Working 101: The beginning of the end.

Like hundreds of millions of people, I am a full-time worker. The plan is to remain as such until this blog earns me more than what I make at my current job (which pays a pittance). At that exact moment, I’m vanishing from the company—goodbye to everyone and everything forever—effectively becoming a full-time blogger. Until then, one must endure and fight against a system that is as incredible as it is insane.

My experience starts in 2012, with an internship paid 500 euros a month for 12-hour days, leading up to today, where I work as a wholesale vendor. From 2012 onward, for 14 years, I have seen and lived through moments that will stay in my head for a lifetime. They were moments that made me wonder if adults are out of their minds by default or if they undergo an upgrade to become so.

To avoid losing all my memories—since you never know what might happen in life—I was thinking: why not preserve them?

With this, I’d like to open a new space on this blog, talking about all the madness that the world of work hides and spits in every worker's face when the poor innocent soul enters the arena. This space can be perfect for newcomers trying to understand what they are getting into, while those already inside can laugh, cry, or learn something new. Because there truly is no limit to the worst.

The only detail to clarify is: where do I start? What topic is perfect to open a long journey like this? We must start with the first step, and in this case, it’s a survival guide to reaching retirement still sane of mind and not full of antidepressant pills. Let’s head down the rabbit hole, because there is enough here to make you pull your hair out.

Little Money.

Let’s get the money issue out of the way immediately. I’m starting with money because it is by far the most important thing about work and the only thing that truly matters. If money weren't an issue, nobody would work. A man who wins the lottery certainly doesn't work.

To talk about money, we have to take a broad view. Let’s answer a question: what is a company? A company is a legal entity that does things. These things can be summarized as: making a ton of money by selling goods or services. The goal of a company is to spend as little as possible and sell as much as possible, so that those who manage it (the executives) can afford the luxury car, the mistress, and the penthouse in the city center or the villa in the countryside.

It is not a charity. Everything revolves around making money. Those who bring in money stay; those who lose it, leave. There are no names, personalities, or social relationships—only your ability to grow the bank account. A company doesn't give a damn about anyone's life. A worker is like a piece of machinery: expensive, fragile, and easy to replace. For a company, every single person is just a means to an end, and that end is becoming increasingly rich.

In this sense, the logic bosses use is very simple: just like with machines, I must spend as little as possible on the worker because they want to earn as much as possible. If the cost of workers (a very heavy fixed cost for companies) is reduced, profit increases. Therefore, they will offer as little as possible, pass it off as a gesture of mercy, squeeze the fresh meat while it’s fresh, and then, when that meat is old, replace it with something new.

In these times, there is much discussion about how salaries are low and inadequate for today's cost of living. As I said, companies have no interest in keeping salaries high, because it means fewer profits. If we are starving now, it is due to two other factors: a State that does not intervene with regulatory laws and us being forced to accept certain figures because everyone offers the minimum wage, as there are no laws forcing companies to raise salaries.

Companies have used our need for money—imposed on us by the very social structure we live in—and the absence of the State to keep us on a leash. If we had the luxury of choice because the State forced companies to raise salaries based on the cost of living and inflation, no worker would accept certain realities bordering on slavery, and companies would focus on a drastic and radical improvement of corporate policy and atmosphere to attract employees again.

Paradoxically, companies are making improvements to make working life more fulfilling. No, it’s not about less time or working from home. Companies are offering "benefits"—those perks that the company "charitably" gives, thinking they are fundamental for workers. It's along the lines of "I’ll give you a free apple, but I won’t give you money for groceries." Spoiler: no worker will ever use those perks. Honestly, in all these years, I have never seen a colleague use the company bike, fitness discounts, or eat the fruit the company offers every week.

Think of the irony: they might spend a hundred euros a month per worker to offer these benefits, but that same money is not added to the salary. Working life is so beautiful!

No Perspective.

In all the job advertisements you read—and unfortunately, I’ve read far too many—you get the feeling that companies are looking for ambitious people, with a team-player mentality, who dedicate soul and body to the cause and want to build a career. Ads even explicitly state "are you someone looking for new challenges and wanting to grow?" claiming there are abundant opportunities for growth through courses to obtain the knowledge and tools to climb the corporate pyramid.

A kid fresh out of school often falls for it. I fell for it too, even quite recently. You read something like that and think "wow, I can really be successful there," as if they plant the idea in your head that you can make a difference with that company and that it’s the right place to climb the professional and social ladder. Spoiler again: it doesn't happen.

Companies write those ads as the perfect mousetrap. They want to delude potential workers, creating an image of a dynamic, young company with great perspectives and grand growth plans. I’ve lost count of how many interviews I’ve been to where they said "oh, yes, because we intend to expand," or "we have large recent orders and plans to grow the team," and so on.

The reality is quite different. There is no plan, no future, and no big new project. That company stays and will stay exactly where it is. Not to mention the career. No executive at that company will ever give up their spot for you, even if you are mega-prepared. Because power and money are too convenient, and the human being is a greedy creature. A company might offer refresher and growth courses, and the worker might take them, but there will be no opportunity to use those skills. I've lived this on my own skin. They made me take an online refresher course to learn a new skill; I got the certificate, but I never got the chance to put what I learned into practice. Now, I’ve completely forgotten everything. You will stay in the same spot for decades, doing the same job, even if you are ready to be a manager. Oh, and obviously, a raise never arrives, because your position will always stay the same, even if you are more qualified.

I’ve seen people quit when the bosses—after endless promises of a promotion and hours spent on refresher courses—candidly stated, "we decided to hire someone from the outside for that position," or "we prefer you stay in the position you are in because you are a vital resource in our business processes." There is nothing worse than hearing those words. A worker sacrifices time and patience based on an executive’s word, only to get nothing but a moral slap to the teeth.

The only way to build a career is to work for yourself and found your own company. In the corporate world, nothing moves; everything remains exactly as it must be, because the old people in charge don't want change. They are only thinking about their retirement, so the fewer problems, the better. The sooner you understand this truth, the better.

A Big Family.

There is one thing that must always stay in each of our minds: work is just a way to squeeze money out of another person. End of discussion.

Why do I say this? Because for some years now, companies have always had this "beautiful" idea of claiming they have "created a family atmosphere" or even "here we are all happy members of one big family." And at the interview, you actually believe it. The person sitting across from you is convinced of what they are saying... or they are a great actor. I’m more inclined to believe the first option. What you see at interviews are nothing but huge, radiant smiles. Under no circumstances—and I repeat, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES—should you fall into this trap.

No one inside, not even the bosses who brought up this madness, thinks they are in a big family. Everyone, and I mean everyone, will do their job and go home as soon as possible. End of story. Your family is the one you have at home. In the office, it’s about coexisting with a group of strangers you don't know, can barely stand, and who would rather do anything else but work in that place. The scenes on Friday afternoons are legendary. By comparison, Usain Bolt is a snail. In a family, they love you for who you are; in a company, they "love" you only as long as you produce more than you cost. Never confuse the two.

If no one has an interest in working, why should you? There is only one strategy that works, only one: do exactly what you are paid for, not a centimeter more or less, just like everyone else. The concept of the "big family" was introduced to screw people over, like those naive individuals who believe the fairy tale of "let's all love each other."

Have you ever wondered why some people work more than others? It's not because they have nothing better to do or because they want a career that doesn't exist. They stupidly decided to help someone who used the "big family" mentality, only to realize later that the help was nothing more than the exploitation of a soft heart.

Don't end up like that. Be smarter. Complete your tasks and go home. Don't help anyone, because no one will help you when you are in need. It's not about being mean to your colleague; it’s about personal defense against those who use kindness to take advantage. I’ve seen this too. If your colleague has the chance to use you so they can leave earlier, they will, and they’ll try to trick you with the excuse "well, we all help each other here in case of need," trying to make you feel guilty when you say "no." Sometimes they even use the career excuse, like "if you don't help, your career will suffer." Trust me, never say "yes," because once you do, you’re screwed forever, and the career will be blocked anyway. A "no" will make you look lazy, but it will save you a myriad of problems.

If you look at the world of work for what it is—a simple exchange of money for performance—you will save yourself a lot of devastating physical and psychological damage. If you’re afraid of losing your job because you don't show that "willingness to help," don't worry: you could lose it anyway for other reasons, so take it easy.

No Gratitude.

At the beginning of your new work experience, you will work; you will work a lot. Sometimes you will work too much. The first few months are always the same story. You want to give the impression of being a team player, you don't want to lose your job, so you do more than necessary and you do everything perfectly. You deliver projects on time, you stay late when the boss asks, and you try to be a good worker and prove you deserved that spot. All with the idea that "if I do well, the boss will notice me." It almost sounds like a high schooler in love.

Then, the end of the project arrives, the company makes a lot of money, you feel your contribution was important—if not fundamental—and you are sure the bosses will eventually recognize it. Third spoiler: it won't happen. You won't hear anything, you won't receive anything, and everything will flow as it always has, as if nothing happened. When it happens—and it does—it hurts. You come from school where hard work was appreciated and seen, and you collide with a working reality that devours everyone.

That’s how it works; it’s a very simple mechanism. If everything goes well, the team did well. No special thanks; everyone is taken the same way. Generally, you receive an absolutely impersonal and cold thank-you email from the boss saying "well done everyone!", which often arrives at 6:30 PM on Friday while he is already in his car heading to the beach.

Otherwise, you will be the one who pays the consequences—not because your colleagues hate you (though maybe for that too), but simply because you are the new one, therefore expendable, and the perfect lightning rod for others' mistakes. It’s easy to say, "oh, clearly it was him! He didn't know and he made the mistake! If I had done it, it would never have happened!".

It hurts to hear it, true, but keep this in mind: even those who consider themselves "experts" make mistakes. They just sell the only thing that gives them a reason to live better, and in case of an error, they are just good at shifting the blame onto others.

Forget "thank you," "nice work," and let alone any form of bonus or recognition. Politeness is not at home here, and you are just a small gear in a very complex engine.

Once you’ve suffered this burn, licked your wounds, and fixed this little pill of truth in your mind, you have only one thing to do: the bare minimum. Show up to work on time—never early—do exactly your job and nothing more, take all the breaks you feel are necessary, and leave on time. You are paid for 40 hours a week; the other hours are not paid. Use those hours for something else, because that time consists of moments that will never return. If the boss comes with a task with an impossible deadline, refuse, unless he pays you more. Management will have a thousand excuses to increase your workload; don't let them. It’s not you who has to save the business; it’s him who has to work better and hire more staff.

The Snakes.

One rule must be carved into your mind before you even start working: those you call colleagues are your bitter rivals. No one is your friend, no one loves you, everyone thinks of themselves. If you had a medical emergency in the office, they would call the ambulance only so they wouldn't have a desk occupied by a corpse slowing down production or to avoid a charge of failure to assist.

In every office, colleagues will always complain. They will complain about the work, the schedule, the colleague, or anything else. Do not make comments in return. Those snakes are setting a trap for you. Those comments are made to screw you over, because later your comments will be used to badmouth you. Why are colleagues so petty? For the career.

"But we know the career is a fiction!" True, but in the world of work, we are all lost. It is difficult to go on for decades knowing you will do the same job forever. So, just for the sake of sanity, people believe there is a greater purpose for that suffering. They must believe in a career possibility, however minimal, if only to have a glimmer of hope, to still have a reason to believe. Without that fake idea, it would be impossible to go on.

You reach a certain point in this madness where you actually start believing in this phantom career. Employers know this all too well and keep the workers' attention high with promises of a leadership position that will open soon and that the best person will fill it.

At that point, the Hunger Games begin. Everyone will think of themselves and do everything to knock people out of the game. That chair and that money are too enticing, and people would do anything to get them.

The only big problem is that no one knows when or which position will open. So these corporate Hunger Games are constant, because every day is the right one and you can't be unprepared for that moment... a moment that will never arrive for the workers.

Final Thoughts.

Entering the world of work is no joke and it’s not the fairy tale often told. Fortunately, social media is opening our eyes. The world of work is a world where the less you do, the better; where you are paid little for what you do and no gratitude exists, even though it is written in large letters that companies are big families and adore their workers.

If we want to live a long time in the world of work and maintain a certain level of sanity, we must do less, sell it as if we were doing more, and stay quiet. That way, you have a happy life. No one adores exhibitionists, but they adore lazy people who sell themselves as tireless workers.

M.