigrant.

dhagz 12y ago

Like apprenticeships? Man, what an outdated idea. They did that in the Dark Ages, for goodness sake! /s We have a strong push towards internships, it seems odd that students aren't taking advantage of this hands-on experience in a field that interests them. Of course, missing out on a paid job for the (most likely unpaid) internship is probably a factor.

aklemm 12y ago
Well, an apprenticeship is far more of a commitment than what is needed here. Rather young people are looking for a survey of what specific careers really look like. Might be impossible, but job-shadowing might be the best answer. I shadowed a judge for a morning as a high schooler, and it was tremendously enlightening, but it could have been a lot better if he did it frequently and if I had a chance to shadow other professions for longer periods.