Andrew,other than some vague sense of dissatisfaction, why are you so hung up about underemployment? Here in America we are free to pursue our dreams. The limitations we face are largely (but not completely) self-imposed. If you want to work in a field that doesn’t exist in your town or region, nothing, except your own choices (some of which have led you to this point) is keeping you from moving to where that thing exists.
The term itself smacks of a victim mentality. “I’m being underutilized in my job.” “I have a degree.”
Nobody intrinsically deserves a job. It takes effort to prove yourself enough to someone to give you a job and retain that job. America’s economy has suffered under the socialism of unions, where jobs are protected not by competency, but by seniority. I worked for 10 years as a letter carrier, and saw many who could not survive in a competitive work environment. I’m not denigrating the job, but the system. I felt I was what I would call “misemployed” there, but it was not oppressive to me. I knew that I could make a change if I wanted to enough.
I confess I am not a labor economist, but I am an observer of life and people. I have just been hired for a temp job that has potential for permanence. I am thankful for it, having not had a paycheck since August (Remember I mentioned choices? I chose to enter the real estate field in late 2005, and was not very successful.) Will that job utilize all the skills I believe I possess? Probably not. But I’m actually a little bit more concerned with bills and food than with some ephemeral feeling I might have about whatever job I have.
