Mike Rose

I really enjoyed reading Mike Rose's Mind at Work.  I felt I was able to relate to much of what he was talking about. This class and after this book, I have definitely learned a new way to look at jobs, occupations and careers. I had worked in retail for the past five years and hated every minute of it.  There was just such hatred to standing at a register ringing out customers who wanted to be in and out. I received no stimulation from it. That is why I am pursuing a career.
With what Rose brought up in The Mind At Work, he tied in working class jobs and middle class jobs to be on the same level. He did not want this difference between them. This is what I found really interesting because i never saw it the way he described these jobs.  I used to think jobs such as retail and waitressing to be easy jobs that anyone can do.  But now I have learned otherwise. Waitressing is a field I just started in, it can be very difficult at times but also enjoyable.  It is different from retail.
When i worked at CVS and if customers asked me what i was doing with my life. I was sure to say how i was in school and how this was not going to be long term. I was basically ashamed to put myself into this category. These jobs, seen by many, are dead end jobs and can't expand. Just because it is a job i don't know does not mean i should bash it. These jobs make a living for some.
Mike Rose defined certain jobs such as waitressing, plumbing, a doctor,  and a person who deals with electricity. Each are different collar jobs and have different income but as I'm learning from this course, class is not based on income, it is the type of work you do.
In Rose's book, he describes each job and a day of work. With this he then starts to bring out similarities of each job. He shows how these jobs that are different in fact use the same set of skills. I feel with this, he is trying to educate people to understand how this jobs are very complicated and take time and knowledge to complete. We should not be disrespectful of someone because of the job they hold.  These jobs are no less than a college degree.  Different skills may be used but they are overall the same.
This book definitely made me proud to be a waitress.