Fired Corporate Employee Takes Dishwashing Job To Avoid Feeling Useless: 'Not Doing For Money'

A corporate employee laid off from his job said he had taken up a $11 (Rs 1,049)-an-hour dishwashing job after being unable to land a new role despite months of trying and feeling useless. In a social media post titled, "From corporate to $11/h dishwashing job," the 29-year-old ex-corporate man said he was fired in April and offered a 'nice' nine-month severance package.

Since then, he had filled out more than 200 applications and given over 15 interviews, but none of them had converted into a concrete job.

"Dismayed and my mental health taking a nose dive, I lost all structure to my days and felt useless. After 4 months being unemployed, I still can't detach my identity from this constant need to find the next corporate gig I hated in the first place, just for the feeling of belonging," the man said.

The man explained that it was about finding a sense of identity as he had an emergency fund to last him five years due to his frugal spending habits.

"I just took a $11/h dishwashing part-time gig starting next week. I never thought I'd come to this and I'm not doing this for the money, but to feel useful, in any way," the man said.

"To give structure to my days or maybe I'm rationalising this to myself. I'm hoping this experience can be grounding and I can turn off this anxious mind for a few hours a day."

The man said he wondered if he would still feel anxious if he were financially independent and retired, not knowing what to do with his time.

"Even after all my hobbies, there is still so much time left. And this constant, desperate urge to fill it with work. I wonder what my father, who's worked corporate for 30 years, will feel when he reaches retirement age in 3 years. I'm sure he'll feel even more lost than me," he said.

Check The Viral Post Here:

From corporate to $11/h dishwashing job
by u/mangodrives in Layoffs

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'No Shame In Washing Dishes'

As the post gained traction, social media users said they empathised with the individual and shared similar stories of feeling useless without work.

"Was laid off from corporate around last year and ended up doing all types of jobs since then. Glad to know I'm not alone," said one user while another added: "Sorry to hear. Remember this moving forward, friend. We are not our job, but many of us are our routine."

A third commented: "I was making 6 figures at my last tech job when I was laid off. By two years into the unemployment world, I was selling my plasma, counting ads and 3d glasses and evaluating displays at movie theatres for pennies, secret shopping Jersey Mike's and Denny's so I could get free meals, and spending about 4 hours a week in line for free food at food pantries. I completely relate."

A fourth said: "You are smart to get a job so that you don't get depressed. No shame in washing dishes. I went from a corporate job to picking weeds out of some lady's yard."