Escape from Corporate America

post # 544 — May 22, 2008 — a Careers post

Pamela Skillings has written a fun AND serious book called “ESCAPE from CORPORATE AMERICA: a practical guide to Creating the Career of Your Dreams.”

Here are some of the lists from the book:

The Benefits Of Corporate Jobs

1. Steady paycheck.
2. Benefits.
3. Paid vacation days.
4. Prestige.
5. Free office supplies. .
6. Résumé building.
7. Mom’s approval.
8. Structured career path.
9. Friendships forged in shared misery.

The Drawbacks Of Corporate Jobs

1. Excessive workloads.
2. Tedious work
3. Grueling commutes.
4. Endless meetings.
5. Cubicles.
6. Fluorescent lighting.
7. Open bar at the holiday party
8. Sense of worthlessness.
9. Bad coffee.
10. Neckties and panty hose.
11. Mean and/or idiotic bosses.

The Phases of Corporate Disillusionment

Phase 1: Typical Honeymoon Phase Behavior

Phase 2. Denial: “My Job Is Great, I Tell You, Just Great.”

Phase 3. Bitching: “This Job Sucks.”

Phase 4. Bargaining: “I Can Make It Work Somehow.”

Phase 5. Depression: “What’s the Point? There’s No Way Out.”

Phase 6. Acceptance or Change: “I Guess Things Could Be Worse” or “It’s Time to Make a Change.”

The most common reasons behind dissatisfaction with cubicle life.

1. Corporate Burnout
2. Terminal Boredom
3. Square Peg Syndrome
4. Balance Disorder
5. Meaning Deficiency
6. Toxic Workplace Blues
7. Exploring Escape Routes

Seven alternatives to your current corporate rut.

1. Corporate Jobs That Don’t Suck
2. Take a Break
3. Swim in a Smaller Pond
4. Go Solo
5. Build A Business
6. Follow Your Creative Dreams
7. Make A Difference

This summary may make the book sound flip, but it’s not. It’s a thorough and helpful examination of a serious subject.